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Select board tables decision on cemetery tree-removal payment pending cemetery trustees' review
Summary
Highway crews removed a hazardous tree from a cemetery at a cost reported near $2,600; the board debated whether the cemetery trustees or highway fund should pay and voted to table the question until trustees meet to consider covering the expense.
The Brentwood Town select board discussed a hazardous tree removal from a town-area cemetery that highway crews had undertaken. Highway reported the tree posed a risk to headstones and the removal cost was reported in the $2,600–$2,800 range. Board members asked whether the cost should come from the cemetery capital reserve fund, the highway budget, or be split between departments. Jim Hazard, identified in the meeting as "Jim Hazard, chair of the military trustees," explained that cemetery trustees manage a general cemetery maintenance ETF and that trustees had not yet discussed or authorized the specific removal request.
After discussion, a board member moved to table the payment decision to allow the cemetery trustees to consider covering the expense at their meeting; the motion was seconded, and the board voted in favor to table the item until the trustees can review it. The chair noted the trustees meet the following day and that trustees would consider whether to expend funds from the cemetery accounts; the transcript records the motion to table and roll-call approval but does not provide a complete numeric breakdown by named member for public reporting.
The board also noted the cemetery capital reserve fund balance was reported in discussion (board members referenced around $37,000 in one comment) and that the trustees historically manage specified cemetery funds and approvals.
