Dunkle Cemetery Association

Meeting Minutes April 28, 2007

2007-2008 Board of Directors 2008-2009 Board of Directors

President: Greg Hankins (2006) President: Greg Hankins (2008)

Vice President: Rondell Miller (2006) Vice President: Rondell Miller (2006)

Secretary: Carolyn Slavens (2007) Secretary: Carolyn Slavens (2007)

Treasurer: LaReva Newcomer (2005) Treasurer: LaReva Newcomer (2005)

Member at Large: Mike Britain (2006) Member at Large: Mike Britain (2008)

Attendees: Greg Hankins, LaReva Newcomer, Jim Newcomer, Rondell Miller, and Carolyn Slavens.

Minutes: 2007 meeting minutes were distributed, reviewed, and were approved as submitted.

Treasurer Report:

Notice of 2008 annual meeting was done according to by-laws. A copy of the 2007-2008 financial operating report was provided to each attendee. Income for 2007 (interest, donations and memorial contributions) was $3,335.39. Expenditures for 2007 were $4,542.88. (Please note typographical error on the financial report. It stated "Expenditures for 2006" and it should have been "Expenditures for 2007". The expenditures and amounts are accurately reflected for 2007). CD balances on December 31, 2005 were $39500.00. The checking account balance as of 12/31/07 was $3,090.13.

The checkbook, copies of deposit slips, donations, and statements for the Dunkle Cemetery Association was made available to attendees for review. The 2007 -2008 financial report included 6 Certificate of Deposits (CD), the maturity date of each CD and the amount of each CD. Interest was down from 5.17% to 2.97% on two recent CDs that matured. Three more are coming due which are getting around 4% right now and are also expected to decrease.

LaReva advised the attendees that expenses in 2007 were $1,207.49 more than the income of the association. She expressed concern that this trend may continue in 2008. Donations have declined each year for the last three years. Expenses were up due to the ice storm costs, gravel for the driveway and increases in the mailbox and lock box rental. Along with decreasing donations and unexpected increases in expenses, declining interest rates may significantly impact the 2008 -2009 budget.

The financial report was accepted through motion, second, and majority consent.

Old Business:

Painting

The Miller family painted the gates and mailbox.

Fill Dirt

Greg offered apologies for not delivering the fill dirt and placing it on the concrete pad at the southwest corner of the cemetery after Decoration Day last year. He agrees to take care of the as soon as possible. He will ask Larry Brown to use his judgment in filling low areas as agreed upon in 2007).

Potential expansion of cemetery

Mike Britain was unable to attend the meeting this year. Greg did speak with Mike about a number of different things but this was not discussed. Carolyn did talk with Bobbie Johns about adjacent land. Bobbie suggested one of the association members contact her sister-in-law to discuss the possibility of obtaining additional land. LaReva will get the sister-in-laws contact information from Bobbie Johns and let her know the cemetery is interested in the adjoining land.

Clean -up Day

Several association members and other interested parties leveled headstones, cleaned bathrooms, painted the gates and placed a 'restroom' sign on the bathroom. Flowers were placed on every grave for decoration day. Flags were placed on known veteran graves.

Severely damaged trees from the ice storm were either cut or trimmed. The individual who trimmed and cut the trees was paid by donations. Greg was to oversee the burning of the brush from the trimming and offered his apology for forgetting to take care of it. Rondell will take care of the burning next weekend.

The attendees discussed replacing lost trees from the ice storm with smaller ornamental trees. Greg stated he had talked with a few people who do not want the trees replaced. The attendees agreed to table replacing trees at this time. Damaged trees that were cut way back are now sprouting and growing again.

Last year, Bobbie Johns gave permission to the association to mow the parking area as needed. Larry did mow it from time to time last year and did not charge the association. It required mowing every other time to look nice and that was more than they anticipated when the free offer was made last year.

Rondell and Greg have been out to the cemetery and stated it looks pretty good. Greg stated someone had expressed concern over a 'sink hole' in road but he did not see it. Greg said he would go back over it again to make sure.

New Business:

Mowing

Larry and Cindy Brown submitted a request to increase their annual fee from $2500.00/year to $2850.00/year. The increase will cover rising fuel costs and continuing to mow the parking area. The attendees approved the increase following discussion.

The discussion included the pros and cons of keeping Larry and Cindy.

Pros: Continuity of same persons mowing; vested interest of persons mowing; willingness of persons mowing to do additional work such as ice storm tree removal and other help when asked; difficulty in finding persons who are committed to mowing and upkeep of cemetery on long term basis; developing and advertising through a formal bid process can be complicated.

Cons: Not knowing what current fair market costs are for mowing the cemetery; potential for someone to assume the job is given to Larry and Cindy because family members are on the board;

A few years ago when this same discussion took place, Carolyn did contact the person who mowed Miesmer Cemetery and at that time the amount paid by the association was consistent with community standards. However, to again address the cons, Carolyn and Greg will each try to find an individual to bid the cemetery mowing. They will ask for the individual to define how often they will mow, where they will mow/trim and how much the individual will charge. The association will review this information during the 2009-2010 annual meeting.

Decoration Day

We will have representatives Sunday to accept donations. We will not have representatives available on Saturday this year since it did not increase donations. It was noted that many graves were already decorated on Saturday.

Rondell will put up the tent, table and chair on Saturday. He will place a sign on the table promoting the Dunkle Cemetery website developed by Scott Rhodes (Mike Britain's nephew).

Rondell will check on a flag. Greg has one available if needed. LaReva will check with the 7th District Congressman and ask him to donate a flag to the association.

Carolyn will clean the restrooms and sweep the headstones on the day before Decoration Day.

LaReva will place flags on Veteran graves.

Worker schedule:

Sunday 8-11 Greg Hankins

Sunday 11-2 Mike Britain

Sunday 2-5 LaReva and Jim Newcomer

Developing Website

Greg suggested possibly utilizing the website for accepting donations, posting board members and contact information. He also suggested placing a sign on the fence with the website information. It was decided to not make the sign (promoting the website) until we can find out if website can be developed to accept donations. Attendees agreed to research website utilization (i.e. number of hits, Paypal, last time website was updated, is it still functioning, etc.) and provide Greg with the information on Decoration Day 2008. It was not decided at the meeting how Greg will proceed with the information once he receives it.

Increasing attendance at annual meetings

In the past, Mike has announced the meeting at Lawrenceburg Methodist Church and LaReva has placed notices in area newspapers. This year in addition to the newspaper notices, she did a mass mailing to approximately 30 past donors that included information on the 2008 annual meeting and a financial report. She also provided a donation envelope for each person. Some attendees invited others this year but they did not come. It was suggested each person try to bring one additional person to the annual meeting next year.

Date of annual meeting

The annual meeting was tentatively set each year for the third Saturday in April. This date is subject to change if conflicts arise among the Board of Directors. If the website can be developed, the information will be posted on the website.

Increasing income

Promotion of the website as a tool to donate may help. Promoting memorial donations may help. Expenses are noted to be bare minimum and there is no place to cut them. Carolyn will explore a cemetery grant.

LaReva will check to find out if combining any of the CDs will increase the interest rates.

Updating Plot Information

The plotting of the cemetery is still incomplete. Rondell stated he and Mike have talked about taking the metal detector out to the cemetery and completing the task.

Board of Directors and Officer elections

Greg Hankins and Mike Britain were voted to the Board of Directors. Greg will continue to serve as President and Mike will continue to serve as member at large.

Next schedule for board elections will be:

2009: Rondell Miller and La Reva Newcomer

2010: Carolyn Slavens

2011: Mike Britain and Greg Hankins

2008 Goals

Website development and placement of sign promoting website

Continue exploration of possible land acquisition

Tasks to be completed:

1) Fill Dirt and check for sink hole in drive

2) Burn brush pile and place flag

3) Recording burials on master plot sheet

4) Submit website information to Greg on Decoration Day

5) Obtain flag from U.S.Congress

6) Explore grants

7) Contact owner of adjoining land

8) Email 2008 meeting minutes to everyone within 2 weeks.

9) Clean restroom and sweep grass from headstones

10) Place flags on graves

11) Email group during first week in September: Remind them of plan to attend informal meeting on 1st Saturday in October (October 4, 2008) at 10:00 for workday/meeting.

2007 Goal/s (Completed)

Maintenance and upkeep will be the major focus for 2007.

Explore possible land acquisition.

2006 Goals (Completed)

Cemetery pamphlet developed

Website developed

Meeting adjourned at 12:37.

Respectfully submitted,

Carolyn Slavens