Cemetery Commission Meeting Minutes
October 14, 2026
The Commission convened at the Town Clerk’s Office at 6:05 pm. A quorum was
present, and all motions were seconded.
Commission members present: Susan Stitely, Patti Garbeck, Stephanie Appleton, Cacky
Peltz and Amy Hunt.
Guest: Robin Durkee
Joe Mangan cannot attend the meeting and has announced he will be finished as the sexton at
the end of this year when his contract expires.
What are we going to do about the sexton position?
● Amy called Diane Holcomb in Hardwick; she mentioned they use Stanley Allen in
Greensboro. He also does the Greensboro cemetery.
● Susan called Patrick Heely who is the sexton at Green Mountain Cemetery in
Montpelier. He will think of some suggestions and get back to us.
● Gene and Donnie Turgeon formally dug graves for us. Stephanie will reach out to
them to see if they have any interest.
● We discussed the sexton’s duties.
● Moving forward we will need to write up a new contract and include all
expectations for the new sexton. We will need to clarify the billing process.
● Robin drew up the steps for purchasing a plot and distributed the copies.
● Susan suggested Mike Tatro or Larry Abel as possible people who could dig
burials.
● We need clarification how everything works with the funeral homes and the need
for permits for transferring the bodies. Do all funeral homes include the cost of
the sexton?
● Amy to ask Diane what she pays the sexton for: the burial, opening, closing,
seeding?
● Robin asked if the winter green burials are the only ones done in the winter? Amy
mentioned most cemeteries don’t allow winter burials unless they are green
burials.
● Robin mentioned the revised price list and was checking on discrepancies with
the old list. The new one is the final list and should be used moving forward. She
will put a copy of the new one in the vault.
● We will need help from the town clerk’s office if we need to bury someone soon.
If they are working with a funeral home, they handle it.
● It will be our responsibility to help people if they do not have a plot.
● Patti made a map of the Buck Lake cemetery and plotted out the graves. It is in
the vault.
● Susan suggested having the surveyor do Buck Lake Cemetery as someone is
interested in buried there.
● Sexton responsibilities include making sure the monuments get placed in the
right place.
● We have a question about 11A ,11B on the South Woodbury map? Where is
Daine Caccavo’s plot? She purchased lot 11 in 2000?
● Robin brought an email from Brenda Farrell for Susan to answer questions.
Action steps:
● Susan will ask Joe to return everything he has in files regarding the cemeteries
● Susan will ask Joe about the recent deed?
● Susan will ask Joe about the granite markers and if he is still interested in
providing them when his contact expires?
● Susan will ask Joe if his son is interested in taking over the position?
● Susan will reach out to Kenzan the Abbott of Shao Shan about the state
requirements for burying cremation remains, the depth and size of urns, and the
permitting process.
● Susan will ask Lilly when the last funeral was and did the Commission receive
payment from the sexton?
● Susan will be sure to send the meeting minutes moving forward to Robin so they
can be placed in the vault.
● Patti will reach out to Cedric Alexander about how Cabot handles all of this.
● Patti will reach out to Richard Patten about the process, and if there is space in
the Buck Lake Cemetery?
● Amy will reach out to Diane (a funeral director in Hardwick) about what she pays
the sexton for: the burial, opening, closing, seeding?
● Stephanie will reach out to Gene and Donnie Turgeon to see if they have any
interest.
We agreed to meet again on November 4th, 2026 at 6:30.
Previous Meeting Minutes
● Amy moved to approve the September 23rd, 2026 minutes; the
motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
The meeting adjourned at 7:20.
Submitted: Stephanie Appleton, Secretary
Signed by: Susan Stitely, Chair
October 14, 2026