SAUGUS — The Cemetery Commission is pushing forward with its proposed expansion of Riverside Cemetery, allowing Chair Richard Thompson to solicit proposals to examine the possibility of expanding across a brook at the back of the bounds of the existing cemetery.
Space in Riverside has dwindled down to the point that fewer than 40 plots remain available for purchase, according to Cemetery Superintendent John Falsacca. By law, the town has to provide “one or more suitable places for the internment of people dying within its limits.” With Riverside on the brink of capacity, Saugus could find itself in violation of that stature.
Previous efforts for expansion — including a plan to do exactly what the commission is now proposing — have failed, with plans faltering at Town Meeting. Thompson, however, believes the time is right to win approval. He explained a previous effort faltered because the commission’s membership rolled over ahead of the vote and no commissioners attended Town Meeting to state their case. Falsacca noted the land across the brook is cemetery property, aiding the expansion pitch.
One of the key forces of opposition to previous expansion efforts was the location of the tree farm on the property, though Thompson said many of the advocates who spoke against that proposal are no longer in town politics.
During the commission’s meeting Monday evening, Thompson presented members with a proposal completed by BSC Group in August 2015 to examine the viability of expanding across the brook. Thompson told The Item in December that expansion would create space for 5,000 additional graves.
In the draft proposal, BSC Group proposes conducting a site observation to delineate the limit of wetlands on the site, complete a day of test pits to document subsurface conditions, and prepare a report detailing the potential for development at the site. The report would also include site restrictions, an estimate of potential grave space, permit requirements, an order of magnitude cost assessment, and other site-specific issues.
Numerous members of the commission suggested Thompson ask BSC Group to simply resubmit the report with a new date attached, as the services they proposed in 2015 would cover the commission’s needs eight years later.
“Nothing’s really changed,” said Commissioner Janice Jarosz.
In giving Thompson the go-ahead to seek similar proposals, commissioners noted the need for an expedited process with the warrant for the Annual Town Meeting closing on April 4.
Thompson emphasized that the commission only needs to present Town Meeting members with a proposal for examining the feasibility of expansion, prior to asking for funding to begin construction of a bridge.
He also suggested inviting town officials such as members of the Board of Selectmen and state Rep. Donald Wong (R-Saugus) to the commission’s next meeting to get their backing on the expansion once they have a proposal ready.
Falsacca said in his experience, the four and a half acres of land that the expansion would cover would “last a long time.”
“We need to do this,” he said.
