SAUGUS — Cemetery Commission Chair Richard Thompson told the commission that Town Manager Scott Crabtree is guiding the commission through its attempt to expand the town’s cemetery space.
The town’s cemeteries are running low on available lots, which municipalities in Massachusetts are legally required to offer to their residents.
Thompson first recapped the discussion from last month’s meeting, noting that the commission had previously received a bid from an engineering firm for “complete package… to explore expanding Riverside Cemetery across the river onto cemetery-owned property.”
He said that the allocation of funding for the bid was approved at Town Meeting last year, but Crabtree later told Thompson that because of the size of the project, the town would have to receive at least three bids for it. The approved bid was the only one the town received.
Since last month’s meeting, Thompson met with Crabtree to discuss the planned expansion.
“The town manager is supporting the process, to see how far we can get, if we can make it there… he’s on board with us,” Thompson said.
Thompson added that Crabtree will utilize funds that have “already been appropriated for town use” in order to determine the viability of the site across the river.
One of the first orders of business for Crabtree and the commission, Thompson said, will be hiring a company to conduct an aerial survey of the proposed site as soon as possible.
Time is of the essence, Thompson said, because the aerial survey has to be conducted before the area’s foliage grows back.
”If the leaves grow in, the survey is useless,” Thompson said.
Thompson was optimistic about the progress of the town’s plan for the survey.
“I’m hoping that means days to get the survey secured, and I’m hoping that means within the next couple weeks, hopefully, if whoever we can find can get out there,” Thompson said.
After the aerial survey is complete, the next step in the process would be to bring in an “expert in cemetery and land use.”
Thompson explained the plans for the expansion in more detail, saying the commission would build two bridges connecting the current cemetery to the proposed area if it is viable for expansion.
“I think it’s encouraging to think that the town manager is going to help out,” Commission member Janice Jarosz said.
In the event that expansion can not move forward at the proposed location, Thompson said that the town would need to provide the commission with another possible location.
“Me personally, I just want to see the cemetery be the best it can be,” Thompson said. “I have family members down there, and in several other communities, and I just want to see Saugus look its best and be there for the citizens.”
