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LUNENBURG CEMETERY COMMISSION
MEETING MINUTES
Thursday, March 27, 2025 – 9:00AM
Lunenburg Town Hall – Bilotta Meeting Room
Attendees: Chair Nancy Foss Yasko
Vice-Chair David Doreen
Clerk Mike Clark
DPW Director Bill Bernard
This meeting was recorded and posted on Lunenburg Public Access. The meeting was held 
remote by Zoom – members of the Public.
(Viewing of the recorded meeting: see “Cemetery Commission March 27, 2025” on YouTube –  
Lunenburg Public Access)
9:02 AM – Call to Order
1. Stand for Pledge of Allegiance – all.
Chair Nancy Foss Yasko read the open meeting law statement & noted the upload to the 
Lunenburg Public Access Channel of this recorded meeting.
2. Review and Approve Minutes from February 27, 2025 meeting.
Vice Chair David Dorren made a motion to approve the minutes, Chair Nancy Foss Yasko 
seconded, voted all in favor.
3. DPW Director Updates and Discussions by Bill Bernard including approved and or in 
progress projects.
17 Main Street, P. O. Box 135
Lunenburg, MA  01462
978-582-4144   Fax 978-582-4148Nancy Foss Yasko, Chair
David Dorren, Vice-Chair 
              Mike Clark, Clerk 
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Seasonal Laborers – job posted, received resumes, hoping to hire back last year’s 
laborers.
Department of Corrections – reached out to, tentatively said yes, have not received 
available dates.
South Cemetery – concrete apron, waiting for warmer weather.
Flagpole lights – currently waiting for the ground to thaw and stiffen up to drive the 
bucket truck on to it.
Planning for the end of April.
Per Cemetery Maintenance plan:
Doing cleanup, decorations will be removed starting April 1st.
At South Cemetery we need to clean up areas of stump grinding activities.
Warrant Article – Fiscal year 2026 Capital Plan:
Put in for a Compact Backhoe – the primarily use will be at the cemeteries for 
digging graves.
Up to 12-foot excavation depth.
$50K item for expansion of North Cemetery back-lot
Chair Nancy Foss Yasko questioned, where are the numbers for available lots
DPW Director Bill Bernard responded:
South has 11 ready plots left.
North has 85 ready plots left.
Plots need verification of CIMS data versus what is available.
Needs to be done plot by plot.
Using Ramaker & knowledge for the cemetery to determine what is there.
Ramaker is an Ariel overview dropped onto the site plan.
Some plots are in the older areas.
Vice Chair David Dorren asked can an intern work this? Bill stated that we currently 
have no funds for this. Discussed how we can do this?
Clerk Mike Clark mentioned the available South Cemetery back lot space available, 
versus what is sale ready and recommended focusing on this area.
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Chair Nancy Foss Yasko brought the discussion back to the North Cemetery, asked 
the DPW Director if we were at the point of starting the development and discussed if
we are okay with letting the project move out. The DPW Director Bill Bernard replied
that we do have interest in the new area. Current spots are near roads by hedges, 
others in the 1800’s areas. Clerk Mike Clark recommended that we move forward as 
quickly as possible with the back-lot expansion, the DPW Director agreed. Plot 
availability was discussed again, 85 lots sold in the last 5 years, 19 last year. Chair 
Nancy Foss Yasko confirmed that the DPW Director wants to take the $50K request 
forward to Town Meeting this year. He confirmed, complete the design and put a 
contract together. Some trees require removal, road work, hire a designer and have a 
sit down to discuss goals. We further discussed getting the plan, putting out to bid, 
and that construction would start next summer. All material being deposited is outside
of conservation setbacks. Vice Chair David Dorren questioned the location of 
material deposits, the DPW Director confirmed it is all outside of the 100-foot buffer 
zone. Chair Nancy Foss Yasko confirmed that the commission did a site visit with the 
DPW about a year ago and went over the site details.
The committee discussed the logistics of getting a resource to align CIMS data with 
the actual available cemetery plots, Clerk Mike Clark volunteered to work with Bill 
on this.
Vice Chair David Doreen reiterated his concern about having a single point of 
accuracy on the plot data.
Chair Nancy Foss Yasko mentioned the family that would like to move their plot. 
DPW Director Bill Bernard responded that it would be the cost of a burial. The 
logistics of accommodating this family’s request were discussed.
The slope of the current plots was a topic of concern and DPW Director mentioned 
that is where the available lots are and stated that is why we need to get going on the 
expansion lot.
4. Place Holder Articles – Discussion and vote on each item. 
Chair Nancy Foss Yasko made a motion to start the $50K – back-lot project – Vice Chair David 
Doreen seconded; the commission voted all in favor.
Vice Chair David Dorren requested a report of plots with what’s available and what’s not. Clerk 
Mike Clark responded that he has done screen shots of the cemetery and report exports from 
CIMS and will put them together for the next meeting.
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$50K warrant article “Special Projects” for road repair
The article was discussed briefly, The DPW Director responded that crack sealing is the least 
expensive maintenance method for roads, cut in & patch of potholes. The DPW Director 
concluded that now is the time to address this need for repairs.
Re-motion to go forward with $50K special project article, Chair Nancy Foss Yasko motioned, 
Vice Chair David Doreen seconded, AIF.
The DPW Director continued his reporting:
No bodies are in the mausoleum, know of 2 bodies at funeral homes, have not called to 
setup burials, have received dates on 2 of 3 cremations.
People are calling to buy lots and asking about the North Cemetery expansion area.
All burials from last year have been entered into Ramaker.
Chair Nancy Foss Yasko inquired on the back history being entered into Ramaker. DPW 
Director Bill Bernard responded that it is being done as the Cemetery Superintendent is 
adding in data, he looks at abutting sites and adds missing data, but has not gone though 
the backlog of files in the office.
Chair Nancy Foss Yasko brought up the topic of the method of storage of DD214’s, the 
DPW Director stated that all the paperwork that they have is at the DPW building, they 
are in a secure building, but not in a locked file cabinet. He asked if the commission 
would buy a locked file cabinet. Vice Chair David Dorren took the action to quote a 
locked file cabinet. 
The roads in the cemetery are open.
Chair Nancy Foss Yasko discussed earmarks, in January 11th 2023, we put an earmark into 
Representative Michael Kushmerek – for the restoration of old grave markers, Leominster 
Monument came up with $38K. Chair Nancy Foss Yasko called his office to request a status on 
where they are on it.
Chair Nancy Foss Yasko also discussed the stone walls around all of the properties, one company
$300K, another $190K, also the turf restoration project which was another $50K for a total of 
$280K in earmarking with Representative Michael Kushmerek.
Chair Nancy Foss Yasko mentioned the open space in hedges and putting a wall in at ‘x’ amount 
of feet. Around $30K. What to do about the opening was discussed?
We discussed grants for cemetery work, Chair Nancy Foss Yasko took an action to ask the Town 
Manager about this. 
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Clerk Mike Clark requested to meet with DPW Director Bill Bernard and review the data 
exported from CIMS and the presentation format.
Public Comment
John Bowen – 163 Highland Street – received an email from Laurie Trahan’s office on handling 
federal documents. Along with other comments.
Chair Nancy Foss Yasko alluded that we had talked about these concerns (see minutes above), 
confirmed the DPW Directors recommendation to move forward with the articles for Town 
Warrant, and that the Commission is not accessing DD-214’s.
John Bowen interrupted the meeting exclaiming “Point of Order”. He then approached the 
microphone without being recognized. He continued with a loud interruption of the meeting. 
Two administrators came out of their office to intervene. The police were called to respond. 
Bowen left the meeting before the police arrived.
Chair Nancy Foss Yasko requested a motion to adjourn at 10:10 – Vice Chair David Dorren, 
motioned to adjourn, Mike seconded, AIF
Respectfully submitted,
Michael Clark, Clerk