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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAd Hoc Crematory Study Committee 2019-11-12-CSC-rpt (final)Ad Hoc Crematory Study Committee Town of Lexington Final Report to the Board of Selectmen November 12, 2019 Votino,Members: Liaisons: • Narain Bhatia, Town Meeting Member • Sandy Beebee, Capital Expenditures • Judith Crocker, Town Meeting Member Committee • Sara Iverson, Community Member • Sanjay Padaki, Appropriation Committee • Bridger McGaw, Town Meeting Member • George Burnell, Economic Development Staff Support: Advisory Committee • David Pinsonneault, Director of Public • Msgr. Paul Garrity, Lexington Interfaith Works Clergy Association(LICA) • Carolyn Kosnoff, Assistant Town • John Flynn, Board of Health Manager for Finance Non-voting, Chair: • Suzanne E. Barry, Board of Selectmen AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN Table of Contents Executive Summary Page 2 Selectmen's Charge to the Ad Hoc Crematory Study Committee Page 3 Additional Research Page 4 Use of the Cemetery Perpetual Trust Page 4 Municipal Engagement— Survey of Cities & Towns Page 5 Funeral Directors Page 6 Demand Page 6 Market Sectors Page 6 Major Risks Page 7 Summary Page 7 Pricing of Crematory Services Page 7 Operational Assessment Page 8 Minority Statement Page 9 Appendices: Appendix A: Perpetual Care Letter Page 10 Appendix B: Municipal Crematory Study Page 11 Appendix C: Operation Cost Estimates Page 15 Appendix D: 10/20 Year Bonded Models Page 16 Appendix E: Primary and Secondary Funeral Home Market Area Report Page 17 Appendix F: Lexington Interfaith Clergy Association (LICA) Letter Page 19 Appendix G: Ad Hoc Crematory Study Committee Interim To 2019 Annual Town Meeting Page 20 1 NOVEMBER 12,2019 AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN Executive Summary In September 2018, the Ad Hoc Crematory Study Committee was formed by the Board of Selectmen (BOS) and charged with making one of the following recommendations regarding a potential Crematory at Westview Cemetery: 1. Build a crematory adjacent to/connected to proposed new Westview Building. 2. Build a crematory on another location on the Westview property. 3. Do not build a crematory at this time. Given the correlation between the ongoing work of the study committee and two Articles on the 2019 Annual Town Meeting Warrant (Article 6 and Article 209), the Ad Hoc Crematory Study Committee agreed to publish an Interim Report for the 2019 Annual Town Meeting. In order to meet the ad hoc committee charge, the Committee's continued work has included an operational and feasibility analysis; exploration of various business models; numerous interviews; a Massachusetts municipality survey; further review of public comments; and conferring with Town Counsel, DPW, and Town Finance on Town financial implications. This additional information as well as the Interim Report to the 2019 Annual Town Meeting can be found in the attached appendices. In an effort of being respectful of all Lexington residents, the Committee feels that the needs of the community can be currently served without constructing a crematorium at the Westview Cemetery. In making its recommendation, the Committee reflected on a range of variables, including: • The capacity of Town services • Existing crematory options available within a reasonable travel distance • The logistics and expense of operating such a facility • The sensitivities and aspirations of the Lexington Interfaith Community(Appendix F) • The current lack of interest in the development of a regional crematorium • The adaptation of design efficiencies that make the new Westview building "addition ready" The Committee is sensitive that not all end-of-life religious observances can presently be performed in our community. However, given the lack of a predictable quantity of clients needed to financially break even in combination with the stringency of current state regulations, a crematory operation is not felt to be a feasible operational addition to the Town at this time. This matter may be revisited if state regulatory practices regarding crematoriums are relaxed, local demand increases, or other significant changes to factors studied by this Committee occur. Final Recommendation voted on August 20, 2019: With a deep sensitivity to the delicate nature of the Committee's charge, the Committee voted 5-1 (with one member absent) NOT to support building a crematory at this time. 2 NOVEMBER 12,2019 AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN Selectmen's Charge to the Ad Hoc Crematory Study Committee Charge adopted by the Board of Selectmen on September 17, 2018. Committee members designated as Special Municipal Employees by the Board of Selectmen on October 29, 2018. Charge amended by the Board Selectmen on May 20, 2019 to update the date of the Deliverables. Members: The Ad Hoc Crematory Study Committee will have seven (7) voting members and (1) member from the Board of Selectmen who will act as anon-voting Chairperson. Membership shall include: • 4 - Town Meeting/Community Representatives • 1 - Lexington Interfaith Clergy Association member(LICA) • 1 - Board of Health member • 1 - Economic Development Advisory Committee Member Liaisons: While not part of the Committee, the following committees are invited to recommend a non-voting liaison: • Capital Expenditures Committee • Appropriation Committee Staff Support: Director of Public Works will act as a liaison to this committee. Appointed by: Board of Selectmen. Length of Term: Upon completion of all recommendations to the Board of Selectmen in accordance with the established deliverables schedule as outlined below. Meeting Times: As determined by the Committee. A minimum of one meeting for the purpose of soliciting public comment, shall be required. Committee Goal: To examine public health, public safety, public works, operational, financial, and quality of life issues associated with locating a crematory at Westview Cemetery and meeting the needs of deceased Lexington residents and their families. To assess the following options and provide the Selectmen with recommendations on: 1. Building a crematory adjacent to or connected to the proposed new Westview Cemetery Building. 2. Building a crematory on another location on the Westview Cemetery property. 3. Not building a crematory at this time. Committee Role: The Ad Hoc Crematory Study Committee's study will include but not be limited to the following: 1)Review of Applicable Legislation: a. Review of the applicable sections of Massachusetts General Laws c.114 (Cemeteries and Burials). Review of Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection regulations regarding Crematories. 3 NOVEMBER 12,2019 AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN 2)Evaluation of needs: a. Review of availability of crematory services for residents and project future cremation needs. b. Study the economics of death rates for the area. c. Consider public and private competition in the region and other communities that may be engaged in the crematory planning process. 3) Other Crematories: a. Review of other crematories proposed, established and managed by municipalities in Massachusetts. b. Review of common practices and pricing. c. Review of operational costs and perform modeling to include: various sales price and numbers of cremations per year. 4) Building Options: a. Review siting options at Westview Cemetery. b. Review parking and gathering space needs. c. Estimate the cost to build at siting options presented including size. 5) Operational Feasibility: a. Review estimated annual operating costs, equipment costs, labor costs (including possible outsourcing labor costs) and a program budget. b. Review estimated Capital replacement costs and timeline of such. c. Explore regional grant opportunities that maybe applied for. 6)Environment: a. Review of independent research on the health, environmental, and safety risks associated with the operation of a crematory. b. Review options for using alternative energy sources to reduce the environmental impacts. Deliverables: Present a progress report to the Board of Selectmen once per month from May 2019 until completion of report with a report of recommendations addressed to Board of Selectmen on the feasibility of a Crematory at Westview Cemetery. Additional Research Following the preparation of the Interim Report for 2019 Annual Town Meeting, the Committee conducted additional research and analysis in a few areas as laid down in the Interim Report's Section "Next Steps." Use of the Cemetery Perpetual Trust The Town of Lexington has four primary accounts for funds related to Cemetery sales and operations: 1) Cemetery Sale of Lots Fund; 2) Cemetery Perpetual Care Trust Fund; 3) Sale of Grave Boxes revolving fund and 4) a General Fund account for cemetery operations. The Committee reviewed these accounts for fund balances and revenues that would be available to build a crematory and support operations. 4 NOVEMBER 12,2019 AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN Westview Cemetery generates revenue through the sale of graves, performing burials, and from the sale of grave boxes and supplies. When a grave is sold, 45% of the revenue is directed to the Sale of Cemetery Lots Fund, and the other 55% is transferred to the Cemetery Perpetual Care Trust Fund. Revenue and fund balance of the Sale of Cemetery Lots Fund is available for cemetery land purchases, capital projects and improvements that could include a crematory. The balance of this fund is approximately $650K as of June 30, 2019 and it has been proposed that this fund support the construction of a new maintenance building at Westview Cemetery. The Cemetery Perpetual Care Trust Fund is managed by Trustees of the Public Trust and is not an available funding source for the construction of a crematory (see Appendix A - letter from Trustees). The Town's Perpetual Care Trust Fund was established by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Acts of 1910, "for the care and preservation of cemetery lots," to ensure these plots are maintained in perpetuity. The Town goes further to define the care of lots in the Rules and Regulations of Westview Cemetery to include "the cutting and watering of the grass at reasonable intervals, the raking and cleaning of the grounds, the pruning of shrubs and trees that may be placed by the cemetery, burials and disinterment, and the required filing and record keeping of documents." The Trust has a balance of approximately $3.5M as of June 30, 2019, and this principal balance is invested by the Trustees. Only the interest earned on the Trust is transferred annually to the Town's General Fund to contribute to salaries and expenses associated with maintaining the Town's cemeteries. The Sale of Grave boxes is a revolving fund, or pass-through account that allows customers to purchase grave boxes from the Town for burials being performed at the Cemetery. All other fees for burials and supplies are deposited to the Town's General Fund which is dictated by Massachusetts General Law. These fees cover most, but not all, of cemetery operations, including salaries and expenses such as utilities and equipment. The tax levy covers the remaining amount of the cemetery budget that is not supported by fees or by interest from the Perpetual Care Trust Fund. Municipal Enj!al!ement—Survey of Cities & Towns Throughout this assignment, the Committee remained hopeful that a partnership with neighboring communities may be something that other municipal leaders could have been individually considering, but never directly asked. So we asked. We researched if there were grants we could apply for and found none. The Committee designed a survey and, at the behest of the Committee, the Town Manager distributed the survey electronically to 107 cities and towns within Route 495. The survey had 40 responses from 39 communities, including the eight municipalities abutting Lexington. The Survey Results (Appendix B) were telling. Those results showed that no cities or towns were interested in taking this on as a Municipal Service. Those towns we knew had explored the idea were not interested in a partnership with Lexington or any other towns. The Committee acknowledges that while a partnership with surrounding towns would be ideal for creating utilization and shared capital and operating costs, no community expressed interest. The following survey questions responses (Appendix B) definitively illustrate the lack of interest in partnering or constructing a crematory. • Does your community currently own and operate a municipal crematory? Only Duxbury and Plymouth • If your community DOES NOT currently own and operate a municipal crematory, has your community ever considered owning and operating crematory? 95%No 5 NOVEMBER 12,2019 AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN • If your community HAS considered owning and operating a municipal crematory but it didn't move forward, please explain why. Town of Littleton decided not to fund a feasibility study citing proposal was voted down by Town Meeting (2010) and concerns of immediate abutters regarding health impact (2017) • Has your community ever considered being a member of a regional municipal crematory? all thirty-nine towns that responded stated"No". The Committee felt that there is a scenario where the construction and/or operations of a crematory at Westview Cemetery could be outsourced to a private sector operator. Upon review of this type of partnership with Town Counsel, we were told that this would not be feasible. Funeral Directors Demand For this report, twenty funeral homes were identified as the primary service area and thirteen as the secondary area. In no case was there an unmet family need and all funeral homes had warm relations with their providers. Although there is a potential crematorium market, it is acknowledged by funeral directors and crematory operators that it is difficult to establish and build an economically sustainable cremation volume. This would be a demanding task requiring absolute security, flawless performance, 10-14 hour daily access over 6-7 days/week, and experienced professionals who remain in place for years with fully trained and qualified assistants. Witnessing a cremation is a practice by the Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, and Sikh religions where they activate the flame and observe the incineration. Our data indicates that there were four such requests during 2018 in Lexington. Located eleven miles from Lexington, Mount Auburn Crematory in Cambridge is the closest facility, although all provide these services. Market Sectors The frequency of families seeking cremation is increasing in Massachusetts and across the country. According to Massachusetts law, regardless of where one dies, it is required that a funeral director collect and hold the body for 48 hours for the Medical Examiner before it can be cremated. Under usual circumstances, the disposition of the body must be under the control of a licensed funeral director and as such, is the prime person to determine where the cremation will take place. Fifteen of the twenty funeral homes in the identified primary area and nine of the thirteen in the secondary area are located northwest of Lexington. The primary crematories utilize a chapel/reception hall and meditation garden. They are the Mount Auburn, Cambridge; Newton Crematory, Newton; St. Michaels, Boston; Puritan Lawn, Peabody; and Merrimack, New Hampshire. Qualifying factors for funeral directors when deciding where to do business include security and service. Distance from the funeral home to the crematory does not appear to be a determining factor in which a crematorium is favored. For example, Duxbury collects some of its bodies at a terminal in Boston for a combined shipment. Service is a prime factor, including a turnaround time to deliver a body 12 hours per day/seven days per week. However, the most important determinant when choosing which crematorium a funeral home utilizes is the 6 NOVEMBER 12,2019 AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN appropriate security of the body, meaning that the correct remains are returned. The funeral business is both price sensitive and competitive. In addition, most funeral homes are a generational family business. Unless a major event occurs, funeral homes and crematoriums have developed close working relationships that are maintained over time. In all cases, it is the deceased's family that decides what services will be used for their departed at any given instance. The funeral directors made a consistent recommendation that if Lexington were to open a crematory, it should include a reception hall to accommodate 100 or more persons. They expressed that having a "witnessing" area alone would not result in Lexington being able to charge the premium rate for service. The Mount Auburn Crematory is generally recognized among regional funeral directors as being the finest, followed by Newton. The most referenced facility for service is Merrimack. The facility most often referred as an example for what Lexington is exploring to build are Puritan Lawn in Peabody and Linwood in Haverhill. In addition to including a hall or chapel, many funeral directors suggested that the proposed facility would also require a meditation garden, sizable parking lot, and a double roadway. Major Risks Green burials are just beginning to gain favor. Lexington approved the use of green burials at Westview Cemetery in May of 2019. Whatever acceptance they gain may come at the expense of any projected cremations. It is expected that forty percent of funeral homes nationwide have or will have a crematory. There is active lobbying to allow Massachusetts funeral homes to operate crematoriums in their facility as they do in New Hampshire and forty-three other states. Summary The discussions with the identified funeral directors fell into two categories; they either had deep relationships with their crematory and could not envision changing or they had modest interest and were open to a new partial relationship developing over time provided the effort of Lexington's new facility was spotless. Pricing of Crematory Services Nine crematories were contacted and the staff was interviewed. All of the crematories provided an option for the family to view the cremation and to participate if desired. Some crematories had nicer viewing areas than others, but all of them provided the option for the family to participate. Each crematory was asked about the cost to the consumer. The price for cremation ranged from a high value of$525 at Puritan Lawn Cemetery and Crematory in Peabody to a low of$250 at several other locations. The average cost is $358. None of the crematories were operating at capacity and according to one manager, " They were in a price race to the bottom." 7 NOVEMBER 12,2019 AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN Operational Assessment It is important to keep in mind that Massachusetts is one of only six states that still require crematories to be sited within a cemetery. All other states allow crematories to be located in a variety of commercial zones. Should that policy be changed by the State Legislature, it is possible that additional crematories could be constructed by the private sector or funeral homes. Our analysis assumes that the current policy remains in effect. Our engagement of state legislators suggests that no plans are underway to make any changes to current policy. While the Interim Report explored the costs and assumptions for scoping the design and construction of a crematory at Westview Cemetery, the Committee wanted to provide a fuller accounting of the operational costs of adding cremation as a Town funded service. In the course of studying crematory operations, Town Officials visited crematories in Duxbury in July of 2018 and visited Mount Auburn Crematory in Cambridge in late 2018. Further research of the best in class equipment was identified from Matthews Crematory Equipment (https://www.matthewscremation.com/us/) in consultation with their sales executives. The Committee reviewed assumptions and recommendations from our Interim Report, recommendations from current crematory operators, as well as questions arising from Town Meeting members and put together an assessment of the operational costs of constructing and operating a crematory at Westview. Crematory design and construction does not seem to be an overly specialized field. While the equipment installed and utilized has a specialized purpose, design review showed that based on the scale of the operations undertaken by the crematory operator, all designs for crematories included similar functions and the sizes of the spaces fluctuated based on the number of retorts installed. If we installed 1-2 retorts then we would need: • (1)Administrative Workstation for managing the business • A waiting area for 4-6 people to sit and wait comfortably • A gender-neutral bathroom (shared by staff and guests) • A Kitchenette • A Viewing area to see the ignition process for 10-25 people • Mechanical/Electric Room Record Storage We reviewed the operational costs of a crematory facility under a conservative analysis drawing upon existing staffing models, energy utilization (electric & natural gas), as well as depreciation for similar crematories utilizing similar equipment. Our analysis concluded that the crematory would have 1.5 FTE (1 Operator and .5 Administrative Support) with an additional DPW staff member trained and certified on the equipment to cover for vacations/sick time. These costs amounted to $305,296/year. Based on our research (Appendix C), the total capital equipment costs for outfitting the crematory, assuming a 25% contingency, totaled $564,918.75. Using the estimate for square footage needed for 2 retorts, viewing room and supporting, but mutually-utilized spaces within the footprint of the Westview Cemetery Operations Building, this added an additional $564,300 for construction costs using the established $342/sq ft+25% contingency that the Town had received from its project estimator in early 2019. The Department of Public Works continues to carry an estimate for $200,000 for adding a required gas line to the Westview site. While the capital costs (equipment and construction) total $1,329,218.75, they do not include the additional "shared costs" for 8 NOVEMBER 12,2019 AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN bathrooms, viewing room, and administrative space that would be needed if the crematory were not co- located with the Westview Cemetery Operations. Those additional costs would push the construction of this space significantly higher using today's construction cost estimates. The Committee agreed that the cost effectiveness of considering a crematory was predicated on co- location with the Cemetery Operations Building as laid out in our Interim Report. The Committee recognizes it was not our charge to further assess the Westview Cemetery Operations Building design. However, we did agree that constructing a standalone crematory was not an effective use of taxpayer funds specifically because both the Cemetery Operations Building and Crematory identified overlapping and mutually supporting physical plant requirements that would not diminish either function. Our revenue model also was conservative noting that we would need to enter the market and that there is a long ramp up to taking on the volume of cases necessary to compete. Even when choosing a price point that is competitive with nearby crematories, this service does not cover its costs for 8-10 years and still carries a substantial capital loss. As shown in Appendix D, the 10 and 20 year bonded projects both result in significant losses of $1.7M and $1.04M respectively after 10 years of operations. Thus, we recommend that creating a crematory at the Westview site is a costly endeavor. The Committee was very conservative in our analysis noting that while demographic trends of cremation were increasing nationally, in Massachusetts, there are already established crematories with established partnerships with local funeral directors that dominate the request for services. When combining the operational costs, the challenge of breaking into the market, along with the inability to create a public private partnership or local town collaborative to make construction and operation more manageable, our recommendation is that the Town not pursue construction of a crematory at this time. This Final Report was APPROVED by the Ad Hoc Crematory Study Committee by a Roll Call vote of 7-0 on October 28, 2019 Minority Statement In the view of one member of the Ad Hoc Committee, the recommendation of the Committee does not adequately address the needs of the residents of Lexington.The needs of deceased Lexington residents and their families would be well served by the construction of a crematory at Westview Cemetery. Additionally, this member disagrees with some assumptions contained in the Final Committee Report. 9 NOVEMBER 12,2019 AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN Appendix A: Perpetual Care letter TRUSTEES OF PUBLic TRUSTS '¢ Established 1910 r Wp F4 Y P dJ Alan.Fields,Chairman Favid Williams Susan McClements An Overview of Perpetual Care Funds Each time a cemetery plot is sold in the Town of Lexington a portion of the sale proceeds is deposited with the Trustees of pudic Trusts to be field in a"Perpetual Care Fund"to provide,as the name suggests,for the care and preservation of the cemetery in perpetuity. The 1910 Massachusetts law establishing the Trustees of Public Trusts specifically authorizes the Trustees to"take,hold and manage"funds for the"care and preservation of cemetery lots",directs that the funds should be invested in a conservative manner and that the'income from the funds should be paid over to the persons charged with the care and preservation of the cemetery.(See Acts,191.0--Chapter 107,Section 5). The Town of Lexington(see Chapter 142,Section b)provides that a percentage of,all cemetery plot purchase prices be deposited in the perpetual Care Fund to be managed and invested by the Trustees under the provisions of the 1910 Act referred to above. The Perpetual Care Fund may be invested only in securities and instruments approved by the Commonwealth and included from time to time on the"Legal List"of investments. Not only must the Trustees abide by the terms of their appointment in the statute outlined above,they also owe a fiduciary duty to invest.,manage and administer the Perpetual Care Fund in a prudent manner.The Perpetual Care Fund is intended to lash indefinitely.Invading principal is not an option for the Trustees both by virtue of their fiduciary duties and by the terms of the statute authorizing perpetual care funds. May 24,2019 attention., card cif`Selectman + 1625Massachusetts Avenue * Lexington,Massachusetts 02420 10 NOVEMBER 12,2019 AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN Appendix B: Municipal Crematory Survey The 10 question Municipal Crematory Study was sent electronically to 107 cities &towns inside the Route 495 belt. We received 40 responses from 39 cities &towns including all 8 direct abutters to Lexington. The Survey questions and responses are as follows: 1. Does your community currently own and operate a municipal crematory? (Answered: 40) • Yes: 3 • No: 37 (*it should be noted there are only 2 Municipal Crematories in the State of Massachusetts in the Town of Duxbury and the Town of Plymouth and neither community responded to the survey) 2. If your community DOES own and operate a crematory,what year did it go operational? (Answered: 9/Skipped: 31) • Maybe 1600's • 1861 • N/A (7) 3. If your community DOES NOT currently own and operate a municipal crematory, has your community ever considered operating a municipal crematory? (Answered: 37) • Yes: 2 or 5.41% • No: 35 or 94.59% • Skipped: 3 4. If your community HAS considered owning and operating a municipal crematory but it didn't move forward, please explain why: (Answered: 9) • A team of staff studied this about 10 years ago as a new identifiable revenue stream. The idea didn't make it to the BOS. Perhaps a not in my backyard type of thing. • N/A (6) • Proposal voted down in 2010. 2017 Feasibility Study: Immediate abutters raised health concerns; not satisfied with proof of no health impact. The Cemetery Commission decided not to pursue further with the Town. • Never Have. 11 NOVEMBER 12,2019 AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN Appendix B: Municipal Crematory Survey (continued) 5. What is the name of the closest private crematory to your community and how far is it in miles from your community? (listed by distance) (Answered:40) • Don't know answer (8) Don't know answer • Blue Hills & one other small cemetery in town • Oteri Funeral in town • Shawsheen Funeral Home/Bedford Funeral Home in town • Tighe-Hamilton in town • Fowler-Kennedy Funeral Home and Cremation 0 miles • Walnut Grove Cemetery 0.1 miles • Conte Funeral Home 0.2 miles • Mount Auburn Crematory less than 1 mile • Woodlawn 1 mile • St. Patrick's Cemetery 2 miles • Newton Cemetery 4 miles • Arlington 5 miles • Attleboro 5 miles • Malden 5 miles • Mount Auburn Crematory (2) 5 miles • Forest Hills Crematory 5.3 miles • Puritan Lawn Memorial Park 6 miles • Mount Auburn Crematory 8 miles • Puritan Lawn 8 miles • Mackey Funeral Home 11 miles • Angel View 12 miles • Casper Funeral & Cremation Services 13 miles • Worcester 15 miles • Duxbury 17 miles • Mount Auburn Crematory 19 miles • Newton Cemetery under 20 miles • Not sure 20 miles • Linwood Cemetery and Crematory 20 miles • Rural Cemetery and Crematory 20.2 miles • Woodlawn Cemetery 21 miles • Linwood Crematory & Driscoll Funeral Home Cremation 33 miles 12 NOVEMBER 12, 2019 AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN Appendix B: Municipal Crematory Survey (continued) 6. Has your community ever considered being a member of a regional municipal crematory? (Answered:40) • Yes: 0 • No: 40 7. Any general comments? (Comments: 19/Skipped: 21) • Are schools, roads, utilities etc. not enough of a challenge? • Closest ones to Scituate are Duxbury& Plymouth. • Given cultural population demographics we thought it would be worth proposing. • I have made the statement that we should not be in the business of cemeteries and burials (that being said we are acquiring a historic private cemetery)but mainly when it comes to any subsidizing of cemetery costs I remain adamantly opposed to it. We believe that between cremation and eventually organic burials and human composting (sounds crazy but just made legal in OR) the industry is going to change and we do not want to get into the business. We also bring up the generational equity of cemetery services constantly. • Needham does not have a public cemetery so this issue has never come up. • N/A (4) • We contract with Angel View in Middleborough. For large road kill (deer)we have a list of individuals to text to remove the carcass. • While Boxborough has not previously considered being part of a regional municipal crematory we would certainly embrace the possibility of joining such a regional agreement. Clearly there is a demand for such services. • None. • You might want to go online and reach out to The Massachusetts Cemetery Association. It is a great mix of Private and Municipal owned Cemeteries. Some run crematories: Forest Hills, Jamaica Plain Boston, Linwood Haverhill to name a few. • No (2). • The Cemetery Commission views a crematory as a win-win; twice pursued Town approval; proved no detriment to the Community. The number of cremations continues increasing. Due to abutter concerns, it has not been pursued further. The number of cremations continues to increase. The Town has built an outside niche in the cemetery. • Not at this time. • I do not see any reason a municipality would get involved in a crematory. This is a tremendous responsibility and I do not see an economic advantage. I also think it is a CRAZY IDEA! • This service is adequately provided for by the private sector. 13 NOVEMBER 12,2019 AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN Appendix B: Municipal Crematory Survey (continued) 8, 9, 10 were questions related to name & title of person completing the survey, email, and the community they were representing. Communities/Titles completing the survey were (in alphabetical order)(Answered: 40) • Town of Acton, Finance Director • Town of Arlington, Town Manager • Town of Bedford, Public Works Director • Town of Belmont, Chair Board of Cemetery Commissioners • Town of Boxborough, Town Administrator • Town of Braintree, Public Works Director • Town of Brookline, Cemetery Supervisor • Town of Burlington, Town Administrator • Town of Carlisle,Town Administrator • City of Chelsea, City Manager • Town of Cohasset, Town Manager • Town of Concord, Deputy Town Manger • Town of Danvers,Town Manager • Town of Dedham, Interim Town Manager • Town of Foxborough, Town Manager • Town of Franklin, Town Administrator • Town of Hamilton, Town Manager • Town of Hopkinton, Town Manager • Town of Hudson,Executive Assistant • Town of Lincoln, Cemetery Agent&Town Clerk • Town of Littleton, Town Administrator • Town of Marlborough, DPW Commissioner • Town of Maynard, Town Administrator • Town of Middleton,Assistant Town Administrator • Town of Needham, Town Manager • Town of North Andover, Deputy Town Manager • Town of Norwood,Town Manager • Town of Rowley, Town Administrator • Town of Salisbury, Town Manager • Town of Scituate,Town Administrator • Town of Stoneham, Director of Public Works • Town of Wakefield,Town Administrator • City of Waltham,Assistant Cemetery Superintendent • City of Waltham,Assistant Director of Public Works • Town of Watertown, Superintendent of Public Works • Town of Weston,Director DPW • Town of Whitman, Town Administrator • Town of Winchester, Cemetery Coordinator • Town of Wilmington Town Manager • City of Woburn, Chairman Cemetery Commission 14 NOVEMBER 12, 2019 AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN Appendix C: Operational Cost Estimates 1 THERM 100,000 BTUs Conservative estimate of#of BTUs per retort uses in an hour 3,000,000.00 Hours Operation/day 8 5 year average cost of Natural Gas from DPW is$1.26/therm $1.26 Cost/8 hours of Therms $ 37.80 #Therms per 8 hours 30.00 ESTIMATED BUILDING COST OF AN INTEGRATED Operations/Administration/Crematory Highlighted costs for budgeting Matthews PowerPak I(install 2 for maintenance/do not want to turn anyone out) $ 208,000.00 104k+15k(ma dep REQ) MA DEP Cost per retort $ 30,000.00 This is a changing number from DEP($15-25K) Estimated Delivery to Lexington,MA $ 8,000.00 4K per unit Installation Costs(Construction/HVAC/NG install) $ 75,000.00 install costs$50K-$75K MA State Requirement:Chamber Temperature Monitor and TWO-Pen Chart Recorder $ 3,400.00 $1700 each Spare Parts and small equipment replacements daily supplies $ 5,000.00 Matthews VPS-1 Processing Station $ 14,000.00 Electric-Hydraulic Loading Lift Table included MADEP chimney of unit 30 feet from ground $ 20,000.00 Est.cost for two chimney's Matthews Automated Loading System $ 30,000.00 Offers professional presentation esp.for viewing Matthews Electric Cremated Remains Processor(ECP-200) $ 7,450.00 Expandable Commercial freezer $ 10,000.00 Total Capital Cost for Equipment $ 410,850.00 With contingency of 10% $ 451,935-00 With additional soft costs of 25% $ 564,918.75 Construction cost of Crematorium Building(40'x30') @$150/sqft @$342/sqft Known costs of construction for Westview Site(Low vs.Estimator provided) $ 180,000.00 $ 410,400.00 With contingency of 10% $ 198,000.00 $ 451,440.00 With additional soft costs of 25% $ 247,500.00 $ 564,300.00 Natural Gasl i ne from street(DPW installation estimate) $ 200,000.00 Total capital costs(Crematorium building+Equipment) $1,329,218.75 Capital cost w/25%contingency OPERATING COSTS NG Operational cost/8hr $37.80 (Delivery and consumption) Electric Bill/Month for future Cemetary Operations Building $300.00 assumes normal electric utilization 5 cremations/16 hrs using NG will have a daily cost $302.40 Max cremations per year(assume 5 cremations/day;220 operating days/yr;75%utilization) 825 Hours of opeations per day would be: 9:00am-5:30 pm Assumes 5 Day Work week Total Operating Cost per year Operating cost per year $53,496 1 Operator;1 FTE trained/certified as a backup; Labor cost per year(assume 1 person,$50/hr+benefits,2000 hrs/yr) $162,500 shared admin staff=1.5 FTE Depreciation expense of equipment per year(assume 10yr straight line) $41,085 Depreciation expense of Crematorium Bldg per year(assume 20yr straight line) $28,215 Misc expenses and maintenance $20,000 TOTAL Operating Costs per year $305,296 Break-even AnIsis Total cremations per year(assume 5 cremations/day;220 operating days/yr;75%utilization) 825 IF running at full capacity Break even cost per cremation $370 Number of cremations if 75%of Lexington's dead chose cremation in Lexington 230.25 Average of last 5 years of deaths TOTAL COST:Operating Costs(year 1)+Capital Costs $1,634,515 NOTE.We have not included"Marketing Costs"in this analysis. Reverse Analysis( y r Only Annual Operating Costs) Number of cremations needed per year at$475/cremation 643 Merrimack Pricing($475) Number of cremations needed per year at$410/cremation 745 Mount Auburn Pricing($410) Number of cremations needed per year at$225/cremation 1,357 Duxbury Pricing($225) 15 NOVEMBER 12,2019 AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN Appendix D: 10/20 year Bonded models Years 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 #of cremations 50 75 100 250 300 400 500 600 700 825 Sale Price $ 450 $ 461 $ 473 $ 485 $ 497 $ 509 $ 522 $ 535 $ 548 $ 562 Total revenue $ 22,500 $ 34,594 $ 47,278 $ 121,150 $ 149,015 $ 203,653 $ 260,931 $ 320,945 $ 383,797 $ 463,640 Labor annual $ 162,500 $ 166,563 $ 170,727 $ 174,995 $ 179,370 $ 183,854 $ 188,450 $ 193,161 $ 197,990 $ 202,940 Utilities $ 378 $ 567 $ 756 $ 1,890 $ 2,268 $ 3,024 $ 3,780 $ 4,536 $ 5,292 $ 6,237 Maintenance&Misc $ 20,000 $ 20,500 $ 21,013 $ 21,538 $ 22,076 $ 22,628 $ 23,194 $ 23,774 $ 24,368 $ 24,977 Total cost $ 182,878 $ 187,630 $ 192,495 $ 198,423 $ 203,714 $ 209,506 $ 215,424 $ 221,471 $ 227,651 $ 234,154 Gross Profit loss $ 160,378 $ 153,036 $ 145,217 $ 77,272 $ 54,699 $ 5,853 $ 45,507 $ 99,474 $ 156,146 $ 229,486 Cumulative Annualized Profit/Loss Profit/Loss 10 Year Bond $ 163,881 $ 163,881 $ 163,881 $ 163,881 $ 163,881 $ 163,881 $ 163,881 $ 163,881 $ 163,881 $ 163,881 10 Year Bond Net profit loss w/1 Oy bond $ 324,259 $ 316,916 $ 309,098 $ 241,153 $ 218,580 $ 169,733 $ 118,374 $ 64,407 $ 7,734 $ 65,605 $1,704,648 $ 170,465 20 Year Bond $ 97,806 $ 97,806 $ 97,806 $ 97,806 $ 97,806 $ 97,806 $ 97,806 $ 97,806 $ 97,806 $ 97,806 20 Year Bond Net profit loss w/20y bond 1$ (258,184)1$ (250,842)1$ (243,023)1$ (175,079)1$ (152,505)1$ (103,659)1$ (52,299)1$ 1,668 1$ 58,340 1$ 131,680 $1 043 904 $ 104 390 Assumptions Capital investment(2 retorts+25% contingency+other equip+gas line) $1,329,218.75 Bond rate 4% Labor cost per year assumes 1.5 persons, $50/hr+benefits,2000 hrs/yr $162,500.00 Inflation 2.50% Natural Gas cost per therm $1.26 Cremations/8 hours 5 Therms/8 hours 30 Therms/cremation 6 GASLINE estimate to install at Westview $200,000 Crematory Business Analysis �, � ) 1 800 4-4 jj 700 01 0 600 .,µ µ 01"(1 °/o 0) 00111111111111111111' 500 0 �o 2 . /rrrrarrarrrrrrrrr , 3 00 1 'Year 16 NOVEMBER 12,2019 AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN Appendix E: Primary and Secondary Funeral Home Market Area Report Prayer Potential Town Census Funeral Home Crematory Cremations Witness Hall Usage per year seating Min Max Primary Market Lexington 33,727 Douglass Mt Auburn x 4 0 5 Arlington 45,510 Keefe Mt Auburn x 18 25 0 95 DeVito Mt Auburn x 2 100 0 0 Rogers&Hutchins Mt Auburn x 0 0 20 Belmont 26,458 Hickey&Brown 0 Brasco&Son 0 Short Williamson 0 Waltham 621442 Joyce Newton 0 200+ 0 0 Brasco(Belmont) Lincoln 61781 none Concord 19,237 Concord Mt Auburn x 16 Dee Duxbury Bedford 141197 Bedford Harmony Grove x 5 Shawsheen Rivet, Merrimack x 15 0 Burlington 271176 Edward V.Sullivan Puritan Lawn x 5 100+ Woburn 39,701 Lynch-Cantillon Puritan Lawn x 5 McLaughlin-Dello Mt Auburn x 1 Graham Puritan Lawn x 2 Winchester 22,838 Costello Linwood x 3 75 0 60 Lane Arborside O'Maley Primary TOTAL 298,067 912 76 0 180 8% 17 NOVEMBER 12,2019 AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN Appendix E: Primary and Secondary Funeral Home Market Area Report(continued) Prayer Potential Town Census Funeral Home Crematory Cremations Witness Hall Usage per year Seating Min Max Secondary Market Acton 23,549 Acton Newton x 3 100 0 50 Billerica 42,683 Burns Arborside x 10 150 Sweeney Memorial Merrimack, NH x 0 100 0 20 Boxborough 5,206 none Chelmsford 35,149 Dolan Merrimack, 100- Blake Chelmsford Linwood x 10 150 0 55 Carlisle 5,245 Dee Duxbury Bedford Harmony Green Concord Mt Auburn Harvard 61573 none Anderson(Ayer) Badger(Littleton) Acton(Acton) Littleton 9,912 Badger(Littleton) Maynard 10,676 Fowler-Kennedy Linwood, Lowell(10) 110,699 The McDonough Merrimack x 20 100 0 30 McKenna-Ouellette Merrimack x 2 75-100 0 0 M.R.Laurin&Son Merrimack x 2 50 0 0 O'Donnell Weston 12,057 none Westford 23,831 J A Healy Sons Merrimack x 0 75-100 0 0 Badger(N.Chelmsford) Blake(Chelmsford) Wilmington 23,534 Nichols Newton x 1 75 0 0 Dello Russo Secondary TOTAL 309,114 717 48 0 155 GRAND TOTAL 607,181 1,629 124 0 335 x: Proprietary information,not for publication Witness:Personally igniting and observing the cremation Prayer Hall:Space to gather and hold a service.Capacity recommended by Funeral Director. Potential Usage:Min: Not a single Director expressed a desire for a facility in Lexington. Max;Maximum number they could envision sending here in future.. 18 NOVEMBER 12,2019 AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN Appendix F: Lexington Interfaith Clergy Association (LICA) Letter From: PAUL GARRITY Date: Tue, Aug 20, 2019, 9:48 PM Subject: CREMATORY COMMITTEE CREMATORY COMMITTEE The Lexington Interfaith Clergy Association was asked at its June Meeting to support the proposal for the Town of Lexington to build a crematory. The request come from a member of the Hindu community who made the proposal, reflecting sentiment in the Hindu community where cremation is a mandate of the Hindu faith or religion. The members of the Association who were present had an extensive conversation on the proposal. Instead of endorsing the proposal, the Association chose to endorse the following resolution. (We call upon) the ad Hoc crematory study committee and town meeting to fully consider the spiritual needs of the Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Sikhs and other communities who practice cremation (specifically the need to witness cremation) as they seek to discern how to move forward. 19 NOVEMBER 12,2019 AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN Appendix G: Interim Report to 2019 Annual Town Meeting AD Hoc CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE TOWN OF LEXINGTON M 6R ... ^fir a w I w � " w APRIL 50 b 4WD yAI y IN „N *enr TERIM REPORT To 2019 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Released April 3, 2019 Voting Members: Liaisons • Narain Bhatia, Town Meeting Member • Sandy Beebee, Capital Expenditures • Judith Crocker, Town Meeting Member Committee • Sara Iverson, Community Member • Sanjay Padaki, Appropriation Committee • Bridger McGaw, Town Meeting Member • David Pinsonneault, Director of Public • George Burnell, Economic Development Works Advisory Committee • Carolyn Kosnoff, Assistant Town • Msgr. Paul Garrity, Lexington Interfaith Manager for Finance Clergy Association(LICA) • John Flynn, Board of Health Non-voting Chair • Douglas M. Lucente, Board of Selectmen 20 NOVEMBER 12,2019 Appendix G: Interim Report to 2019 Annual Town Meeting (continued) Executive Summary In December 2018, the Ad Hoc Crematory Study Committee was formed by the Board of Selectmen (BOS) and charged with making one of the following recommendations regarding a potential Crematory at Westview Cemetery: 4. Build a crematory adjacent to/connected to proposed new Westview Building. 5. Build a crematory on another location on the Westview property. 6. Do not build a crematory at this time. Given the correlation between the ongoing work of the study committee and two Articles on the 2019 Annual Town Meeting Warrant (Article 6 and Article 20g), the Ad Hoc Crematory Study Committee agreed to publish this Interim Report. The Committee is not ready to make a final recommendation as to whether or not Lexington should build a crematory at this time, but wanted to share some preliminary information to assist in educating Town Meeting on the topic. Committee members and liaisons agree that the continued investigation of the numerous financial implications and other variables is needed on this complex issue in order to present a complete and accurate report back to the BOS and to Town Meeting. Though it is beyond the mandate of the Committee, it is the Committee's judgment that there is not sufficient reason to postpone the Westview Cemetery Facility construction at this time. This reasoning is predicated on the assumption that the design for the new building has now been amended to accommodate the overlapping needs of the Westview Cemetery administrative and public spaces and a potential future crematory. Interim Recommendations: As of March 21, 2019, the Ad Hoc Crematory Study Committee is recommending that: Recommendation Committee Vote Design the proposed Westview Cemetery Facility addition-ready 7-0 (3-21-2019 mtg) for a potential future crematory. A potential future crematory should accommodate a viewing area 6-1* (3-21-2019 mtg) suitable for up to 25 people. A potential future crematory should have up to two retorts. 7-0 (3-21-2019 mtg) A potential future crematory should not be built separately from 5-1-1** (3-21-2019mig) the proposed Westview Cemetery Facility. * Maiority View: A Crematory viewing area in Lexington should be used for short duration witnessing of the start of the cremation process. Minority View: This individual was not ready to take a position at that time. **Minority View: This individual was not ready to take a position at that time. AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN Appendix G: Interim Report to 2019 Annual Town Meeting (continued) Selectmen's Charge to the Ad Hoc Crematory Study Committee Approved in September 2018 To examine public health, public safety, public works, operational, financial, and quality of life issues associated with locating a crematory at Westview Cemetery and meeting the needs of deceased Lexington residents and their families. To assess the following options and provide the Selectmen with recommendations on: 1) Building a crematory adjacent to or connected to the proposed new Westview Cemetery Building. 2) Building a crematory on another location on the Westview Cemetery property. 3) Not building a crematory at this time. Committee Role: The Ad Hoc Crematory Study Committee's study will include but not be limited to the following: 1) Review of Applicable Legislation: a. Review of the applicable sections of Massachusetts General Laws c.114 (Cemeteries and Burials). Review of Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection regulations regarding Crematories. 2) Evaluation of needs: a. Review of availability of crematory services for residents and project future cremation needs. b. Study the economics of death rates for the area. c. Consider public and private competition in the region and other communities that maybe engaged in the crematory planning process. 3) Other Crematories: a. Review of other crematories proposed, established and managed by municipalities in Massachusetts. b. Review of common practices and pricing. c. Review of operational costs and perform modeling to include: various sales price and numbers of cremations per year. 4) Building Options: a. Review siting options at Westview Cemetery. b. Review parking and gathering space needs. c. Estimate the cost to build at siting options presented including size. 5) Operational Feasibility: a. Review estimated annual operating costs, equipment costs, labor costs (including possible outsourcing labor costs) and a program budget. b. Review estimated Capital replacement costs and timeline of such. c. Explore regional grant opportunities that maybe applied for. 6) Environment: a. Review of independent research on the health, environmental, and safety risks associated with the operation of a crematory. b. Review options for using alternative energy sources to reduce the environmental impacts. Background Westview Cemetery is the Town's active cemetery. There are of 200 burials per year on average. The Cemetery is located on a Town owned parcel of land that is 42-acres. The current building, serves as a cemetery office, a meeting area for grieving families and a work space for the maintenance staff. There are 4 Full Time employees and 2 positions for Seasonal employees. 22 NOVEMBER 12,2019 AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN Appendix G: Interim Report to 2019 Annual Town Meeting (continued) Current Building Conditions: The current facility, which last had a significant addition in the late 1970's, has deteriorated and needs to be brought up to code. The limited space does not permit private space for grieving families to meet with Town Staff and plan burials. The maintenance area lacks adequate space for necessary equipment to be stored indoors. This impacts the durability and life of the equipment. The only recent upgrade to the building in the last 15 years has been the installation of a new roof. f / 1 IIIIIIIIIIII'IIIIIIVVVVO ' r J j r�% 1 G r 1 i q use y V:rc u ...YXNNYJ;JI N;NJNIJN;7NNr'W',"N'fY,'ti;"l.P;.N^N+i'Yi'1r1^h,1NNJJNNS',"YNK',W,'N'P;.N^N1J. N;11"NNNPNI;7JNJN;7JNN5',"N'fY,'ti;°YF1NNyHN;PrJ^nN;7NJN;7hlVDHY1IPNYNN;YN✓P5N."YPNVNIJN;7JNNriN1NN%'1JNN�"N;11W➢1ffvNYN'NN1JN;7JNNh'SMO'Y1f'/1J1N5JJNyNNWir1N11PJh/yN1W➢1NrvhNN;NJd;Y;11'YYIJYNJ�MF;r!r," A1N11PJriJNONJNPWN'?NM'?;;B;iIN 1.Y° Timeline: The Westview Cemetery Facility replacement has been under consideration since 2015. Below is the timeline of the events related to the Westview Cemetery Facility and the Crematory Study: • 2015 o March 2015 Annual Town Meeting — Approved Article 11(m) Westview Cemetery Building Assessment - $35,000 (Cemetery Trust Fund): This appropriation was used to fund a feasibility study. • 2016 A final report of options for the Westview Cemetery Building was issued by the consultant. • 2017 o March 2017 Annual Town Meeting — Approved Article 12(o) Westview Cemetery Building Design - $270,000 (General Fund Debt): This appropriation was to hire an architect to design and engineer the building on the Westview Cemetery grounds. o June 2017—BOS approved Cemetery Fee Increase to help fund Westview Building. • 2018 o March 2018 - TBA Architects presented a proposed design and cost estimate for the new Westview Cemetery Building to BOS. o March 2018 Annual Town Meeting— Voted Indefinite Postponement* of Article 11 Appropriate for Westview Cemetery Building Construction- $3,040,000. o July 2018 — BOS visited the Duxbury Municipal Crematory, and made a decision to form an Ad Hoc Crematory Study Committee. o September 2018—Ad Hoc Crematory Study Committee charge was approved by the BOS. 23 NOVEMBER 12,2019 AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN Appendix G: Interim Report to 2019 Annual Town Meeting (continued) o October 2018 —Ad Hoc Crematory Study Committee members were appointed. o December 2018 —The first meeting of the Ad Hoc Crematory Study Committee was held. • 2019 o The Committee has held 10 meetings including: ■ February 2019—Public Hearing held for feedback on Crematory need. *During the 2018 Annual Town Meeting, a suggestion from a Town Meeting Member was made that the Town should explore including a crematory at Westview Cemetery since we were preparing to replace the Westview Cemetery Facility. In constructing any public building, our Town's building design strategy makes every effort to incorporate a 50- year building life span to support the future needs of the community. Therefore, the decision was made by the BOS to slow down the Westview building process in order to determine if there would be a benefit to the Town if the new building were to contain a crematory. Understanding the Cremation Process Cremation is the process of reducing the human body to bone fragments using g p high heat. Cremation is not the final disposition of the remains and it is not a type of funeral service. With cremation you still have the opportunity yp � y pp y to have a funeral or memorial service. Cremated remains ("Cremains") can be buried, kept in a mausoleum, stored in an urn, or spread outside. m o in c)r �� p�a n g p m o r To get an understanding of the process, members of the Ad Hoc Crematory �"uaa� o�m�� �q�u�a�n�� ku'� ��:� � woa�uQawQu ° �� a°° rill �������� ,���r �'����� ���°� ��°V��`�°�` ��t tv Study Committee have interviewed 20 Funeral Home Directors in the " 1�rn a t o n �t��'�'��°f, primary area surrounding Lexington and 13 Funeral Home Directors in the secondary area to the northwest. There are multiple steps involved in the cremation process, and the Funeral Director plays an integral role. By Massachusetts state law, whether you die, IN � at home, at the hospital, or at the nursing home, you must have a Funeral Director involved. However, per Massachusetts state law a funeral home cannot have a cremator on their remises. All crematories must be located y p r on cemetery property. Additionally, in Massachusetts every person that is cremated must be approved for cremation b the Medical Examiner's office. Since cremation is pp y an irreversible process, the Medical Examiner's office performs an examination of the body to make certain there is no question about cause of death. Further, in Massachusetts, no one can be cremated for at least 48 hours after the death occurs. r� After the 48-hour waiting period, the Medical Examiner's office can a� g p � approve +ymiuiiiiiuuuuu uui uuuuuuuum the cremation. At this time the Funeral Director will transport the case to IOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOIOI�IOI crematory operators at the cemetery. Paperwork is brought to the crematory 24 AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN Appendix G: Interim Report to 2019 Annual Town Meeting (continued) with the body, and the crematory assigns a case number. That case number and the paperwork stays with the case during the whole cremation process. At the crematory, the body may be refrigerated temporarily. When the crematory is ready to start the process, the body is placed into a retort (the technical name for the cremation chamber). For an average size adult, the cremation process takes two to three hours where the body is exposed to extreme high temperatures, usually 1600-1800 degrees Fahrenheit. When the cremation process is complete, all that remains are bone fragments. Due to the extreme heat, the bones are in small pieces and very brittle. Crematory operators carefully remove all of the contents from the retort. These are called"Cremains". When the cremains are removed from the cremation chamber, they are taken to a work station where those fragments and ashes are allowed to cool. All non-consumed items, like metal from clothing, hip joints, and bridge work, are separated from the cremains. This separation is accomplished through visual inspection as well as using a strong magnet for smaller and minute metallic objects. The remaining bone fragments are then pulverized by a special machine and reduced to fine powder. The cremains of an average size adult usually weigh between four to eight pounds. The cremains are then given to the Funeral Director or to the authorized family member. It is customary for some religious and ethnic groups to watch the cremation as part of their funeral custom. It is their belief that it is important to follow through with the person to the final end, much the same as going to a grave site if someone were being buried. Others choose to view the cremation for peace of mind and to get the emotional closure they need. The Committee discovered that this puts the Funeral Director squarely in the middle of the process and they are the primary person to determine where the cremation will take place when a viewing or family choice has not been established. Crematory Reimlations Reiulations: The State Laws for permitting and operating a Crematory are relatively straight forward and will provide for a well-controlled and safe operation. Any cremation in Massachusetts must be carried out in a facility located on a Massachusetts DPH approved Cemetery. The Crematory will operate with by-laws and regulations approved by the Department of Public Health pursuant to M.G.L. Ch. 114, § 9, and an air pollution control permit issued by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) pursuant to 310 CMR 7.00. Additionally, a modification to the Westview Cemetery Trust (as approved by the BOS) will be required. The Cremation process is conducted in specially designed chambers called retorts. There are a limited number of vendors that manufacture the specialty chambers. Manufacturing standards, vendor certification and specific maintenance procedures ensure compliance with all permitting and environmental regulations. The extremely high temperatures within the chambers will reduce all organic matter to non-toxic, odorless gases. DEP Regulation 310 CMR 7.00 defines the particulate level for air pollution control. Vendor 25 NOVEMBER 12,2019 AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN Appendix G: Interim Report to 2019 Annual Town Meeting (continued) certification and proper periodic maintenance procedures will ensure compliance with DEP regulations. Particle levels are too low for practical DEP periodic testing. There are no restrictions on the disposition of ashes once cremation has occurred. However, prior to the dispersal of cremains, permission should be obtained from the land owner or the applicable agency (e.g. — municipal government for Town land, or the Department of Conservation and Recreation for a state park, etc.) Heat Sources: Currently, gas or oil are the only reasonable heat sources capable of providing sufficient energy for the cremation process. Natural gas is the preferred fuel for modern retorts. The retorts work best and provides the best energy efficiency when the chamber is raised to temperature for multiple sequential cremations. Cycling the retorts for individual cremations is both inefficient and an additional strain on the retort itself. More specific information will be provided in subsequent reports and design studies as needed. Lexington Shifting Demographics Source.-Census Bureau . 0 u.... 5 . % t 3 . % 20.0% . ri .............................. ........... White sign Multiracial hispanic Black Other Native Islander RM.;E 0 IIS IE"r II I IN q'W:,I°I o. 2G0,C I 16 Cultural Sensitivities and Evaluation of Needs: There has been a significant shift in the demographic makeup of Lexington over the past 16 years. This will be explored further as we investigate this trend as it relates to the preference for cremations and the Town's ability to meet the needs of residents. Religious Preferences Related to Cremations: Members of the committee interviewed religious leaders in Lexington. The chart below summarizes the preference for or against burials and cremations by religion. This chart is meant to be for illustrative purposes only. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every religion. 26 NOVEMBER 12,2019 AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN Appendix G: Interim Report to 2019 Annual Town Meeting (continued) Rely ion* Burial, Cremation Notes Christian Greek and Russian 0ithodox do not consider cremation acceptable Jehovah's Witness Follow local traditions Unaffiliated Growing segnt of the population Buddhist V/ Most Buddhists choose cremation, because the Buddha was cremated Sikh Hindu Jewish Reform judaisin has begun to be inore accepting of the practice, Islam Mormon Death Statistics of Lexinjjon: # of # of Cremation % Graves Year Burials Burials Cremations Sold 008 [2008 204 51 25.00% 47 1 2009 189 52 27.51% 77 2010 201 56 27.86% 74 2011 192 55 28.65% 99 12012 194 61 31.44% 88 2013 165 44 26.67% 91 12014 1182 52 28.57% 198 12015 215 55 25.58% 64 2016 177 69 38.98% 97 12017 192 71 36.98% 119 2018 197 66 33.50% 70 lAverage 1191.64 1 57.45 1 29.98% 1 84 Balancing Equity and Financial Implications: Gathering and assessing information has led the Committee to two distinct but equally qualifying thought processes: 1) Residential Equity - right for every Lexingtonian to have their funeral rites occur in their Town.. 2) Financial— if a crematory is operated by the Town, how can we make it financially viable? Operationally, the cemetery requires an annual subsidy from the tax levy to maintain its current operations. These costs have been trending upwards the last three years. Thus, our financial analysis plans to also contend with that reality. 27 NOVEMBER 12,2019 AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN Appendix G: Interim Report to 2019 Annual Town Meeting (continued) Current Market and Trends Other Crematories: There are 17 crematories located in Massachusetts (see map of other crematories below). l'�nnrnnnu�",a�ai � /f i� gnu urr� � wrn am mtlla Gr f M hen mtb IMUPo",dWI"r 4N7a"�'uA�n"'il / emVd 9TN rr. 7 ��wtan Q Kid y E 4i Prono � � RunwA l ..... � nirnJrtnadtto �*w,nwuaun�p'p ,,..,., nsce �nrti�(rma�n i���sa�rmua e. tl _. - ,v�fi�r nu.�a m Cat ap 1 ism a tutu u�waunrm yu�d n*a ! p "s�' f f � �ttwad �,nan��r � i f a rrrrr fir, Poul�a^ $9 nw J �� � /� „rows anti RTt�r�firn�n� r r f @ 1 irunNuPraan o'r� �t�rin��r�r .B*o✓rrreaftian u F, ttuu�t�tu 1 � � �a�ubo��r / snau sat f r , � d 1 $And,Airy ri�d�trlfre ny,ro ✓ wa awes*aard umdranrna a IraIfh r a N.n��`rdwrur,a(,^inv Paxton l 0 f � � !&; ntpC"V" �,�R.n ,,,,,,,o rf tl4 arrrw rr a "unr n>YOn t4ma�br�,t � rvr 4k np V�a a;nn�Rwnuumr u?tr � �m,a�reNornrrecrrr / rarurynHu,nkll°r 4 eal���ueVaia gaH^r �rpwx rn al r i snUAti,x rvi 4,,rc,va,nm tiwrn Nr ie aka f stir „„. n % a/ n KwuaV a �A v/ �],, n,rrna r°„In i v�"ttr✓ix�r�tt j � uf�naai� ayb�RwrHt '� 1 m f 'vTrr7 �r art ��wnG�Qturrd row a r Ira rrkv mm^�7�amtP µ,/JIN6Vs j t�nba r fry >^� i�5. � �ipbLrGaarrti$� � �lnllzu�r�m�a r t r r!' i rrua�rt^ °. i r cke l uta ma'anNMu Hrni6g�'61,fu E nfiwkE r W t ry 0�n a (r f /r / flMrrvullpw4la 1 pPrn 4an / h nVn n nn baa, a Uunr�6 itrtlnrcJs� ns„ j fl H le ”. 4"9 ltl.N�!'VMa'�Wa U !I Q,9NPGIIMY o,na aukOPirs m?ymx ra 4 a� 6 ur rr 6 r akare fi�fl7( : T s °a"W od%w)r annefnpxinr „, f i 4 m n U%nR�Stl"kv(lo Yu 1 - l f ^�'�c jr f / Nnu t o r dLttr A mn t�u �� Iii pw^riri'rNpG,yR inR Ir� D nw notartr,mnu l in � irkim4aaaa t jA 4 1 rtn&aareWw„ "ua%anandril� arvacfiodeV I � All,id1n4,,f I a®w rra last; 400on /iF a unntawvw uaQn �✓u rola N rnnu .mrd West m ° r„difimaobnr1 p' 11°tlMG"wn'wrutl.NWM¢ �'. The primary crematories in our selected area are: a. Mt Auburn, Cambridge, MA b. Newton Crematory, Newton, MA c. St. Michaels, Boston, MA d. Linwood, Haverhill, MA e. Merrimack, NH Cremation Trends: The rate of cremation in the United States is at an all-time high and surpassed the rate of burial for the past few years. The rate of cremation is projected to continue to rise. According to the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) that by the year 2030 over 70% of Americans will choose cremation over burial. FDA U.S. Projected Cremation and Burial Rates Burials Cremation 0% 70% 1111111E 70.6% 00111100 51.E%a0000111111[10111111000000� 55.8% 8 4 . UIIWIIIONIIIIUW IIIIOOIOOrwIWIIINMWIN �1111 N�uu�m m�mumi000i miNioimiNuouou muuum w000mwuuuuuw�oourumiouomm wm�uu 44 V.7% 4►% 4 .2% 45.8% 38.10/� % 10% 2011 2013 2014 2015 2020 2030 SOURCE:National Funeral Directors Association (2014) 28 NOVEMBER 12,2019 AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN Appendix G: Interim Report to 2019 Annual Town Meeting (continued) Westview Cemetery Building Options. Research of Crematory Designs: It is important to keep in mind that Massachusetts is one of only 6 states that still require crematories to be sited within a cemetery. All other states allow crematories to be located in a variety of commercial zones. Should that policy changed by the State Legislature, it is possible that additional crematories could be constructed by the private sector or funeral homes. Our analysis assumes that the current policy remains in effect. The Committee recognized in its charge that there was atwo-step design challenge in examining the feasibility of construction of a crematory due to the perceived delays in the Westview Cemetery Operations Building. First, we agreed that operationally it was more efficient with shared physical plant and administrative requirements to co-locate the two structures. Second, our examination of the Westview Design showed significant design efficiencies were possible due to some oversizing of the Administrative space. It was our assessment that modifying the design approach to the Westview Building would not only meet the administrative and operational requirements of the Westview Cemetery Operations, but also save enough money through design efficiencies to include a future crematory's administrative requirements. Our review successfully showed that the $2.8M requested for Westview could be made more cost efficient and future- proofed should a future installation of a crematory be approved. Crematory design and construction does not seem to be an overly specialized field. While the equipment installed and utilized has a specialized purpose, design review showed that based on the scale of the operations undertaken by the crematory operator, all designs for crematories included similar functions and the sizes of the spaces fluctuated based on the number of retorts installed. If we installed 1-2 retorts then we would need: • (1)Administrative Workstation for managing the business • Awaiting area for 4-6 people to sit and wait comfortably • Agender-neutral bathroom(shared by staff and guests) • A Pantry • A Viewing area to see the ignition process for 10-25 people • Mechanical/Electric Room • File Storage Crematory Design Review: In reviewing designs for possible crematories, we reviewed over a dozen floor plans as well as considered layouts as viewed by Town Staff in their tour of Mount Auburn and Duxbury sites. We saw designs that range from 1400 sq. ft. to 2000 sq. ft. inclusive of the operational equipment. However, based on advice from crematory operators it was recommended that having 2 retorts is optimal unless you are building a massive operation. Thus, we focused our design of a future crematory building of 1400 sq. ft. to 1600 sq. ft. The balance of the space would already be included in the Westview Cemetery Administrative portion of the building. We shared these floor plans and assessments with the Facilities Department, DPW, and Permanent Buildings Committee (PBC). With a likely vote on the funding for construction of the new Westview Cemetery Operations Building (Article 20g) expected at the 2019 Annual Town Meeting, we felt that our research into operational effectiveness and construction could be summarized as: 1. Size the future project to have at least 2 retorts (approx. 1400-1600sgft). 2. A substantial overlap with the current Westview building design of approximately 1200 sq. ft. exists. 29 NOVEMBER 12,2019 AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN Appendix G: Interim Report to 2019 Annual Town Meeting (continued) Westview Cemetery Operations Building Design Review: Upon our review of the necessary layout for a crematory, we engaged with the Facilities Department and PBC to assess opportunities. Our discussions led to some space saving opportunities for similar administrative requirements for operating each program separately. Opportunities existed to combine the two programs without adding to the known budget. For example, the previous design had 2 shower rooms (one male; one female) that totaled 600 sq. ft. At $342/sq. ft these were two bathrooms would cost approximately $205,000 of the total project cost. After modifications were made to a similar design with all the same requirements at a total of 180 sq. ft, the Facilities Department was able to make changes saving approximately $143,000 in those two bathrooms. Similarly, the kitchen, administrative workspace, and waiting room were all shown opportunities for shared use and alignment. The PBC and Facilities Department recognized some opportunity for saving on the overall cost through a revised design which could lead to a potential absorption of the unique requirement for a future crematory viewing room that could also serve as a waiting area for grieving families. The Facilities Department took on the revision of the existing plans to account for these overlapping requirements preparing plans for an "addition- ready" crematory. Recommendation to Move Forward with the "Addition-Ready" Desitin: Our Committee was wavering over the approach the Town should take in the construction of the Westview Cemetery Operations Building knowing that for various reasons the construction had been delayed for the last year. However, understanding the interest in moving the building project forward, the Committee voted in favor of an "addition-ready" approach. In the future, should a crematory be recommended or funded, the amount of additional work required would be limited in scope and not require substantive alterations to the building. Estimated Capital Costs for Future Space: As we noted per our charge, we felt a crematory, if built, should be collocated with the Westview Cemetery Operations building. From a capital investment approach, the new design would allow for a 1400-1600 sq. ft addition on the back of the new building allowing for 2 retorts, refrigeration, garage entry for delivery, and a window could already exist from the "viewing/waiting" room into the potential crematory. Actual design costs for a future crematory would thus be limited in scope as to completing the building envelope and bringing in a gas line. Per conversations with the Director of Facilities as well as a review of recent cost increases in commercial construction projects, it is very likely that the cost of building either the operations building or a separate crematory will be 5-10% more expensive in 2020. Project pricing could also be further increased if the Contractor processed change orders in order to accommodate undocumented modifications to the building prior to pricing and contracting. There are 3 parts of the capital cost of adding the crematory in the future: • Bring Gas Line into Westview building: $1504250K(estimated) • Enclose the Crematory space: $342-500/sq. ft. • FF&E (2 Retorts; refrigeration; prep equipment) The addition-ready approach is the best bet to align all of the existing requirements proffered by DPW, into a design that could support a future crematory. 30 NOVEMBER 12,2019 AD HOC CREMATORY STUDY COMMITTEE-FINAL REPORT TO THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN Appendix G: Interim Report to 2019 Annual Town Meeting (continued) Next Steps The Ad Hoc Crematory Study Committee recognizes that there is much more work to be done which requires extensive stakeholder engagement. The following list illustrates the unanswered questions and areas where we need more data to build consensus within the committee. Each of these issues will be explored in the coming months: 1) Business plan to sell crematory services a. Marketing plan b. Funeral Director engagement c. Competitive pricing of cremation services in Massachusetts 2) Explore various business models a. Operation run by Town of Lexington b. Operation run by outsourced entity 3) Cemetery and crematory operational finances a. Impact on the Perpetual Trust b. Impact on the 45%/55% fee split 4) Discussions with other municipalities within a 50-mile radius a. Is anyone else planning to build a crematory? b. Are the opportunities to share responsibility? c. Are there regional grant opportunities? 5) Crematory operational feasibility a. Equipment Costs b. Staffing Costs 6) Assumptions/Uncertainties a. Anticipating future community needs b. Financial Implications This Interim Report was Approved by a vote of the Ad Hoc Crematory Study Committee 5-0-1. 31 NOVEMBER 12,2019