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Etched in Stone

A Newsletter of The Association of  NB Cemeteries, Inc. 

Autumn 2010                                                      Vol. I No. 2
Welcome to the second edition of Etched in Stone.  We hope you enjoyed the first issue which dealt with Cemetery Identification.  Again, we are looking to our members for feedback, as well as your input in developing this newsletter.  Please send your comments to the editor, Wendy Donnahee, 491 Trafalgar Road, Dundas, NB E1G 3K4 or contact by email at norton2@nbnet.nb.ca   Your opinion and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated!
Business
The 2011 Annual General Meeting is tentatively scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 30th, 2011, 1:00 – 3:00 PM at the Lutz Mountain Meeting House, 3143 Mountain Road, Moncton, NB.  Contact President, Ed Graham at (506)388-3400 or grahamte@rogers.com for further details.
Laying the Foundation
As with so many cemeteries, considerable energy and resources are directed towards maintaining the grounds and equipment, performing burials and general overall management of the property.  There may be well defined rules and regulations governing the operation of the cemetery, maintenance schedules, dedicated workers / volunteers, and perpetual care funds.  But how many of these cemeteries have laid the foundation that will protect their company or cemetery group, directors of their cemetery boards and volunteer workers from financial hardship as a result of potential litigation? 
Protecting your cemetery, board of directors and volunteers
Lawsuits are a fact of life today.  They can result from any number of situations.  A common example of a situation that can occur within any cemetery is injury as a result of poorly maintained grounds, i.e., a monument toppling over or sunken graves causing injury to a visitor.  The financial cost associated with litigation can be considerable.  Without proper protection in place, your cemetery, board of directors and volunteer workers can be held personally liable for these costs.  However, steps can be taken to mitigate the risk.
How to protect your cemetery, board and volunteers
•    Incorporation
•    Insurance                                                                                      
•    Adherence to the Cemetery Companies Act
Incorporation
It is the view of Rob Boyd, a lawyer with Anderson Sinclair and guest speaker at the fall meeting of the Association that “it is worth it for cemeteries to incorporate themselves.”  He added that it usually costs $1,200 for a cemetery to be incorporated, or less for non-profit cemeteries.  To learn more about incorporation visit Service New Brunswick’s website “Starting a Business In New Brunswick”, click on Business Incorporation Frequently Asked Questions at  http://www.nebscorp.ca/docen/home/faq.asp  
Insurance 
Property insurance is essential, as is director’s liability insurance if your cemetery has a board of directors.  Contact your insurance agent for further details.  To learn more about insurance for non-profit groups visit the province of New Brunswick’s Community Non-Profit Organization (Secretariat) at http://www.gnb.ca/0012/CNPO-OCSB/insurance-e.asp  
Cemetery Companies Act 
Become aware and informed of the provincial legislation that can impact the management of your cemetery.  The Cemetery Companies Act governs the operation of cemeteries in New Brunswick.  A copy of the Act can be found online at http://www.gnb.ca/0062/PDF-acts/c-01.pdf  The related regulation, New Brunswick Regulation 94-129 under the Cemetery Companies Act (O.C. 94-693) can be found online at http://www.gnb.ca/0062/PDF-regs/94-129.pdf 
Look for the next issue of Etched in Stone in the spring of 2011!
~ Association of NB Cemeteries, Inc. ~

 

 

 

Etched in Stone

A Newsletter of The Association of  NB Cemeteries

 

Spring 2010                                                                                                            Vol. I No. 1

Welcome to the first edition of Etched in Stone.  As a member of the Association of NB Cemeteries you will be receiving this newsletter twice a year.  We are looking to our members for input in developing this newsletter.  What topics do you wish to see in the newsletter?   Do you have any burning questions or issues you would like to have addressed?  Would you like to receive this newsletter by email or Canada Post?  Please send your comments to the editor, Wendy Donnahee, 491 Trafalgar Road, Dundas, NB E1G 3K4 or contact by email at norton2@nbnet.nb.ca  

This newsletter is intended to inform and educate the membership on topics related to the care and management of cemeteries.  Your opinion and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated!

To lead off this newsletter, we would first like to commend the many faithful caretakers of New Brunswick’s cemeteries. Historic cemeteries, along with more recently established ones, are an important part of our cultural landscape.  The upkeep and maintenance of these cemeteries are carried out by devoted staff and many unpaid volunteers.  Through your efforts and labour you are preserving a link to the past and in turn preserving the heritage of New Brunswick for future generations. 

Business

The 2010 Annual General Meeting will be held on Saturday, May 1st, 1:00 – 3:00 PM at the Lutz Mountain Meeting House, 3143 Mountain Road, Moncton, NB.  Contact President, Ed Graham at (506)388-3400 or grahamte@rogers.com for further details.

Cemetery Identification

Traveling throughout the province of New Brunswick you will often pass by cemeteries with no name or identification. Local residents may or may not know it by a particular name. In some cases, it is known by more than one name. 

Why is it important to identify cemeteries?

We all have heard stories of cemeteries which have become “lost” over time.  While some may even still have monuments, these cemeteries without proper identification can become part of a larger or another parcel of land. It is not unheard of to have burials located in backyards and sub-divisions, such as the case of the Milner Family Cemetery, located in West-end Moncton.  Another scenario is to lose part of a cemetery to adjacent landowners.  Accurate identification safeguards against these threats.

There are several ways to identify a cemetery

• Civic Address

• Land Registry or Parcel Identification Description (PID)

• Survey, complete with proper boundary markers                                                                                           

• Cemetery records – burial records, plot plans, etc.

How to obtain a civic address

If your cemetery is located in a municipality, you should contact your municipal government. If your cemetery is located in an unincorporated area, contact the NB 9-1-1 Bureau at the Department of Public Safety at 1-888-353-4444 or by email at NB9-1-1@gnb.ca to request a civic address.

How to obtain a Parcel Identification Description (PID)

According to the government of New Brunswick, “Land Titles is a parcel based registration system which utilizes a Parcel Identifier (PID) to uniquely identify parcels of land and to record interests in that land. Unlike the Registry System, which has existed in New Brunswick for over 200 years, once parcels have been converted to Land Titles as "registered land", the interests of individuals and enterprises in a parcel are guaranteed by the province”.  To obtain the PID number for your cemetery or to learn if your cemetery is registered with Land Titles (and if not how to have it registered) you can contact Service New Brunswick (SNB) toll-free at 1-888-762-8600. You can also find your counties Land Registry & Mapping Services office online at https://www.pxw1.snb.ca/snb7001/e/2000/2400e_5.asp

We hope you have enjoyed this first edition of Etched in Stone.  Look for the second issue this autumn!