When Councilwoman Ann Carter made it perfectly clear that she and the two other surviving trustees of the Sunset Cemetery Corporation were getting fewer and older, the town still repeatedly balked at taking over this town asset. Her combined government and civic duties were getting to be too much yet maintaining the cemetery in perpetuity was, in her view, critical.
Council members Mike Barber and Brad Stipes were appointed to an ad-hoc committee by the Mayor, and after taking over ownership in January 2008 the town created a new job.
Previously, Sunset Cemetery contracted for some services with independent companies and others with the town. All services provided were billed to the cemetery, and paid for by cemetery operations. The cemetery was solvent and earning money through sales and services. The trustees maintained the records, interacted with bereaved families and funeral professionals, and provided general administrative oversight including contracted services.
Now, town council members cannot be employees of the town. So, almost in jest, it was suggested Ann Carter resign her elected position and resume oversight of the cemetery.
When the town provided backhoe service in exchange for payment, they apparently already had trained staff who could did this. And the town owned the equipment already, rather than subcontracting for it on an as-needed basis.
Somehow, through the transition, it became more important for the job incumbent to operate heavy equipment than to take care of the administrative end of the job or interact appropriately with the public (burial planning or historical research).
Why the job description was written this way -- other than to ensure Ms. Carter or other trustees would not qualify -- is a mystery. Certainly it wasn't to be punitive due to Carter's persistence and diligence in lobbying the town to assume this onerous task.
One would think such intimate, personal interactions and complex records management aligned with specific state law or historical aspects would be more critical and highly valued than operating a backhoe. Given the town has gone through one cemeterian in just one year, one wonders if the job description is well written or can deliver a good job match.
This is too important a job for the town not to get it right the first time. A serious suggestion is now being made: re-write the job description to focus on what matters most, on the skills which are harder to find or develop. Let present town staff operate the heavy equipment when needed, as was done prior to the town's ownership. Transition the job accountabilities to be more expansive, including heavy equipment operation, after the critical tasks have been successfully assimilated over a period of time.
Hire Ann Carter and ensure a successful transition. She said she was ready to retire, or give up some tasks -- not die. She might consider retiring from some other roles in order to focus on this task. And she's earned it. She did the job for free for years and years and years.....