The Pleasanton City Council turned down a bid by a citizens’ committee to buy the deteriorating Odd Fellows Fraternal Cemetery–called Pleasanton Memorial Gardens–on Sunol Boulevard, although it may allow public funds to be used to improve its appearance and for upkeep.
It also directed City Manager Nelson Fialho to take a more detailed look at the proposal for another review by the council.
Councilman Steve Brozosky, who has been working with a citizens’ group called the Pleasanton Pioneers to resolve the cemetery issue, said he was disappointed in the action. He said the council needs to acquire the cemetery from the Livermore Odd Fellows Lodge 219, which has exhausted its funding capabilities to manage the cemetery. The lodge had given Pleasanton until October to acquire the burial grounds or it may have to dispose of the site other ways.
Chris Bertalis Sr., a downtown businessman and developer, is chairman of the 10-man Pioneers group. He said the cemetery, where one of his sons is buried, has had a maintenance problem dating back to 1955. The groundskeeper, now gone, lived in an old trailer still on the site with no city sewer connections. The city connected water lines to the cemetery years ago, but the irrigation system is broken and much of the grass has died.
“When I was on the City Council from 1968 to 1972, we took the cemetery under our wing and cleaned it up a bit,” Beratlis said. “But the problems come and go and we need to take action.”
He gave the council petitions from 200 residents who want the city to take over the cemetery.
“If we don’t get off our duff and do something, and the Odd Fellows take a walk, it’s going to be a city cemetery anyhow,” Beratlis said.
Developed in the 19th Century, the burial grounds include the remains of many early landowners in the region, with gravestones marking family plots for the Bernals, Neals and Kottingers, to name a few. One of the more recent burials was Ed Kinney, a former councilman, Realtor and well-known public figure.
The five-acre cemetery has about 1,200 spaces left for full-casket burials, more for the interment of cremains. It is contiguous to the St. Augustine Catholic Church cemetery, which is also 5 acres. The Pioneers explored the possibility of St. Augustine incorporating the cemetery into its holdings, but the church said that while it might work an arrangement to maintain the grounds the way they are, it would not be interested in more burials or expanding either site.
The Pioneers asked the city two years ago to consider acquiring the Odd Fellows cemetery but, except for Brozosky, has had what some call only a lukewarm response. First established in the mid-1800s, the cemetery was purchased by the once-thriving Pleasanton Lodge No. 255 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a fraternal association. After the Pleasanton lodge was disbanded due to a decline in membership, the Livermore lodge picked up title to the property.
Pleasanton officials estimated that it would cost an initial one-time capital investment of $642,000 to take over the cemetery, clean it up, design and install a new irrigation system. Ongoing maintenance could cost $73,000 annually.
“I just don’t see this as do-able,” said Councilwoman Cindy McGovern. “I don’t think we have any idea about what the hidden costs might be. I’m just not comfortable about making this part of the city’s responsibility.”
L. F. Sloan, whose consulting firm was hired by the Pioneers to look at the cemetery, told the council that because of the small size of the cemetery, it’s unlikely a private investor would be interested in acquiring the site. Even if it went into bankruptcy proceedings, he doubted there would be any bidders.
By default, therefore, the city would have an abandoned cemetery on its hands, where new burials are continuing.
Several council members also felt there was not enough time allotted by the Odd Fellows to explore the acquisition proposal. The Odd Fellows said they need an answer no later than October or they will make other arrangements.
Fialho will see if he can delay that deadline by another six months to mid-2007 when all the costs and can be determined.
Councilman Matt Sullivan cited several issues that need to be studied, including soil contamination issues based on today’s standards. Others said it’s unclear who has responsibility now for maintaining the gravesites and the common grounds. Historically, early Pleasanton families bought plots with an understanding that they would maintain them. Most modern cemeteries are handled by private or public organizations, including cemetery trusts in California.
“I’m concerned, to, about putting this unfunded cost on our plate,” Sullivan said. “We’ve had a big list of capital priorities for several years and I don’t think we should explore this option until the others are handled.”
The council said it would consider a short-term proposal to once again have the city pay the costs of a general cleanup at the cemetery and to improve the streetscape along Sunol Boulevard.
“I’m extremely frustrated,” said Brozosky. “I thought we were farther along in deciding this question that we appear to be. If the Odd Fellows turn this cemetery over to another nonprofit, they could find the state regulations much more significant that a city government would. That could add to potential costs and liabilities if the property eventually came back to us.”
