JAY – Selectmen heard a proposal Monday that is estimated to cost more than $21,000 to improve the veterans memorial on Main Street in Chisholm. Voters had approved $10,000 for the project.

Board members voted to authorize Town Manager Ruth Marden to look into quotes for cleaning and repairing the monument.

Estimated costs for that work ranged from $5,500 to $6,000, and would assess the drainage needs at the memorial in front of St. Rose Parish Hall.

Hyla Friedman, a member of a committee working on the project, gave selectmen an update on the committee’s recommendation for the monument.

Friedman passed around a design done by an International Paper draftsman of what the memorial would look like when completed.

The proposal includes two additional monuments with military insignias to recognize all branches of the service. Those are estimated to cost $3,295 each.

Three stone benches are estimated at $750 each. About 270 feet of fence would be needed, at a cost of $145 for each of the 45 six-foot sections that are needed and $31.90 for each ornamental post between the sections.

Drainage and electrical work also needs to be done, and a retaining wall needs to be built, among other work.

“It has to be done,” Friedman said. “It is important we get this done, finish it off and do it right.”

Selectmen Chairman Bill Harlow said the board needs to know the phases of the work.

“We have to know what everyone’s going to do,” he said. That includes what veterans groups would contribute, and what labor would be donated.

In other business, selectmen voted to:

• Increase cemetery lot prices from $50 to $100 for nonresidents.

• Increase grave opening from $250 to $275, increased cremation grave opening from $75 to $100, and set opening a grave for a child or infant at $125.

• Authorized Marden to pursue all avenues to get a municipal boat launch on Parker Pond in East Jay.

dperry@sunjournal.com

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