The Boothbay Region Cemetery District Sept. 25 meeting was short of a quorum, so no official actions were taken. However, Trustee Howard Friant, Treasurer Patty Minerich and President Bernard "Skip" MacPhee discussed next steps for future meetings.  

The chief issue was revisiting the discussion of a columbarium installation (public storage for cremated remains) at Evergreen cemetery in Boothbay Harbor in light of its planned expansion and the rising popularity of cremation over casket burials. According to the National Association of Funeral Directors, Maine will reach a cremation rate higher than 80% by 2030. 

Maine law (Title 13, 1341) requires that a cemetery be at least five acres to host a columbarium. In a previous meeting, trustees estimated Evergreen was about two acres. However, they are rethinking this after consulting a town tax map of the area, which, while not providing the acreage of the cemetery, shows it's larger than prior approximations. The district will consult the county to get official cemetery dimensions.

“It’s something to seriously look at. We can't do it (right now), but that’s not to say that in three or four years we couldn’t,” said MacPhee. 

Minerich added, “It would be a more economical way to have people buy a lot.” 

The district will also investigate whether grants or state funds are available for construction. Fraint estimates a 400-niche columbarium would cost about $60,000-80,000. MacPhee also clarified that it is unknown whether columbarium burial will be cheaper for customers than graves.  

In other business, the district is working to complete maintenance on the metal sign at Oceanview Cemetery and install height indicators on Evergreen's.