RFP for Cemetery Platting
You will find the current answers to questions regarding the posted RFP. Questions will be answered as they are received and posted below.
Q: Is there a need to confirm the presence or (non-presence) of critical areas and their buffers in potential new plats? A: There are no known critical areas at the cemetery.
Q: Is there a maximum page count, and preference on double or single sided pages? A: There is no page limit or requirements for double or single sided.
Q: Could you verify the specific mapping tool name currently being used to interface with ArcGIS, or is the City using the ArcGis database features adjusted for cemetery mapping? A: ERSI offers a cemetery management program that we use. I don’t have the details on the program.
Q: Is a portion of the cemetery already mapped and, if so, what percentage does the City believe is remaining? A: See the City website, cemetery page. The map is available to the public. We have not calculated the existing site versus the used area.
Q: From the RFP, it appears additional tracts are need to be identified, located, and platted. Would any of the future tracts be on property not owned by the City? Would we want to also include information on appraisal and acquisition services? A: The City does need to plat additional spaces. No acquisition is proposed.
Q: Knowing this project isn’t currently budgeted, is it the City’s intent to negotiate a contract fee for inclusion into the 2022 budget with work starting in 2022 after budget approval? A: There is a potential to start work in 2021 with a budget amendment.
Q: In developing a long-term budget, are all cemetery expenses and revenues currently tracked? Is it the City’s intent for the consultant to evaluate rates and means of increasing revenues? A: Yes, all revenue and expense for the cemetery is tracked. The City is seeking an evaluation of the rates, existing and new sites and the endowment to ensure long-term maintenance is achieved.
Q: What is the base line against which current cemetery conditions, funding/financing, and maintenance are to be evaluated? A: We don’t have one. We have been collecting and building a reserve maintenance fund but have not completed a formal review of cost and maintenance to know when we will have achieved the desired baseline for long term maintenance.
Q: What are the boundaries of the entire Mountain View Cemetery property that is to be evaluated? A: Please review the City GIS and or City Cemetery map both online.
Q: Are the engineered drawings that show the existing Block, Section, and Plots in the entire Mountain View Cemetery publicly available? A: We have paper maps that were used to build the GIS data.
Q: Are the drawings georeferenced? What system/projection is used? A: I do not know if the data was georeferenced. I don’t have access to provide the projection used in the GIS layer. But that information can be obtained after the contract.
Q: Existing public imagery is of sufficient resolution to identify individual headstones, but there doesn’t appear to be any identifiable mausoleums or crypts. Based on this information are there areas beyond the maintained graveyard that may contain mausoleums or crypts? A: We have niches used for cremains. The city is interested in expanding the number of niches and other ways of providing space for cremains.
Q: Where are the plot ownership records located? Are these records available in a database or flat file? A: All records are with the City and in the GIS system.
Q: To what extent has any of the existing data been entered into the existing ArcGIS cemetery mapping tool? A: The GIS system is considered complete and up to date – as of 2020.
Q: Looking online (internment.net) an old pioneer cemetery may have been located at 47* 35’ 25” N, 120* 40’ 19” W. Is this related to the current cemetery site? A: That is not at the same location.
Q: What are the dimensions of the existing Blocks and/or Plots? A: Burial lots in the original section are 4’ x 8’; lots in the new sections are 4’ x 10’, which allows 2’ for the headstone at the top.
Q: How are new graves excavated without encroaching on existing graves? A: Each section has corner pins. The grave site is measured and excavated leaving 4” on either side.
Q: What type of access and clearance between Blocks is presently utilized? A: If “Blocks” means sections; there is roadway between some of the sections. If the question is about the individual lots, there is no clearance in between the individual lots, other than the 4” on either side when digging the grave.
Q: Is there an existing estimate of how long before the cemetery would reach full capacity? A: There are many of the smaller cremains lots, youth, and infant lots still available. There are very few full size lots and niches remaining.
Q: What other methods of increasing capacity have already been explored besides platting undeveloped property? A: The City permits, under specific conditions, the use of a plot for two, see the LMC 12.28, https://www.codepublishing.com/WA/Leavenworth/#!/html/Leavenworth12/Leavenworth1228.html
Q: Is the City of Leavenworth looking for financial planning for the physical maintenance of the cemetery, or long-term maintenance of existing and new plot data? A: The City is looking for financial planning for physical maintenance.