Santa Margarita Cemetery District Report

Recommendations 8

• R1
  The Grand Jury recommends the SMCD create a written improvement plan for the cemetery grounds by December 1, 2026. This should include the water expansion, paving (if needed), and repairs to the entrance gate. The Grand Jury also recommends a comprehensive vermin control plan that can be monitored to ensure the problem is adequately addressed.
• R2
  The Grand Jury recommends the SMCD create an organizational chart by December 1, 2026. This organizational chart should include critical information on how the Board of Trustees functions and how all transactions are handled. This will ensure the SMCD can still function regardless of the composition of the Board.
• R3
  The Grand Jury recommends the SMCD create an updated map of the SMC with grave site information that can be protected and visible to the public on site by December 1, 2026. The SMCD should add section and row markers within the SMC that correspond to the new map. The map and physical files should be scanned to a digital location and then stored in a place where they cannot be damaged.
• R4
  The Grand Jury recommends that the SMCD include the additions listed, as noted in the narrative above.
• R5
  Reviewed Health and Safety Codes
• R6
  Reviewed SMCD documents
• R7
  Interviewed five knowledgeable parties
• R8
  Reviewed legal documents NARRATIVE Each Cemetery District is required to perform these minimum duties based on Section 9000 to Section 9667 of the Health and Safety Code of the State of California: • Have a Board of Trustees with three to five members. • Conduct board meetings at least every three months in compliance with the Brown Act. • Maintain accurate and current records of all remains interred. • Adopt an annual budget by August 30th of each year. • Provide regular audits. • Establish operating conditions and fees. • Provide and operate an endowment care fund, which must have a legally defined minimum payment for each interment. The endowment principal cannot be spent; the fund must be invested in a limited number of projects. The income from the fund can only be spent on care of the cemetery. CEMETERY EXPANSION/IMPROVEMENT PLAN Part of the Grand Jury’s investigation of the SMCD was to determine if the land deeded was actually incorporated and if any improvements had been made to the expanded area. New fencing has been added to a portion of the total acreage around the current cemetery grounds. If the SMCD wishes to develop or use the newly acquired land for cemetery expansion, then it should make an expansion plan to identify and prioritize the issues which are determined to be the most important. The following items need to be incorporated into a written plan for the expansion/improvement of the SMC: • Expand water distribution to the new sections of the cemetery and repair the existing water system • Electrical service expansion to the new section • Grading and paving for the new section • A plan for identifying the new section for individual plots • Determine how trees will be incorporated and protected during expansion • Implementation of a vermin control plan • Obtain bids for main gate repairs • Consider adding a columbarium • While engineering plans are not required, the Grand Jury believes a written plan needs to be developed and adopted on how the SMCD will proceed with the improvements, including a timeline to accomplish the plan. SMCD should inquire into the availability of State or County grant funding to assist with these improvements. Photo of new fencing around expanded area. BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND AGENCY ORGANIZATION The SMCD Board of Trustees, responsible for the operation of the SMC, consists of three members appointed by the County Supervisor of District Five. The SMCD has two paid employees, a groundskeeper and a secretary. The secretary is responsible for creating an agenda for monthly board meetings, recording minutes at those meetings, and the public posting of the monthly agenda and minutes in Santa Margarita. The SMCD does not have written roles and responsibilities for each member of the organization. An organizational chart should include critical information on how the Board of Trustees functions and how all transactions are handled. This will ensure the SMCD can still function regardless of the composition of the Board. The Brown Act requires boards of public institutions, such as the SMCD, conduct their business with transparency. During the Grand Jury’s investigation, it was found that the SMCD was not in compliance with the Brown Act. The Brown Act requires public postings of board agendas no less than 72 hours in advance. Previous agendas, posted in public locations, have been removed and are no longer available for the public to review. Prior to finishing this report, it was verified that agendas are being posted in a public place in accordance with the Brown Act. CEMETERY MAP, SECTION AND ROW MARKERS In most cemeteries, if someone is looking for a burial site, the current practice is to obtain the plot location from a database online and use that information to locate the physical gravesite. This is difficult to do at the SMC. The Grand Jury toured a different, nearby cemetery and saw that it was well-groomed, well-mapped, and consistently maintained. The SMC is over a century old, and its rural setting was originally part of a ranch; however, that does not mean the grounds do not need to be organized. During the site visits to the SMC, the Grand Jury observed three primary areas of plots, each divided by curbed and paved driveways. However, the following was noted: • There were no markings on the curbs indicating sections or rows • There were no posts or signs indicating sections or rows • There was no posted map indicating where the sections and/or rows would be located Photo of missing row and curb markings Photo of discarded row markers Although the SMCD Board of Trustees has a large map and physical files indicating where remains are buried, the only way to access this information is to directly contact the Cemetery District. It is incumbent on the SMCD board to organize the SMC grounds in such a manner that allows people to physically locate a burial plot on site. The upcoming cemetery expansion could provide an ideal opportunity to complete this project, as the new section would need to be mapped and organized as well. CEMETERY CONTACT INFORMATION, WEBSITE, AND PLOT FILE AUTOMATION The Grand Jury reviewed the approach other County public cemeteries use to effectively communicate their activities to the public and found most utilize a public website as a central location to post all their necessary information. In a previous report, the 2021/22 Grand Jury had recommended that the SMCD create a website that included contact information. During the start of this investigation, the Grand Jury concluded the SMCD had still not provided a website with adequate information and transparency to the public. Prior to the publishing of this report, it was found that a website was established in February of 2026, with pertinent SMCD information. The Grand Jury commends the SMCD for taking action. The website includes: • Meeting notices, agendas, and minutes • Contact information, such as phone number, email, physical address, and mailing address • Trustees’ names • Driving directions • Map of SMC, including burial plots/locations • SMCD By-laws • General information requests The following items should be added: • Trustees’ contact information • Hours of operation • Instructions on how to find a gravesite • Digitized paper files • Instructions to schedule a burial • Notices of interments