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Caption: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1946
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1945] UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 363 Champaign, Illinois January 18, 1945 Hon. Park C. Livingston c/o Dean Milk Company go North IVadter Drive Chicago, Illinois Pres. A. C. WUlard University of Illinois Administration Building Urbana, Illinois R E : ROSE L A W N CEMETERY, CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS Inasmuch as University ownership of unsold lots in the above cemetery has proved very unsatisfactory from the standpoint of present lot owners in the cemetery on account of unsatisfactory upkeep and lack of a future plan of constructive maintenance, it is my opinion that the cemetery could be best handled by a private individual or individuals. You no doubt are aware that several thousand dollars are required to rebuild the drives, correct the bad drainage situation, repair fences and properly landscape the premises. You are no doubt further aware of the fact that the endowment fund is insufficient to in any way meet the annual operating expenses required for ordinary annual maintenance. I am informed that University ownership in this cemetery has been a source of annoyance, both to the officials of the University and the public at large. Taking the above matters into consideration, I have decided that I would be willing to purchase the unsold lots in Rose Lawn Cemetery and spend sufficient money to do the things enumerated above required to bring the cemetery up to a comparable basis with other cemeteries in Champaign County. I will pay the University $8,500.00 for the unsold lots and spend an amount of money necessary to do the above things described, which according to estimates, will run into many thousands of dollars. You may consider this an offer and I would appreciate an early reply as I am not willing to leave the offer open indefinitely. If you desire to discuss the matter, you may contact me at the TrevettMattis Banking Company, Champaign, Illinois. Very truly yours, J. W . THRASHER W i t h reference to Mr. Thrasher's statements that (1) University ownership of unsold lots is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of present lot owners because of unsatisfactory upkeep and lack of a future plan of constructive maintenance, and (2) the endowment fund is insufficient to meet the annual operating expenses for satisfactory maintenance, it should be noted that the University has not attempted to make any major investments for improvements, but on the other hand it has cooperated with the Roselawn Cemetery Association, which is the representative of other present lot owners, in the improvement and maintenance programs. T h e University has invested for maintenance and improvements sums in proportion to those invested by the Association. D u e to the Association's small endowment fund, maintenance has been inadequate, but the University is not responsible for this nor for the inability of the Association last year to find someone to do the necessary maintenance work. I n fact, as a last resort the University put its employees in the Cemetery to cut the grass and do other maintenance work shortly before Memorial Day. T h e condition of the Cemetery at that time resulted in considerable dissatisfaction, which reflected on the University but for which the Association was responsible. It has been suggested to the Association that the endowment be increased, but any steps toward this end would have to be taken by the Roselawn Cemetery A s sociation. T h e University has made efforts to dispose of its holdings in the Cemetery by: 1. Attempting to find an agent to represent the University in the sale of the lots on a commission basis. 2. Attempting to sell the property to other Cemetery operators.
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