STATE OF MAINE

STATE BOARD OF FUNERAL SERVICE

 

Minutes of March 11, 2004 Board Meeting

 

 

 

Members Present:               Robert Barnes, Chair; Hervey Clay, Complaint Officer; Bethel Shields, Paul Fredette, John Dunn, Normand Lambert and Ernest Marriner

 

Others Present:                    Penny Vaillancourt, Administrator; Judith Peters, Assistant Attorney General and Diane Bradstreet, Board Clerk

 

Members Absent:                 Jennifer Minkowitz  

 

CALL TO ORDER

 

Robert Barnes, Chair, called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

 

In a motion by Hervey Clay, seconded by Bethel Shields, the minutes from the January 8, 2004 meeting were unanimously approved as written.

 

APPLICATION REVIEW

 

Under date of October 27, 2003, an application was received from Gary R. Shaw for registration as a Funeral Attendant.  Mr. Shaw responded “no” to the criminal conviction question; however, results from the State Bureau of Identification (SBI check) indicate that Mr. Shaw had three prior convictions.  Correspondence sent to Mr. Shaw asking for an explanation as to the discrepancy between his response on the application and the results of the SBI check has gone unanswered. 

 

In a motion by Ernest Marriner, seconded by Normand Lambert, the Board voted unanimously to deny Mr. Shaw’s application for registration as a Funeral Attendant.

 

CORRESPONDENCE

 

Correspondence received from Wiles Funeral Home was tabled pending receipt of further information.  In a motion by Bethel Shields, seconded by Normand Lambert, the Board voted unanimously to authorize Assistant Attorney General Judith Peters and Chairman Robert Barnes to write to Wiles Funeral Home to gather further information.

 

REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS FOR RENEWAL

 

Baldo Esquivel – The Board voted unanimously to approve the application for the renewal of Mr. Esquivel’s registration as a Funeral Attendant in a motion by Hervey Clay, seconded by John Dunn.

State Board of Funeral Service Minutes

March 11, 2004

Page 2

 

Stephen G. Thibault – In a motion by Normand Lambert, seconded by John Dunn, the Board voted unanimously to approve the renewal of Mr. Thibault’s Funeral Practitioner’s license and due to his illness, grant him an extension of 180 days for completion of the continuing education requirements.

 

Larry O. Audet – Mr. Audet submitted a letter requesting a waiver of the required six (6) CEUs due to the fact that he was called to active army duty from March 3, 2003 to January 10, 2004. 

 

Ernest Marriner made a motion to grant Mr. Audet an extension of 180 days for completion of the continuing education requirements.  This motion was seconded by Hervey Clay.  Vote:  2 Yes    4 No   Motion defeated

 

Bethel Shields made a motion to waive the continuing requirements.  The motion was seconded by Normand Lambert.  Both Ms. Shields and Mr. Lambert then withdrew their motion as the Board’s Rules do not allow for a waiver of the continuing education requirements.

 

In a motion by John Dunn, seconded by Normand Lambert, the Board voted unanimously to approve the renewal Mr. Audet’s license and to grant him an extension of 180 days for completion of the continuing education requirements. 

 

Willard Kelley, Jr. – In a motion by John Dunn, seconded by Ernest Marriner, the Board voted unanimously to approve the renewal of Mr. Kelley’ Funeral Practitioner’s license and due to his illness, grant him an extension of 180 days for completion of the continuing education requirements.

 

ELECTION OF OFFICERS

 

In a motion by Normand Lambert, seconded by Paul Fredette, the Board voted unanimously to re-elect Robert Barnes as Chair.

 

In a motion by Ernest Marriner, seconded by Paul Fredette, the Board voted unanimously to elect Jennifer Minkowitz as Vice Chair.

 

In a motion by Paul Fredette, seconded by Ernest Marriner, the Board voted unanimously to re-elect Hervey Clay as Complaint Officer.

 

REQUEST FOR OUT-OF-STATE TRAVEL

 

In a motion by Hervey Clay, seconded by Normand Lambert, the Board voted unanimously to authorize a board member to attend the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards’ 100^th Annual Convention which will be held in St. Louis, Missouri in April 2004.   

 

 

State Board of Funeral Service Minutes

March 11, 2004

Page 3

 

In a motion by Normand Lambert, seconded by Ernest Marriner, the Board voted unanimously to authorize Chairman Barnes to attend this conference.

 

CONTINUING EDUCATIONAL APPROVAL

 

In a motion by Ernest Marriner, seconded by Bethel Shields, the Board voted unanimously to approve the list of continuing education programs as reviewed by the Continuing Education Committee at the last meeting.

 

In a motion by Bethel Shields, seconded by Hervey Clay, the Board voted unanimously to approve the continuing education programs as reviewed at today’s meeting.

 

ADJOURN

 

There being no further business, in a motion by Normand Lambert, seconded by Bethel Shields, the Board voted unanimously to adjourn the meeting at 10:30 a.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Diane J. Bradstreet

Board Clerk