JOB DESCRIPTION for GROUNDS SUPERINTENDENT
EVERGREEN CEMETERY ASSOCIATION
Brainerd, Minnesota

The Grounds Superintendent is directly responsible to, and reports to, the Evergreen Cemetery Association's Executive Director, and is in charge of the cemetery grounds for Evergreen Cemetery in Brainerd and Memorial Gardens north of Brainerd on Hiway 3.

General grounds upkeep:

1. Supervising two seasonal full time workers from mid-April through October.
2. Maintaining equipment and vehicles (e.g. riding mowers, trucks, backhoe).
3. Cleaning up the cemeteries in the springtime by removing fallen branches, excess leaves, plastic flowers, wreaths, and any unsightly items, then mulching remaining leaves.
4. Starting up the irrigation water system in the spring to bring water to the many faucets located in the cemeteries. Leaks must be found and repaired. In the fall, the lines must be completely drained and blown out. Mark leaking faucets during the summer and replace them in the fall after draining.
5. Mowing the grass at both cemeteries on a regular basis using riding lawn mowers and weed-whipping around above-ground obstacles as time permits.
6. Plowing the main roads in the wintertime to keep them open, and plowing alleyways as needed to access gravesites for wintertime burials.

Markers, monuments and gravesites:

1. Installing markers that arrive in the Spring in time for Memorial Weekend and installing markers arriving later as time permits. Cement border work is done as time permits after Memorial Weekend.
2. Pouring foundations for monuments and co-ordinating with monument companies to bring in and install them once the foundation sets.
3. Raising markers that have subsided or are otherwise out-of-place, filling in settled gravesites with dirt and grass seed and re-sodding wintertime burial sites.

Interactions involving current lot owners and potential customers:

1. Inspecting the grounds of potential gravesite sales as determined by the Executive Director to determine suitability for future burials. Sometimes existing trees, monuments and roadways limit the use of a gravesite to cremation burial, only.
2. Escorting a lot owner or potential customer to a gravesite so they can see the area and observe any elements impacting burials or marker/monument placements.
3. Conversing with visitors who have questions or are reporting problems.

Plan and carry out burials:

1. Locating the burial site designated by the Executive Director.
2. Excavating the grave by hand-digging for cremation burials, or by using the Association's backhoe for traditional burials. Co-ordinate with vault installers for timely installation of the vault for traditional burials.
3. Following the service and interment, close up and fill in the burial site.
4. Thawing the ground for wintertime frozen-ground burials by using the Association's "frost burner".