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INDUSTRY NEWS VA Proposes "Plain Language" Rewrite of Regulations Procuring Funeral/Burial Services for Unclaimed Remains The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced last Friday that it is proposing a rewrite of its various procurement regulations in order to conform with "plain language" mandates of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to ensure that government procurements are handled fairly and consistently. Of interest to ICFA members are the proposed rewrites concerning a list of "qualified funeral directors" used by the VA who will provide a funeral at a cost of $300 when a veteran dies in a VA facility and the remains are unclaimed. In order to be considered "qualified" under the VA regulations, "each funeral director must be fully licensed in the jurisdiction in which the business operates" and willing to perform funeral services "within the statutory limitation of $300." If there has been no prior experience with a particular funeral director, "arrangements will be made before contract negotiation to inspect the premises and the casket to be provided, as well as to check with the local business bureau and/or Chamber of Commerce." Among the items required to be provided "to procure a complete funeral and burial service within the statutory allowance of $300" are the preparation of the body, embalming, clothing, casket ("at a minimum, must be constructed from thick, strong particle board and must be sufficient in strength to support the weight of an adult human body...."), and securing all necessary permits. The deadline for submitting comments to the VA is March 14, 2006. Religious Cemeteries May Be Affected By Unprecedented Bankruptcy Court Ruling A U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Oregon has ruled in an apparently unprecedented decision that the ownership of church property used by Catholic parishes, including cemeteries, is held by the Archdiocese of Portland and, therefore, may be subject to creditor claims in pending sex abuse litigation against the diocese. Internal church law prohibits a diocese from selling parish property. In 2004, the Portland Archdiocese became the first Catholic diocese in history to seek bankruptcy protection in an effort to shield certain property from being used to pay potential monetary awards to claimants. According to the court, "The Archdiocese has taken the position that, although it holds legal title to an extensive amount of real estate, most of that real estate is held in trust and, thus, is not available to be used to pay the claims of creditors." Specifically, the diocese argued "that the Bankruptcy Code provides that property in which the debtor has only legal but not equitable title does not become property of the [bankruptcy] estate..." However, in a complex ruling on December 30, the court held that "the filing of a bankruptcy petition creates an estate, which is comprised of 'all legal or equitable interests of the debtor in property as of the commencement of the case'..." The court ruling therefore would subject parish level property including schools and cemeteries as assets available to satisfy debts against the diocese. At this point in time, attorneys representing the Portland archdiocese are considering their appeal options and stated that the court's ruling would not be upheld under eventual review by the higher courts. ICFA NEWS ICFA Wide World of Sales Conference Breaks Attendance Records The ICFA 2006 Wide World of Sales Conference, held last week at Treasure Island in Las Vegas, brought in a record-breaking 440+ attendees and ended with rave reviews. The high attendance exceeded numbers from previous years, making this year's Conference the most successful in ICFA's history. After two intensive days of speaker sessions, networking luncheons and interactive Q&A sessions, attendees were sent home with a wealth of practical knowledge and skills to take back and put to use at their funeral homes and cemeteries. Here's what attendees had to say:
ICFA to Join TCA for Cemetery Operations Conference The ICFA will hold its Annual Cemetery Operations and Maintenance Conference in conjunction with the Texas Cemeteries Association will be hosting its Annual Convention, April 9-11, 2006, at the Omni Hotel, San Antonio, Texas. The best educational value in the industry for cemeterians, this event offers cemetery managers and superintendents a chance to share their unique concerns and experiences. Table-top exhibits give attendees a chance to check out the latest industry products and services. All attendees will experience:
Rooms Selling Out Quickly at The Venetian! Make your reservations today at The Venetian Resort, Hotel & Casino, the location for ICFA's Annual Convention & Exposition, March 13-16. 2006. There is a limited room block available and it is filling up quickly. The ICFA already has been forced to expand the block on peak nights, and we expect a sellout in the near future. Take advantage of the discounted room rates by booking your room today. To download a hotel registration form and for Convention program details, visit www.icfa.org/ac06.htm; or call the ICFA at 1-800-645-7700. The luxurious Venetian Resort, Hotel & Casino offers over 17 world-class restaurants, 80 shops, a Canyon Ranch SpaClub, museums, live entertainment and more. At The Venetian, you can escape to 18th century Italy, while enjoying 21st century luxury. Take a walk on the resort's cobbled Venetian Streets, sip a cappuccino at an Italian cafe, or treat yourself to a Gondola Ride through the winding Grande Canal. Next, you can retreat to your luxury suite equipped with modern amenities, including two televisions, a fax machine/printer, a refreshment center, three dual telephone lines and a separate modem line-the largest rooms on the Strip! Join hundreds of your colleagues to experience an extensive educational program, including 50+ speakers and comprehensive sessions covering every aspect of the cemetery, funeral and memorialization profession. In addition, you will have numerous opportunities to network and explore the Expo hall featuring 220+ booths. Visit www.icfa.org/ac06.htm for program details and to register. New for 2006! Series of Advanced Seminars on Quality Funeral Care The ICFA and funeral director and educator Todd Van Beck will present a 14-credit-hour continuing education program at five convenient locations around the United States during 2006. The Advanced Seminar in Quality Funeral Care is a certificate program through which funeral home owners, managers and employees will learn how to apply the principles of quality funeral service. The highly interactive Advanced Seminar in Quality Funeral Care will examine how to evaluate one's funeral home for quality service, will offer specific programs to increase visibility in the community and will show participants how to put the information to use at their locations. The seminar will be brought to the following cities in 2006:
Additional information on the seminar and registration forms will be available in late January. It's not too late! Sign up now for your 2006 Music License Have you signed up for your 2006 Music License? Businesses that do not have a current music license are in violation of music copyright laws, which can cost you thousands of dollars in fines for each song that is infringed. All businesses are required to be licensed where music is performed, either live, played by recording or by the receipt of radio transmissions. Sign up today for your 2006 music license. The ICFA offers music licensing from ASCAP, BMI and SESAC for 2006 for a price of just $220. For additional information on music licensing (including an FAQ page), and to obtain your 2006 music license, visit www.icfa.org/music; or call 1-800-645-7700. CLASSIFIED ADS Computer Software Do you know where all your information is? Are you tired of the same old options out there? Are you looking for more from your computer system? MACCSTM, from FPA Software, is the complete mortuary and cemetery solution, providing all the functionality and features needed to effectively manage and operate a memorial park and mortuary today. From pre-need sales prospecting all the way through interment (and everything in between!), MACCSTM provides an easy to use, flexible, and completely integrated system for a memorial park and mortuary providing funeral services. Consistent with our approach of providing a completely integrated solution, the MACCSTM Mapping module provides GIS mapping capabilities integrated in real-time with information in the MACCSTM cemetery property database. Mortuary case management, service tracking, cemetery property management, integrated mapping, accounts receivable, pre-need trusts, serialized casket inventory, complete reporting and forms management - MACCS has it all. Please feel free to contact us at 818-501-3390 or visit our website at www.fpasoftware.com/maccs to learn more about MACCSTM. Sales Director "This is a unique opportunity for significant income and long term career potential..." Our firm recently completed a comprehensive Master Plan for a large, historic cemetery in Illinois. The plan includes a new veterans garden, columbaria, mausoleum complex, estate lots and more. We are seeking an individual to develop and manage the sales team that will introduce the new plan to the community. Must be experienced in all phases of cemetery sales and have demonstrated team building skills. Fax or email your resume in confidence to: W. R. Toson, President, 262.367.9992 fax, billt@tributeinc.com email. Reach Thousands of Cemeteries and Funeral Homes With Your Classified Ad!
And more ... The ICFA Store allows members to purchase the latest ICFA resources and training products online. Some products are available for immediate direct download, including the newly released Wirthlin Report on consumer attitudes and article packages on cremation, cemetery and funeral home valuations and trust funds. The ICFA News Page takes you to sources throughout the world for industry news and updates. It brings you the most comprehensive selection of funeral service and cemetery news available anywhere, along with frequently updated general news items related to national and world events. The News Page reports the news before anyone else and is one of the most visited page on the ICFA Web site. Stop in each day and you'll see why. The Network is an online e-mail service that offers ICFA members an easy, free way to share questions and answers to everyday on-the-job challenges. Recent discussions have examined issues such as working with the Muslim community, distance between burial sites, direct mail marketing, the growing popularity of geocaching at cemeteries, recruiting staff and more. Ideal for smaller companies with smaller budgets. Join today! The ICFA Internet Expo is the largest online exposition in the cemetery and funeral service industry. Cemetery and funeral home owners and operators will find 300+ providers in more than 100 product and service categories. Exhibit space is provided as a free, exclusive benefit to all ICFA supplier and professional members. Check it out today! Need a labor relations and employment law attorney? Check out ICFA's HR Law Benefit program offering members no-cost telephone legal consultations, paid for by the ICFA via an exclusive retainer agreement. ICFA members now also have access to an attorney for tax-related questions regarding trust earnings, care fund allocations, capital gains, investments and more. The ICFA has retained Leslie Schneider, CPA, a tax attorney with Ivins, Phillips & Barker in Washington, D.C., for telephone consultations for up to 20 minutes with no obligation. To take advantage of this member benefit, call Schneider at 202.393.7600. The ICFA and Applied Merchant Systems of Chicago, Illinois, currently offer members a Credit Card Processing Program with a special low discount rate of 1.75 percent, with no per transaction processing fee. This new benefit makes it less expensive for cemeteries, funeral homes, memorial designers and related businesses to accommodate customers who wish to pay via credit card. For more information, call 1-800-675-6573. The ICFA Insurance Program, administered by Driver Alliant, allows members to purchase commercial property and casualty insurance -- including general liability, commercial property, automobile liability and physical damage, umbrella liability, professional liability, workers compensation, employee benefits and more -- at rates they probably would not be able to afford on their own. To advertise in the ICFA Wireless: The ICFA accepts limited advertising in the ICFA Wireless newsletter, a bi-weekly newsletter e-mailed to all ICFA members that are current on their dues and have provided a current e-mail address. For rates and to place your insertion, contact Kim Ferguson at kferguson@icfa.org or 1.800.645.7700. To unsubscribe from the ICFA Wireless: Send an e-mail with "unsubscribe" in the subject line to: wireless@icfa.org. Please include your name and company name in the body of the e-mail. International Cemetery and Funeral Association 107 Carpenter Drive, Suite 100 Sterling, VA 20164 1.800.645.7700 703.391.8400 Fax: 703.391.8416 www.icfa.org Copyright 2006 International Cemetery and Funeral Association. |
