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Colorado Funeral Directors Association
and Colorado Association of Cemeteries
CFDA-CAC Combined Convention |
September
8-10, 2010
Embassy Suites Loveland Hotel, Spa and
Conference Center, Loveland, Colorado |
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Something
for Everyone.
The Convention Committee is
planning a wide range of topics
that will offer education for professionals from First Call to
Final Disposition.
New this
year! Wednesday
workshops are geared toward ground level and technical staff
at cemeteries and funeral establishments. Thursday's programs will
include sessions of interest to both technical and management staff,
with primarily management topics to be offered on Friday. These program
changes will give opportunity for more employees at funeral homes and
cemeteries to experience the Convention over the course of three days.
Online
Convention Registration Now Open!
https://www.regonline.com/combinedconvention2010
Registration fees increase after August
22 so don't wait...register online now!
Learn more about the 2010 Combined
Convention
2010 CFDA-CAC Combined Convention
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Call for Nominations for the 2011 Board of
Directors
The
Colorado Funeral Directors Association is seeking candidates to apply
for service on the CFDA Board of Directors for 2010-2011.
The Board of
Directors is responsible for ensuring the organization’s long-term
financial stability and integrity.
Directors ensure that the organization
fulfills its mission by doing quality work.
Directors recognize that in order to
foster the organization’s continued viability and growth,
diversification of income sources is essential and they pledge to
personally contribute needed resources and talents toward this end. As a
nominee or current director to the CFDA Board, you must be willing to
make every effort to fulfill these responsibilities.
Consider how your skills and abilities can contribute to
CFDA leadership.
To
apply, please complete and return the
Candidate
Application form to the CFDA office no later than
August 15, 2010.
Elections will take place during CFDA’s annual business meeting to be
held during the CFDA-CAC Combined Convention, September 8-10, 2010, in
Loveland.
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Proposed Bylaws Changes
The CFDA is proposing changes to the association's bylaws to be voted
upon by the membership during the upcoming 2010 Combined Convention. The
proposed changes will eliminate the position of President Elect and
reduce the size of the Board of Directors.
Economic conditions have taken their toll on funeral establishments in
Colorado and around the country. Many funeral homes are operating with
reduced staff and increased workload, making it difficult to commit the
time and resources necessary for active participation in the CFDA.
- Under the current bylaws, CFDA officers are expected to commit
to a five-year term of service beginning with Secretary/Treasurer
through Vice President, President Elect, President, concluding as
Immediate Past President. The new bylaws will reduce this succession
to three-years by eliminating the President Elect position and
beginning the officer term with Vice President.
- The Secretary/Treasurer position will change from a one-year
position to a two-year term and will not be required to succeed
through the chairs. Electing a new Treasurer each year has been
increasingly complicated with changing banking requirements.
Extending this position to a two-year term allows the Treasurer to
establish a better understanding of the association's financial
matters and reduces complications with financial institutions.
- One Director at Large position will be eliminated, further
reducing the voting Board from 11 to 9 members. Two ex-officio
(non-voting) positions - Colorado's NFDA Policy Board representative
and the CFSB chairperson - will remain as part of the CFDA Board.
- The Disaster Committee was originally created to coordinate
mortuary activities in the event of a disaster. CFDA maintains
representation on a multi-disciplinary disaster response team with
the D-Mort program, the official agency to be called upon in the
event of a disaster. Since CFDA's Disaster Committee is no longer
functioning, the bylaws changes will eliminate it as a standing
committee. The association will continue to promote representation
in disaster response agencies at the state and federal levels.
- The current bylaws recognize five district areas within the
state: Denver Metro, North, Northeast, South and Western. The North
and Northeast district areas function as one and therefore will be
combined into a single Northeast district.
The proposed bylaws changes will be mailed in advance to CFDA members
for consideration. The election will take place during CFDA's
annual business meeting on Thursday, September 9, at 10:30 a.m. at the
Embassy Suites Loveland Hotel in Loveland, Colorado.
Click here to review the Proposed Bylaws Changes
for 2010.
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House Bill 10-1275 was passed this year that
requires recording the burial of human remains on private land.
This law goes into effect August 11th.
A group
of county coroners, sheriff's association, local vital records offices,
county environmental health, and clerk and recorders have been working
on forms and instructions necessary for implementation. The State's
Vital Statistics Office has also asked CFDA members to review and offer
comment.
The current plan is for local vital records offices
to distribute forms and instructions, along with the disposition permit,
when disposition is to occur on private land.
These forms will not be limited to vital records as other
agencies may need to provide them (particularly if the death occurred
outside Colorado and burial will be done here).
The disposition permit draft includes a new bullet
point about local ordinances or requirements for burial on private land,
as well as a comment area.
The intent for the comment area is for any cases that are unusual
(viewing in another state [removal], but burial in Colorado; other
states requiring additional noted information; donation, then cremation,
etc.).
Please email questions, comments, or suggestions by
August 2nd to Michelle L.
Cowell, Field Unit Manager at the Office of the State Registrar of
Vital Statistics, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
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State Registrar and DORA Issue Policy Changes
In March this year, the Office of the State Registrar of Vital
Statistics has announced a new policy regarding the requirement for a
"copy of the death certificate" as referenced in new cremation laws
under standards of practice for cremation, 12-54-307, (2)(a)(IX). The
original intent was to require the 'disposition permit' prior to
cremation, however, the final statute was passed without an amendment to
correct to the "death certificate" reference.The
Department of Public Health and Environment has worked with the
Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) to agree that the disposition
permit alone will, in fact, meet the requirement of this law. A line
stating this has been added to the disposition permit.
The watermarked
‘verification of fact of death’ form, created for
policy 2009-03, will no longer be issued for any reason. The local
office, or their after-hours designee, will issue the disposition
permit, on the revised permit form (revision of 3/2010), as has
historically been done.
This policy takes effect upon issuance or upon implementation changes
at each local office. If a local office needs time to implement the
revised permit, the verification will continue to be issued until the
revised permit is used. All local offices must implement the revised
permit, and discontinue the verification, no later than March 31, 2010.
Click here
for new policy issued by Department of Health
Sample of new disposition permit, March 2010
DORA will be issuing a policy statement as well; an email will be
sent to registered funeral establishments and crematories. The
DORA policy can be found at the
Office of Funeral Establishment and Crematory Registration web site.
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New Regulations Already
Put to the Test
The Department of Regulatory Agencies' Office of
Funeral Establishment and Crematory Registration has conducted an
investigation into the complaints lodged against Pipkin
Mortuary in Denver. The mortuary also failed to register with DORA as
required by law on January 1, 2010.
On February 1, DORA issued cease and desist orders and Pipkin Mortuary
was ordered to close its doors during inspection and investigation. A
stipulation and final agency order was issued on February 16 (view
online at
http://www.dora.state.co.us/funeralhome-crematory/index.htm).
State laws require registration for all funeral establishments and
crematories by January 1.
More than 170
funeral establishments and 52 crematories have already registered
with the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies. Those not registered are operating
unlawfully and can expect disciplinary action, including cease and
desist orders.
You can verify registered businesses
online at the DORA website at
https://www.doradls.state.co.us/alison.php
If you wish to report details about an unregistered funeral
establishment or crematory, you must submit an official complaint in
writing to the Department of Regulatory Agencies.
Click here for more information.
For
questions about requirements and applications, contact:
Office of Funeral Home and Crematory Registration
Division of Registrations, Department of Regulatory Agencies
1560 Broadway, Suite 1350
Denver, Colorado 80202
Telephone: 303.894.7800
Fax: 303.894.7790
Email:
Funeral@dora.state.co.us
A PDF version of mortuary science and cremation laws
can be found online at
http://www.dora.state.co.us/funeralhome-crematory/Statutes.pdf
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The Colorado Funeral Directors Association is a voluntary,
non-profit association established in 1898 to advance the economic and
professional interests of Colorado's funeral directors and the funeral
service industry they represent. CFDA
is disappointed to hear about situations when recommended standards and
business practices are not followed and stands by its
Code of
Ethics to which its members subscribe.
CFDA was a strong advocate
for new regulations (HB 09-1202) passed by the Colorado Legislature in
2009 that provide more standards and oversight for funeral
establishments and crematories, and offer a greater measure of
protection for funeral service consumers. These same regulations work to
preserve the dignity, respect and integrity of the hundreds of honorable
funeral professionals who practice in this state.
As of January 1, 2010,
all funeral establishments and crematories must be registered with
the
Department of Regulatory Agencies' Office of
Funeral Establishment and Crematory Registration.
DORA will also accept and investigate
complaints from consumers and enforce disciplinary measures in
accordance with the Mortuary Science Code (C.R.S. 12-54-101 - 410).
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Are you looking to hire a funeral service
professional? Does your business have equipment to sell?
The CFDA offers free Classified Advertising and free Employment Listings
for CFDA Establishment Members in good standing.
Classified ads will appear in the
CFDA News
and Employment Listings will be posted on the CFDA web site.
Send
your listings to the CFDA office by
email
or fax to 303-395-2609.
Take advantage of these free services provided with your CFDA membership.
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 Maximize
Your Returns
Established in 1996 to follow applicable Colorado Statutes, CFDA Master
Trust funds ensure the highest rate of return possible. Each individual
contract is managed, administered and reconciled on a separate basis.
Plus, CFDA’s Master Trust is asset backed with government securities.
To learn more, contact CFDA’s financial services representative:
Don Williams, RFC AIF, WMS Financial Group
(303)
843-0782
or
(888)
843-0782
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Do you have an article,
announcement, comment or fact to share?
Please
email to CFDA
or fax to 303-395-2609 and it may be published in an upcoming
newsletter. |
Colorado Funeral Directors Association, P. O. Box 631664,
Highlands Ranch, CO 80163-1664
Phone 303-791-2336 Fax 303-395-2609
Email to CFDA
2006-2010, All rights reserved. Colorado
Funeral Directors Association. |
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