Executive Office Forum - Montana Funeral Directors Association

Montana Funeral Directors Association
Directors Digest
Winter 2015
Executive Office Forum
Erin MacLean
Executive Director
Inside this issue:
NFDA 2015 Policy
Overview
EAIC Update
NFDA PATH Act of
2015 Tax Update
BFS Report
Message from the
Montana Funeral
Trust Director
As I pen this article the week before Christmas, 2015, I understand that your MFDA
Board has just completed interviewing candidates for the MFDA Executive Director
position. That is because (if you have not already heard), at the end of October this
year I gave ninety (90) days notice to the MFDA Board that Freeman & MacLean,
P.C. and I were terminating our roles as association manager and executive director, as
of January 31, 2016. Of course, our office has continued and will continue to run
MFDA management, business as usual, until the end of January. In the meantime, I
understand that your MFDA Board members have been working hard on advertising
the association management contract and getting a new executive in place prior to my
departure.
I have to admit that it seems a bit unusual for me to have my face on the front of this
newsletter for the first time (in lieu of your Board President), as I plan my departure
from the executive director’s position in just over a month. Since I have been given
the task of filling in this first page, I will use my time to tell you that I have come to
appreciate all of you so very much since I was hired into this role, and will remain a
huge advocate for the value that you bring to our communities for the rest of my life.
As we bring in the new year, I want to tell you how grateful I am for you, your profession and all you offer your communities. For these reasons, my departure from the
MFDA is bittersweet—I look forward to focusing on other aspects of my legal practice, and, at the same time, I know that will miss working with all of you on a regular
basis.
I do look forward to watching the new MFDA executive take the reins and to putting
into his/her hands the business operations that we have built in the last 4 years. I am
grateful that I can hand a strong and vibrant association to the new executive.
I also want all of you to know that, even though my office will no longer be answering the MFDA members’ phone calls and emails, I will still be a phone call away, if
any of you ever need me in my capacity as former MFDA executive or legal professional. I will also continue to be available to the new executive to assist him/her with
any questions or concerns he/she might have about anything related to the MFDA as
he/she transitions in the his/her new position.
During this time of reflection, I hope all of you know that you bless us with your service, and that I thank you for the service that you currently provide and will provide in
the future to all of us in the state of Montana, in all of the areas that you serve. It is
with all my love and best wishes that I sign off on this final “Executive Office Forum”
article.
All the best in 2016!
Erin
NFDA 2015 Policy Overview
The following is an overview of the 2015 NFDA Public Policy Positions taken by the NFDA on behalf of its members in
the past year:
Active Issues
Federal Mass Fatality Plan: That NFDA continues its active involvement with all r elevant feder al or state departments, agencies and private organizations to insure that the role of funeral service in any natural or man-made mass
fatality disaster is clearly defined and adequately reflected in their policies and continue to advocate for a federal mass
fatality plan
Environmental Health and Safety: That NFDA enhance its effor ts to addr ess the envir onmental, health and
safety of funeral directors and to educate the public on the safety of the embalming process, embalming chemicals, preparation room, alkaline hydrolysis, and crematory equipment, and wastes discharged by funeral homes and crematories.
To that end, NFDA will:
•Encourage the development of environmentally and personally safe embalming chemicals, funeral service products, and preparation room equipment
•Undertake proactive communications initiatives
•Assist funeral directors with environmental and safety compliance issues, establishing green funeral homes, and
green end of life practices
•Promote laws and practices consistent with these objectives.
OSHA Reform: That NFDA continue to suppor t legislation, r egulations and policies that r eshape OSHA into an
agency that listens to and works with business to craft industry-specific, performance-based, safety and health workplace
practices that are based on commonsense and practical reality rather than academic or theoretical concepts or punitive
regulations or enforcement policies.
Veterans Funeral and Burial Benefits: That NFDA suppor t any and all legislation that would enhance, impr ove
and increase the funeral and burial benefits for veterans and their families.
Small Business; Health Insurance, Taxes and Related Issues
That NFDA initiate, support and/or advocate for legislation, rules and regulations that recognize the unique needs of
small and family-owned businesses and create and foster an economic environment that allows them to grow and prosper
and to oppose those that thwart that objective. This would include, but not limited to, taxes, affordable health care and
other applicable issues.
Continuing Issues
Non-Profit Entering Funeral Service: It is r ecommended that NFDA continue to monitor and r esear ch the issue
of whether and the extent to which any 501(c) (3) organization may participate in the funeral service business on either a
tax-exempt or for-profit basis. If the facts and circumstances warrant, NFDA will raise the appropriate legal, ethical, tax
and public policy concerns with Congress, the Federal Trade Commission, the Treasury Department and either directly
or through our state funeral service associations with appropriate state and local officials.
Military Funeral Honors: That NFDA continue to wor k with Congr ess, the Depar tment of Defense, individual
Service Branches, various veterans service organizations and other interested parties to improve the military honors program and insure that implementing policies regarding the providing of military honors for qualified veterans reflect congressional intent and continue to address our specific concerns.
Regulatory Reform: That NFDA suppor t any and all legislation or policies that would r efor m the feder al r egulatory process and reduce the costly, burdensome, unnecessary and redundant regulatory burden on funeral homes.
International Shipping Standards: That NFDA establish or suppor t unifor m inter national shipping standar ds
for human remains.
Infectious Disease Inoculation: Funer al ser vice per sonnel should be included as a pr ior ity gr oup eligible for voluntary inoculation against any and all infectious/contagious diseases or biologic agents.
Emergency Reciprocal Licensing: That NFDA and its state associations pr omote feder al, state and local gover nment policies that provide emergency reciprocity to any active licensed funeral director and/or embalmer in the event of
a mass disaster situation.
Organ and Tissue Recovery: The funer al dir ector will r espect the family' s wishes to donate and NFDA will encourage its members to support the concept of donation. It is recommended that NFDA continue to nurture relationships
Winter 2015
Directors Digest 2
NFDA 2015 Policy Overview, cont.
with all relevant groups, organizations, Congress and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to adopt and
implement national, state and local policies for: appropriate recovery procedures; appropriate reimbursement; on-site
recovery and referrals; proper and ethical marketing and promotion by procurement organizations; and, timely notification and disclosure of relevant information to all parties involved in the authorization, procurement and recovery process.
Subchapter S Corporation Laws and Regulations: That NFDA suppor t effor ts to pr otect, moder nize and improve S Corporation laws and regulations.
Federal Cargo Screening Program for Human Remains: That NFDA will wor k with TSA, other r elevant feder al agencies, the airlines, and related organizations to develop an appropriate and acceptable program for cargo screening
of human remains as well as explore potential alternative shipping options.
FTC Regulation of Preneed Funeral Contracts: That NFDA wor k with the Congr ess, feder al and state r egulatory agencies, state funeral director associations, consumer groups, and other interested parties to enact appropriate additional consumer protection provisions to state preneed laws and regulations as contained in our Preneed Guidelines. In
addition, NFDA stands ready and willing to participate in the formulation of such policies and to work with Congress,
(continued on page 9)
Winter 2015
Directors Digest 3
Celebration of Service
On November 1, 2015 we
lost our wife, mother, grandmother and friend, Moyne
Ann (Lightfoot) Croxford.
She passed away peacefully
in her sleep after a brave battle with Leukemia. A Visitation was held Friday, November 6th at 6pm-8pm in the
Rose Room Chapel at Croxford Funeral Home. The Funeral Service was held on
Saturday, November 7th at
11:00 AM at the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 1401 9th Street
NW. Her burial was followed at Highland Cemetery.
Born in Des Moines, Iowa on September 23, 1941,
Moyne was one of three children raised by Lemen and Delores Lightfoot. In high school she was a cheerleader, a
member of the honor society and was elected homecoming
queen. She graduated from high school in Kirksville, MO
in 1959 and then came to Great Falls with her mother to be
closer to her half-brother, Gene Kelly. She worked in various retail stores and attended the College of Great Falls for
two years. Shortly after her 21st birthday, Moyne was married to Ken Small. She and Ken joined the LDS religion
and their marriage was later solemnized in the Los Angeles
temple in 1967. Although they divorced for various reasons
in 1993, their 32 years of marriage produced five children
and many happy memories. Together they had discovered
the truth and goodness of the Mormon religion, learned
from one another, and experienced several unforgettable
adventures.
Moyne's faith and spirit were central tenets of her personality; she found great strength in daily scripture study, prayer and striving to keep the Lord's commandments. She was
a devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, and faithfully served in many positions. One of
her favorite callings was when she served as a Genealogy
Librarian and Stake Historian. Outside of church, community relations and activities were top on her list of things to
do. Moyne, being a dental assistant for Dr. Pellet in Great
Falls, and Dr. Delong in Portland, Oregon, identified the
need for a women's group within the industry and took it
upon herself to organize the Dental Wives' Auxiliary in the
early '70s in Great Falls. She also served as the Symphony
Guild President, a member of Ad Club, taught yoga and
etiquette classes; she put on fashion shows for the community, even modeling in them from time to time, and spent
two years as the Drill Team advisor for CMR. Of the many
Winter 2015
roles she held throughout her life, however, being a mother
was her most cherished. She relished the close relationship
she had with each of her children.
On October 28, 1995, Moyne married Dennis Croxford.
Their marriage was later solemnized in the Washington
D.C. temple in 1997. Moyne found that her already large
family had now grown substantially, and one of her favorite
things to do with Dennis was to visit their combined 11
children and 27 grandchildren. Due to the nature of Dennis's business, opportunities for traveling were few and far
between, but often times they were able to attend national
mortuary conventions. They found these to be some of their
most enjoyable trips, learning about the industry's growth
and changes, and bringing home practices to serve the
changing needs of the families in their community.
At home, Moyne and Denny had created a wildlife refuge, of sorts. Since traveling was difficult they couldn't see
the point of owning a cabin when all their favorite creatures
were right at their back porch: turkeys, deer, squirrels, bunnies and pheasants were daily visitors to the "Croxford
Cabin." Moyne's deep love of animals was apparent to all
their visitors, and because Moyne loved to entertain, numerous friends were invited to their home and back porch
cabin and enjoyed the wide array of wildlife that felt safe in
their backyard.
Moyne had a great sense of humor. Her personal passion
was reading. She loved to read and collect books of all
kinds and all genres. Whether she found them at rummage
sales or book stores, received them as gifts or as inheritance
from loved ones, the origin didn't matter - her personal library had grown to near 3,000 books, and yes, she had read
them all! This went hand in hand with her hobbies of history and genealogy, which were things she greatly enjoyed
for herself and sharing with others. She also loved to dance,
sing, decorate and was known for being a big Patriot. She
had even devoted an entire room in their home to a Patriotic theme.
She was deeply grateful for the care and compassion she
received from Dr. Brice Addison and Mary Gray, FNP. Her
passing has left many of us grieving the loss of a significant
woman who shaped our lives in countless ways. Her place
in our hearts can never be filled, as she will never be forgotten. To know she has gone home
to her Heavenly Father is a great comfort to her family and
close friends.
Moyne was preceded in death by her half-brother, Gene
(Peggy) Kelly and by her sister, Bev Findling. Survivors
include her children and their families: Scott Small of Newport Beach, CA and his son, Scotty Small of San Jose,
(continued on page 6)
Directors Digest 4
Celebration of Service
The extended family of
Dorothy Marjorie Callan
Smith wish to announce her
passing on December 18,
2015. Her indomitable spirit
left her weakened body
around dusk. And she returned to God.
Dorothy was born to Dennis
and Rose Callan on August 2,
1924 in Anaconda, Montana.
She attended schools in Anaconda in the 1930s, among
aunts, uncles, cousins and
friends: the Brunells, Burgesses, Connors’, Barthalomews,
and Nilands. Due to her mother’s illness, she attended first
grade at St. Vincent’s Academy (Immaculata Hall) in Helena for the school year where her aunt was a teaching nun.
Her great grandchildren attended Montessori pre-school in
the same building decades later. She attended Anaconda
Central and Anaconda High Schools, graduating from AHS
in 1941. Dorothy enrolled in Montana State College at Bozeman and graduated in with a degree in Micro Bacteriology.
Dorothy married Victor A. Smith, a Butte native, who
had just returned home from World War II. They were
married December 27, 1947 in St. Paul’s Church, Anaconda. After their marriage, Vic was hired by the Standard Oil
Company in Whiting, Indiana.
Their first child, James Edward, was born in Anaconda in
November, 1948. Five more children were born to Vic and
Dorothy: Mary Denise, Therese Marie, Brian Joseph, Margaret Mary and Patricia Marie. Vic and Dorothy bought a
house in Griffith. Vic commuted to work at the oil refinery
in Whiting where he had a 35 year career as a chemical
engineer. Dorothy remained at home taking care of the
kids, her neighbors and their children. She was the neighborhood nurse, counselor, godmother and all around go-to
person. They were active in St. Mary’s Parish and made
many lifelong friends during their years in Griffith.
Upon her children’s graduation from Bishop Noll Institute, Dorothy went back to school to study Medical Technology. She was employed for several years at St. Margaret’s Hospital in Hammond, Indiana, as a medical technologist with her best friend, Delores Gerdes. Following
Vic’s retirement in 1985, the couple moved to Big Fork,
Montana. They were active in St. Catherine's Parish, and
volunteered at the Big Fork community food bank. Vic
died suddenly in Big Fork in 1995.
After her husband’s passing, Dorothy moved to Helena,
Winter 2015
Please let the MFDA know of losses in
our funeral service family by calling
406-449-7244 or emailing
[email protected]
where she resided until her death. She faithfully attended
St. Helena Cathedral Parish, and volunteered at the Cathedral, the Montana Historical Society, and the Holter Museum of Art.
Dorothy is survived by her sister Margaret (Peggy) Johnson, Kalispell, Mont., her six children James and his wife
Katherine of Helena, Mont. (son Jedediah and daughter
Nanette); Mary Denise of Vancouver, Wash.; Terri and her
husband Peter Held of Chandler, Ariz. (daughter Sarah,
sons Daniel and Matthew); Brian of Missoula, Mont; (son
Callan and daughter Bridget); Margaret Mary and her wife
Jonnie of Vancouver, Wash.; and Patricia Roe of Salem,
Ore. She is also survived by three great-grandchildren, Kavi, Bailey and Wyatt, along with many nieces, nephews
and cousins, all who will miss her.
Her diminished health required a lot of care and coordination of care this past year or so. The family deeply
thanks all the loving professionals from Touchmark, St.
Peter’s Hospital, Big sky Care Center and Rocky Mountain
Hospice who ministered to Dorothy in her final months.
A vigil service is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. Monday, December 21st at Retz Funeral Home, 315 E. 6th Avenue,
Helena. A Funeral Mass will be 12:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 22nd at the Cathedral of Saint Helena, 530 N.
Ewing Street. There will be a reception immediately following Mass at Jorgenson’s Inn & Suites, 1714 11th Avenue, Helena. Donations in her memory can be made to Helena Food Share or to the St. Mary’s College in Leavenworth, Kansas. Please visit www.retzfuneralhome.com to
offer a condolence to the family or to share a memory of
Dorothy.
Directors Digest 5
Celebration of Service
Jerry W. Cloyd 90, of
Lewistown, longtime owner
of the Cloyd Funeral Home
and Fergus County Coroner,
died Saturday evening, November 21, 2015 in the Central Montana Medical Center
of natural causes. Jerry was
born April 2, 1925 in Deer
Park, WA the son of Wallace
W. and Nellie (Hahs)
Cloyd. He received his education in Washington, Black
Fox Academy in Hollywood,
CA and Belgrade High School in Belgrade, MT graduating
in 1943. He worked on the family ranch near Belgrade until entering the U.S. Navy on November 7, 1945 he was
stationed in San Diego, CA. On August 14th, 1946 he received his honorable discharge in Bremerton, WA. He attended Montana State College in Bozeman and on February
21, 1947 he was united in marriage to Phyllis J. Barrett in
Bozeman, MT. They lived in Los Angeles, CA and Jerry
attended the California College of Mortuary Science. Following his graduation they moved to Missoula, MT and he
worked at the Lucy Funeral Home. They moved to Sidney,
MT and he operated the Cloyd-Gorder Funeral Home until
moving to Bozeman in 1953 working for Dokken-Nelson
Funeral Service and then at Montana State University until
moving to Lewistown in 1961 to open the Cloyd Funeral
Home. In 1962 he was elected Fergus County Coroner,
being re-elected 5 times serving Fergus County for 36
years. In 1990 Jerry sold the funeral home but continued,
until shortly before his death, to be a part of the funeral he
started.
Jerry was a member of the Eagles Lodge and was a Past
President, Life Member of the Elks Lodge, American Legion Post #16, Friendship Lodge #37 AF & AM, Central
Montana Shrine Club, Shrine Klowns, Past Demolay Dad
and Past Member of the Board of The Rainbow for Girls.
He is survived by his wife Phyllis of Lewistown, MT; son
Rick (Betty) of Pinson, TN; one granddaughter Stacey
VanKuiken of Lewistown, MT, one grandson Chris (Erin)
Cloyd of Pinson, TN; two great-grandsons and two greatgreat grandchildren.
Funeral Services for Jerry W. Cloyd were held Wednesday, November 25, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. in the Cloyd Chapel
with interment to follow in the Lewistown City Cemetery. The Cloyd Funeral Home assisted the family.
Friends are asked to make memorials to Hospice of Central Montana, Katie’s House or the charity of their choice
and they may be left at the Cloyd Funeral Home. Condolences for the family may be posted online at
www.cloydfuneralhome.com
Celebration of Service, cont.
(Moyne Croxford—continued from page 4)
CA; Mark (Stephanie) Small and their children, Jessica,
Christina, Brittany, Tyler and McKenzie, all of Wilsonville, OR; Jill (Scott) Henderson of Provo, UT and their
combined children, Kyle Henderson of Great Falls, and
Nicole (Nate) Larson and their children, Riley and Ella,
also of Great Falls; Amy (Russ) Stenquist and their children, Tanner, Jensen, Maycee, Carley, Kennedy and Garrett, all of Idaho Falls; and John (Jennifer) Small and their
children, Elizabeth, Campbell, J.R. and Hilary, all of Bozeman.
Survivors also include her step-children and their families: Jason Croxford and his children, Dylan and Cinchia,
all of Alpine, UT; Jeni Lynn Croxford and her daughter,
Emma, also of Alpine, UT; Juli Ann Croxford, of Alpine,
UT; Jami Sue (Jim) Sharp and their children, Evan, Owen, Blake and Ainsley, all of Post Falls, ID; Jessica CroxWinter 2015
ford of Boise, ID; and James (Sarah) Croxford and their
children, Ezra and Ivy, all of Alpine UT.
She is also survived by brother-in-law, Tex Findling of
Kirksville, MO as well as numerous cousins in Missouri;
and nieces, Colleen (Bill) Lorenz of Billings and Sue
(Dean) Ashley of Great Falls; and nephew, Patrick Kelly,
also of Great Falls.
Directors Digest 6
EAIC Update
Greetings MDFA members! As we
discussed in Red Lodge, legislative
work and other advocacy efforts remain alive and well, even when the
legislature is not in session. This interim, The Economic Affairs Interim
Committee, is spending quite a bit of
time studying licensure boards in general through S.B. 390 (Are licensure
board costs commensurate with licensure fees?), and our H.B. 223 (Funding
the Board of Funeral Service with adjusted death certificate fees) requires a
special report this summer to the interim committee regarding how this new
fee adjustment is working.
It will be important to remain informed and engaged as S.B. 390
moves forward through the interim.
The background report on this bill is
linked here,
http://www.leg.mt.gov/content/Commi
ttees/Interim/2015-2016/EconomicAffairs/Meetings/Dec-2015/SB390briefing-paper.pdf, and is certainly related to our work to pass H.B. 223 last
session. Note that H.B. 223 is mentioned in the report. So far, the work
of the interim committee has largely
been in gathering information, but if
the MFDA would like to provide comment and direction to the committee on
licensing board funding models to consider, you should be thinking about
desired outcomes. One factor to consider is that the Board of Funeral Service has a unique funding source
(death certificate revenue), which is
quite unlike the rest of the licensing
boards. There is good justification for
this, but the committee and other key
legislative players will need to be reminded why this is the case. During
the first Economic Affairs Interim
Committee meeting, Senator Elsie
Arntzen (sponsor of S.B. 390) gave
introductory guidance to the committee
on how to proceed with this study bill.
She emphasized that as they study the
scope of licensure boards, they should
Winter 2015
prioritize the public health and safety
components/functions of the Boards.
This bodes well for the message that
we emphasized last session with H.B.
223—the critical public health functions under the BFS.
I also had the opportunity to meet
recently with Todd Younkin, the Administrator of the Business Services
Division of the Department of Labor.
Mr. Younkin seemed agreeable in
working with the Board of Funeral
Service and the MFDA in providing
information to the Economic Affairs
Interim Committee regarding the financing (new funding source) of this
board. This report before the interim
committee will likely take place during
their summer, 2016 meeting, and the
MFDA will need to be prepared to justify the continuation of the BFS funding through death certificates. I'm sure
you all recall that H.B. 223 is set to
sunset (end), after just two years. This
means that the MFDA will need to
pass legislation in 2017 to remove the
sunset. Ideally, this bill would come as
a recommendation of the interim committee…a committee bill. This is a
possibility if the BFS and MFDA presents justification as to why this board
is unique, and why a second funding
source outside of licensing fees is vitally important.
Written by: Erin Mcgowan,
MFDA Lobbyist
Directors Digest 7
NFDA PATH Act of 2015 Tax Update
In December, the House passed the Protecting Americans
from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act of 2015, which extends many
tax provisions that had lapsed at the end of 2014, and the
2016 omnibus appropriation bill that funds the government
through September 30, 2016.
Included in these bills are significant changes to the nation's tax code. The PATH Act provides $629 billion in tax
relief by making permanent many popular tax breaks that
have been routinely approved. Those tax credits that were
made permanent include: the research and development tax
credit; small business expensing limits; state and local
sales tax deduction and expanded child tax credit. Many
other tax provisions were extended for either two- or fiveyears.
Also of interest to many businesses, the package contains
a two year delay of the Cadillac tax until 2019. Additionally, beginning in 2019, when the Cadillac is now scheduled
to be in force, business will be able to deduct the amount of
any Cadillac tax they pay. A full list of the tax items included in the PATH Act can be found
at:
https://rules.house.gov/sites/republicans.rules.house.gov/fil
es/114/PDF/114-SAHR2029Ex-SxS.pdf
The House passed the omnibus appropriation bill on Friday, with the Senate following shortly thereafter.
Last Thursday, the Senate passed the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, which modernizes the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act, which all
agreed that it failed to properly oversee dangerous chemicals. The legislation was approved in a bipartisan manner,
with only a last minute hurdle coming from Senate EPW
Ranking Member Barbara Boxer (D-CA). She opposed the
bill because it would preempt state toxic laws and on Tuesday requested both a bicameral conference and the right to
name Senate Democrat participants. This threat ended
when Senate Democratic leadership intervened.
This information taken from: http://nfda.org/ government-relations-/current-funeral-service-issues/4450washington-dc-update-december-21-2015.html
Lesley Witter, MPA, CAE
Senior Vice President, Advocacy
National Funeral Directors Association
20 F Street, NW,
7th Floor
Washington, DC 20001
Office: 202-547-0877
Cell: 202-236-4926
www.nfda.org
Fall Legislative Interim Update
Winter 2015
Directors Digest 8
NFDA 2015 Policy Overview, cont.
(continued from page 3)
the Federal Trade Commission or any other federal agency and consumer groups to achieve an equitable solution for
everyone at either the federal and/or state levels.
FTC Variable Service Fee: Continue to advocate and encour age the FTC to amend the Funer al Rule and r eplace the static Basic Services Fee with a variable Basic Service Fee that funeral homes could set depending upon the
type of funeral and disposition selected by the consumer.
Petition FTC for Changes in Current Funeral Rule: That NFDA r enew its petition asking the FTC to clar ify
the vague and overly broad price list distribution requirements and to institute other operational modifications to the Funeral Rule that reflect current marketplace or business practices.
Preserve the Current Federal Estate Tax: That NFDA str ongly suppor t pr eser ving the cur r ent feder al estate
tax exclusion and rate and oppose any efforts to reduce it.
Preserve SSI-Medicaid Funeral Trust Exclusions: That NFDA str ongly suppor t r etention of the cur r ent SSI/
Medicaid exclusion for funds set aside for funeral and burial expenses and strongly oppose any effort or initiative to repeal or otherwise limit this exclusion.
This information taken from: http://nfda.org/about-nfda-/about-nfda-public-policy-positions.html
Winter 2015
Directors Digest 9
BFS Report
On December 10, 2015, the MFDA attended the screening panel
hearing on the complaint against Central Montana Crematory and William Spoja, Jr., and the BFS Full Board Meeting. At the meeting, Jodi
Koehnke was announced as the replacement for Cheryl Brandt, retired,
as the Interim Executive until the position can be filled formally. Division Administrator Todd Younkin presented two informational items: a
licensing report and wall certificates available electronically. Jodi
Koehnke reported that Ms. Brandt provided a budget information for
review. The BFS does not expect a budget shortfall this year due to
the passage of H.B. 223, and the anticipated revenue for the BFS fiscal
year is $264,719.33. Colleen White updated attendees on pending and
current legal cases, and discussed complaints impacted by H.B. 225,
requests from licensees and a possible referral of the Development
Trust Account Audit Guidelines (the BFS members voted to have the
Legislative/Rules Committee address this issue). Legislation for 2017,
proposed rules, contract language for inspector position, inspector’s
report and financial priorities were discussed. The board voted on attendance at an annual meeting for funeral service licensing boards on
February 25-26, 2016, and decided that Donna Amaro and Tyler Moss
will attend. Mortuary and Cemetery applications were reviewed by
members and the following meeting dates were established: Legislative/Rules Committee Meeting—January 26, 2016; Strategic/Work
Planning Session—February 18, 2016; Adjudication panel, screening
panel and full board BFS meeting—March 24, 2016.
This information taken from: MFDA BFS email report sent Dec. 14
Winter 2015
BFS CONTACT
INFORMATION
www.funeral.mt.gov
301 South Park, 4th Floor (map)
P.O. Box 200513
Helena, MT 59620-0513
Fax: (406) 841-2305
E-mail: [email protected]
BFS MEMBERS
John Tarr, Chairperson, Public Member
Donna Amaro, Vice Chairperson, Mortician
James Axelson, Secretary, Cemetarian
Steve Schnider, Mortician
Todd Stevenson, Mortician
Michael Thompson, Crematory Operator
Directors Digest 10
Winter 2015
Directors Digest 11
Message from the Montana Funeral Trust Director
Where did 2015 go?...
Montana Funeral
Trust
Contact Information
Phone:
844-206-0049
Email:
mft@mtfuneraltrust.
org
MFDA Trust
Committee
Members
Wayne Benson
Chairman
Travis Newman
Julie Briggs
Rick Evans
Michael McCollum
Terri Stevenson
Shawnee Krauszer
Erin MacLean
(Non-voting
Member)
Winter 2015
It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving has come and gone and the holiday season is in full
swing! While everyone is thinking about gifts and family gatherings, MFT staff is busy preparing for tax season!
This January, MFT will mail approximately 6,000 consumer tax statements. As this is our
first year providing accountholders with year-end tax services, we will take the opportunity
to share with you what your consumers can expect to receive from our office this year.
Each accountholder will receive a tax statement which will list all the information necessary for reporting on their 2015 income tax return. The statement will list the taxable interest
associated with their account, administrative fees and a summary of all transactions that
have been made to the consumer’s account. Please note: the tax statement will direct each
account holder to contact the funeral home to answer any questions regarding their account tax statement.
In anticipation of the questions that consumers may have relating to their tax statements,
an informational brochure will be mailed with each tax statement. The brochure will explain
the information that is provided on the statement as well as serve to answer some of the most
frequently asked questions. This brochure should help to minimize the number of calls that
your firm may receive relating to your consumer’s tax statements. Due to the high volume of
phone calls and statements our office deals with during tax season if you have a difficult set
of circumstances with an accountholder we ask that the funeral home notify our office and
we will gladly call the consumer.
IMPORTANT: Qualified Funeral Trust (QFT) account holders will not be mailed a
tax statement.
Has a consumer recently notified you of a new address? It’s easy to modify or change the
address on a Montana Funeral Trust account. Simply visit www.montanafuneraltrust.org,
mail or fax a General Administration Form, or email us ([email protected]) with
the consumer’s account number, accountholder’s name and current mailing address. Updating your consumer’s MFT accounts will reduce the number of tax statements returned by the
U.S. Postal Service and will help to ensure that each of your consumers receives their statements in a timely manner.
Steps to modify an address on MontanaFuneralTrust.org:
Click Contract Tab
Click Update Existing Contract (from Navigation Menu on left)
Search for Contract
Select/Click Contract Number under Search Results Grid
Make Necessary Changes
Scroll to the bottom and click Next [Forms]
Scroll to the bottom and click Submit
Written by: Adam Schrom,
Director Preneed Trust Services
Directors Digest 12
MFDA
Premium
Members
PLATINUM
GOLD
SILVER
MFDA
Associate
Members
Batesville
funeralOne
Hat Creek Urn Company
LifeCenter Northwest
Memorial Monuments
Messenger
Salt Lake Community
College Mortuary Science
Program
SinoSource Int.
The Davis Whitehall
Co.
The Dodge Company
Winter 2015
Directors Digest 13
MFDA Board Members
Travis Newman
President
NFDA Policy Board Member
Niles Nelson
Vice President
Kyle Zimmerman
Secretary
2015 - 2016 MFDA Events Calendar
December 1, 2015 - Dues notices sent out
January 29, 2016 - Dues notices due back
Randy Wilke
Treasurer
Frank Arb
Eastern District Governor
Justin Stelling
Southcentral District Governor
Todd Carmichael
Northcentral District Governor
February 2-8 (9), 2016 - Mid-Winter Conference
(St. Maarten)
June 12-14, 2016 - MFDA Annual Convention
(Fairmont Hot Springs Resort)
2015 NFDA Events
Chris Holt
Southwestern District
Governor
April 6-8, 2016 - NFDA Advocacy Summit
(Washington, D.C.)
Misty Echevarria
Western District Governor
Helena, Montana 59604
P.O. Box 4267
Montana Funeral Directors Association