Page 2 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024 PRIORITY PROJECTS | FROM PAGE 1 and funding the Voke school project were at the top of their respective lists. “Saugus has two major opportunities that will require investments,” Board of Selectmen Chair Debra Panetta noted. “First is the new Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational High School. Although we have established a special stabilization fund for this project, and Town Meeting has appropriated funds to such, we are now beginning to see dramatic increases in our share of this investment,” Panetta said. “Second is the investment in a third fi re station on the west side of town. The cost of construction as well as any additional operating costs cannot be absorbed in our current or future operational budget. It will be important for both elected and appointed offi cials to communicate to the public, and obtain town wide support for these important projects,” she said. Board of Selectmen Vice Chair Jeff rey Cicolini emphasized his fi scal concerns about the two projects: – On the third fire station: “Gather results of the feasibility study and move the project forward by establishing a comprehensive communication plan to make sure our residents are informed on the financial impact the borrowings will have on our residents so we can gather the support necessary to ensure it passes.” – On the new Voke school: “Assess the most current fi - nancial impact of the new vocational school project on Saugus and inform residents how it will impact their taxes. The cost of the project continues to increase dramatically so the impact needs to refl ect the most accurate cost to complete.” Selectman Michael Serino noted that the projected price tag for Saugus on the new Voke school could be significant. “The school is projected to increase its student enrollment capacity from 1,200 to 1,600 students a year,” Serino said. “Saugus’s fi nancial portion, which includes construction costs and increased student enrollment is estimated at around 4 million dollars a year,” he said. He had the proposed new third fi re station on the west side of Route One as second on his list of priorities. He noted that a feasibility study – which Town Meeting authorized $400,000 for last year – is being done for this project. “My top priority for the next two years is the long overdue West-Side Fire Station,” Selectman Corinne Riley said. Selectman Anthony Cogliano also put the building of the west side fi re station at the top of his list of 2024 goals. Revitalization of Cliftondale prevails as a priority Revitalization of Cliftondale continues to be a top priority for a majority of the board members. “I will also be pushing the rezoning of Cliftondale Square again this year,” Cogliano said. Selectman Riley identifi ed the eff orts to rezone and revitalize Cliftondale Square as “the top story of 2023.” “While this eff ort failed to achieve the 2/3 supermajority required, it was passed by a Our 52nd Anniversary Dan - 1972 We Sell Cigars & Accessories! ALL MAJOR BRANDS Singles * Tins * Bundles * Boxes * Travel Humidors * Desk Top Humidors * Many Types of Lighters * Ash Trays * Juuls * Vapes * Glass Pipes * Rewards Program * CBD Infused Products * GIFTS UNDER $30 - GIFT CERTIFICATES SMOKER’S DELIGHT! 15 HANDMADE CIGARS! Four-Year-Old Tobacco * 100% Long Filler * Cellophane $49.95 WINTER STORE HOURS: OPEN DAIL 7 DAYS WINTER STORE HOURS: OPEN DAILY 7 DAYS A WEEK, 9AM - 6PM WEEK, 9AM - 6PM R.Y.O. TOBACCO & TUBES ON SALE! WE MAKE HOUSE KEYS! Green LabelGreen Label Cigar Sale! Cigar Sale! Buy 2 Cigars,Buy 2 Cigars, Get One Get One FREE! FREE! A.B.C. CIGAR 170 REVERE ST., REVERE (781) 289-4959 Chris 2024 28-13 majority of Town Meeting voters, indicating a clear appetite for revitalization in Cliftondale,” Riley said. Riley declared economic development and safety improvements in Cliftondale Square as one of her top priorities. “Traffi c and pedestrian issues are well-known, and while some preliminary work has been done, it’s time to see some progress on the ground and in the vacant storefronts,” Riley said. Selectman Serino stressed “a municipal parking lot for our business community in Cliftondale square is a priority.” “The town has recently purchased two properties for this project,” he said. A commitment to parks and playgrounds Also high on the Board of Selectmen’s list this year is upgrading the town’s parks and playgrounds. “The Golden Hills Playground is a safety hazard and needs a complete replacement,” Selectman Riley said. “Town Meeting authorized $2M funding for playground investment this Spring, and I’d like to see the Golden Hills Playground project fasttracked,” she said. Selectman Cicolini said he would like to see “continued investment in fully inclusive parks and playgrounds ($2 million appropriated) with emphasis on Golden Hills which is in dire need of a full renovation.” Board of Selectmen Chair Panetta stressed that “Parks and playgrounds are always a priority with the Board.” ~ The SAVE Green Living Column ~ Tap Water vs Bottled Water A mericans purchase approximately 42.6 billion individual 1-liter bottles of water each year. Some families spend hundreds of dollars a year for bottled water either because they have concerns about the safety or taste of tap water or they just like the convenience. Is drinking from the public water supply safe? The public water supplies in Massachusetts are among the best in the country. They are subject to the most stringent government standards in the world. To protect public health, MassDEP requires your local water supplier to perform ongoing tests for the presence of bacteria, lead and other heavy metals, herbicides and pesticides, and industrial solvents. In Saugus, our water supply comes from the Quabbin Reservoir located in a remote area far from any sources of dangerous pollution and is thought to be some of the best tasting water in the state. Home water treatment devices, such as fi lters, certainly can make tap water taste better – but they also can breed bacteria if they are not properly maintained. Before investing in a treatment device or bottled water, try chilling your tap water. Is bottled water always safe? Bottled water may taste better than the water that comes out of your tap, but it’s a lot more expensive and isn’t necessarily “healthier.” We may assume that bottled water comes only from pristine streams, but that’s not the case. Nearly half of all bottled water is reprocessed tap water, sold at prices up to 3,000 times higher than a consumer pays for tap water. We are paying for the additional processing, even though the water already meets federal water-quality standards before bottling. Like any other product, water occasionally gets recalled, but more often than not we don’t hear much about it. There have been more than 100 recalls of contaminated bottled water, often months after the products were delivered to store shelves and consumed by the public. What are the environmental costs? It’s estimated that around 60-80% of the plastic water bottles purchased by Americans end up in landfi lls. In Massachusetts and most other states, there is no deposit/no return on plastic water bottles, and while they can WATER | SEE PAGE 7
3 Publizr Home