Page 12 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2021 FIRE STATION | FROM PAGE 1 Long’s request “unrealistic,” saying he could make it available within a month. Dealing with current issues related to COVID-19 has prevented him from reviewing the document, he said. “I think this is a priority for myself, the fire chief, the board [of selectmen] and the community,” Crabtree said. He expressed a willingness to meet with the special committee to discuss the contents of the report. “It’s an outline. It’s a draft. … It’s not for public consumption yet,” he said. “There’s a lot of good things that will come out of this… Give it a month or so,” he said. “Too early” to identify location Board of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano said he thought the town manager’s response was reasonable. Crabtree told selectmen that “it’s too early” to identify the best site for a West Side Fire Station. “There’s a bunch of locations [under consideration],” he added. The consultant’s report includes analysis of the current organization of the Saugus Fire Department, the use of manpower and resources and potential response times, according to Crabtree. He noted that several Fire Department officials and staff, Town Meeting members and residents who live on the west side of town were interviewed by the consultant. “Anywhere is open. They talked about all sorts of TOY DRIVE | FROM PAGE 2 Members of the Crossfit Rte. 1 Fitness Gym, Rich and Jennifer Ragucci and the Members of the ATCK Fitness Gym, Kelly Donahue and Kristy Baker of K and K Hootenanny, Denise Giglio, Angel and Marla Martinez, Mrs. Edward Fallon, Mary Bates, Theresa Shaheen, Sgt. Murphy and Dominic Montano for putting out the toy collection box at the Public Safety Building, and all the many people who wish to remain anonymous (you know who you are) DANGEROUS | FROM PAGE 3 lowed to open to the public. Currently, town employees are the only ones allowed in the buildings. A reduced number of staff work in the offices and answer the phones. “We have multiple contracts and multiple projects going on – putting us in a locations,” Crabtree said of the potential site. “The whole idea is to try to get a response under a certain time to meet certain standards,” he said. Long expressed disappointment that he wasn’t interviewed by the consultant. But Crabtree reminded him that he was invited, but was not available on a particular day. Long suggested that the town manager was being fiscally conservative. Crabtree, a former Saugus police officer, told Long, “I am 100 percent public safety all the way.” “But you got to be able to pay for it,” he added. Selectman Jeffrey Cicolini told Long, “It really has nothing to do with the manager’s budget.” “This vote is going to happen on an override for manpower and a debt exclusion for construction,” he said. He added that there seems to be “an appetite” for a third fire station. Cicolini also stressed that officials shouldn’t automatically assume that a fire station would be built on Town of Saugus–owned land. The best location available may be property that the Town has to acquire. “If it’s going to result in better response times, we make the investment,” Cicolini said. Station idea dates back to the 70s In an interview later, Long said he is prepared to submit an article for this year’s Annual Town Meeting for a specific site for the West Side Fire Station. Long and Precinct 8 who came to the Fire Station with their donations. Also, I would like to give a special thanks to my wife Carole, Michele Wendell, from the Chief’s Office, Chief Michael Newbury, retired Firefighter Don Babin and his wife Judy, Susan O’Malley, Patty Babin, Bill and Robin O’Malley and all the members of the Fire Dept. who collected, sorted and packaged the toys. Also last but not least, the Fire Dept. Elves, who helped deliver the toys, Don Babin, Ray Calder, Jeff Moses, Dan McNeil, Don Shea and Kellyann McNeil. position to address the pandemic now,” Crabtree told the board. “We’re focused on the schools now….We’re focusing on the town buildings,” he said. Crabtree suggested there is reason to be optimistic, as the state will be pushing the vaccines out within two to three weeks. “I think withTown Meeting Member William E. Cross III – who is also a fire lieutenant – collaborated on Article 10, which formed a committee to study the feasibility of a new fire station on the west side of Route 1. The study will review potential sites and determine the necessary personnel and equipment requirements and estimated costs. The committee would submit reports to each Special Town Meeting, with a final report to the May 2021 Annual Town Meeting. The committee includes the town manager or his designate, the Saugus Fire Chief or his designate, the two article co-authors and members of Precincts 7, 8 and 9. Besides Long and Cross, the committee currently includes Precinct 7 Town Meeting Member Robert Palleschi and Precinct 1 Town Meeting Member Anthony Arone, who is also a firefighter. The fire chief’s designate is Lt. Cory Rutledge. “We’ve been talking about this since I was at the Evans School in Kindergarten,” Lt. Cross, a 26-year veteran of the Fire Department, said last spring. “Your town has outgrown this Fire Department…It’s not a two-horse town anymore. It’s congested,” Cross said. Long recalled that the concept of a West Side Fire Station has been under discussion since his involvement with town government back in the 1970s and early 1980s. Article 10 passed last year’s Town Meeting without opposition. Thanks again to all the people who have donated to the Saugus Fire Dept. toy drive over the past 30 years. We have received many many thank you letters from families saying, “it wouldn’t have been a merry Christmas without the Fire Dept Toy Drive.” We couldn’t have done it without all of you wonderful people. It has been a labor of love and that made it all worthwhile, putting smiles on children’s faces each year. Thanks again, Ret. Capt. Bill O’Malley Saugus Fire Dept. in the next couple of weeks, CVS and Walgreens will be offering the vaccine,” Crabtree said. “I think this is the time to be as vigilant as possible,” he said. Meanwhile, police, firefighters and other first responders could receive their vaccines by week’s end, according to the town manager. “YOUR FINANCIAL FOCUS” JOSEPH D. CATALDO IRS DEBT By Joseph D. Cataldo RS offers in compromise aren’t always the best way to eliminate IRS debt. The IRS does not have an unlimited amount of time to collect unpaid taxes owed by taxpayers. Oftentimes, taxpayers unknowingly and needlessly give the IRS more time to collect the tax. Pursuant to Internal I Revenue Code Section 6502, the IRS only has 10 years from the date of assessment to collect the unpaid tax. This is called the Collection Statute Expiration Date (CSED). It is important to keep in mind prior to filing for bankruptcy, filing an offer in compromise, filing for innocent spouse relief or delaying the collection process by filing a collection due process appeal thar you should keep the following in mind: a. Be confident in the probability of success b. That success will result in less debt than waiting for the CSED Once you file for an Offer in Compromise, that will extend the CSED for the time the Offer in Compromise is open plus an additional 30 days. Offers in Compromise can be open for anywhere between six months and one year. With Covid-19, the time period is almost certain to be longer. Most Offers in Compromise fail anyway. The CSED is tolled while the Offer is pending. The tolling ends once the Offer is accepted. Furthermore, the taxpayer must remain current for a period of five years on all tax filings and payments. Making a payment plan in order to get the IRS off your back does not extend the CSED. Filing for bankruptcy extends the CSED plus an additional six months after the bankruptcy is finalized. If the bankruptcy fails due to the tax returns not being timely filed, then you have simply given the IRS more time within with to collect the tax. You can file for bankruptcy for a federal income tax for any tax return that was due to be filed more than three years prior to the bankruptcy filing. Keep in mind that the original tax returns themselves must have been filed on a timely basis. The CSED is not extended if you enter into an installment agreement with the IRS. It is not extended while it is requested and while it is in place. Also be careful when applying for innocent spouse relief. If both husband and wife sign off on a tax return, they are both liable for the taxes owed. To be eligible for innocent spouse relief, the following conditions apply: 1. There was a joint income tax return filed for the year that resulted in the disputed debt 2. There was a substantial understatement of tax that was caused by an erroneous item on the return or the negligence of one spouse 3 . The “ i nnocen t ” spouse didn’t know or didn’t have reason to know there was a substantial underpayment of the tax liability 4. It would be inequitable or unreasonable to hold the spouse liable for the tax liability The problem is that filing for innocent spouse relief extends the CSED. If the CSED isn’t far off, you might be better off not filing for such relief. Remember: know the date of assessment and realize the IRS has only 10 years to collect that debt before you take any one of these courses of action.
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