THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, JAnUAry 31, 2025 Page 15 The Sounds of Saugus By Mark E. Vogler Good morning, Saugus It should be an interesting Board of Selectmen’s meeting Tuesday night when Uma Flowers LLC gets another crack at obtaining a special permit (S-2) to operate a retail marijuana dispensary on Route 1. Despite receiving a perfect score two years ago from the town’s Marijuana Establishment Review Committee (MERC), Uma fell one vote short of the four votes necessary for an S-2 permit. But late last year, a Land Court judge ruled selectmen must reconsider company’s application. The company later alleged in a complaint filed against the town and the Board of Selectmen in state Land Court that then-Board of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano – the lone member to oppose Uma Flowers in a 3-1 vote – “appeared to act with bias against Uma and in favor of Bostica,” another company competing for an S-2 permit. During the hearing, Cogliano admitted that he enjoyed a personal friendship for 30 years with Raymond Falite, Bostica’s manager. Board of Selectmen Vice Chair Jeffrey Cicolini had recused himself after disclosing a potential conflict of interest because of his company’s relationship with one of the applicants. That made it mandatory for Uma to obtain a unanimous vote. At first glance, it looks like Cogliano would have to switch his vote in order for Uma to win its permit. But his vote may not be necessary, as Cicolini might be allowed to vote on Tuesday night. “Based on everything I’ve heard, I’m leaning in the direction that my client is no longer a conflict of interest,” Cicolini told The Saugus Advocate recently. With its proposed location at 24 Broadway (Route 1 North) – the site of a former house that was torn down – Uma was the unanimous selection of the seven-member committee, achieving a perfect score of 140 total points. That kind of recommendation would be enough to win support from Cicolini if he attends the meettural Council has invited musicians, dancers, poets, actors and artists of all kinds to showcase their talents on the local stage. There will also be food vendors on hand to share their culinary creations with festival-goers. This is a great opportunity to share new experiences with the community. To learn more information, please contact the Cultural Council at saugusculturalcouncil@gmail.com or 339440-1017. 15 Saugus 4-1-1 set for March The Saugus 4-1-1 forum that was originally scheduled for March 1 has been reschedCOMPARING CLAY DRAGONS: Left to right: Rick Hamelin, a potter from Warren, Mass., and Kyle Richard, a fifth grader at Belmonte STEAM Academy, showed off the dragons they made from clay at a workshop Hamelin conducted this week at the Saugus Public Library. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) ing and votes. Stay tuned. A smile spells success On Monday night, I went up to the second floor of the Saugus Public Library to check out a potential photo opportunity involving kids making clay dragons. Library worker Jackie Miller made the suggestion. I ran into Rick Hamelin, a potter, who said he had driven all the way from Warren in Central Massachusetts to lead what sounded like a neat class. I was told that seven kids had signed up for the class. But by the time the class got underway, there was only one kid who turned out. I felt badly that Hamelin had driven such a long way and nearly had nobody in the audience. It had to be disappointing. “No, this was a great class,” Hamelin told me later. “Making people smile. That’s what I’m happy about, and that’s what made it worthwhile today,” Hamelin said. Kyle Richard, 10, an inquisitive fifth grader from Belmonte STEAM Academy, was the happy camper who got 100 percent of Hamelin’s undivided attention. “My mom was reading something and said, ‘Oh Kyle, do you want to build a dragon?’ I said, ‘That sounds like fun.’ And I’ve had a lot of fun today,” he said. “This is pretty cool,” he said. After watching Hamelin make his dragon out of small pieces shaped on his pottery wheel, Kyle got to build his own dragon from pieces of clay provided by his instructor. Kyle’s dragon resembled a stegosaurus. “It’s a dragon mixed with a dinosaur. It’s a hybrid,” he said, smiling while holding his clay dragon proudly. For Hamelin, it was a worthwhile and productive day, as he mentored the student on how to work with clay. For the finishing touch, he gave Kyle a special tool to make flames shooting out of the dragon’s mouth. Hamelin estimated that he’s made about 1,500 clay dragons since 1985, all of them from some 1,500 grants he’s received from the Mass Cultural Council. “I was doing a program out of a school and I remember asking the class, ‘What do you want me to make?’ A kid in the back row screamed out, ‘Make a dragon.’” Saugus Cultural Festival Feb. 23 We’re a little more than three weeks away from the first Saugus Cultural Festival, which is set for Sunday, Feb. 23 at Saugus Middle-High School. This inclusive and family-friendly event will celebrate Saugus’ cultural diversity through the showcase of food, performances and other activities, according to Tori Darnell, Co-chair of the Saugus Cultural Council – the event’s organizers. The Cululed for later in the month. “The Saugus 4-1-1 Committee would like everyone to know that the Saugus 4-1-1 event will be taking place on March 15, 2025,” Selectman Corinne Riley said in an email to The Saugus Advocate. “(Please note the date change). Invitations to all new residents as well as non-profits will be mailed out in January. We are looking forward to having this wonderful event for new residents as well as those who have been here for years to learn what Saugus has to offer! Also, if you have a local business or service to promote, send your request or further inquiries to Saugus411@gmail.com, there are ‘Welcome Bags’ that are given out to the new residents with all kinds of information which could include your business or services offered to our Saugus residents. Stay tuned for further updates!” Selectman Riley was the driving force behind the nifty program, which had two previous well-attended Saturdays at the Saugus Middle-High School in recent years (2022 and 2023). Stay tuned for more details. Saugus United Parish Food Pantry The Saugus United Parish Food Pantry welcomes all neighbors facing food insecurity on Fridays from 9:3011 a.m. at 50 Essex St. in the basement of Cliftondale ConTHE SOUNDS | SEE PAGE 16
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