THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, FEbrUAry 28, 2025 Page 9 Countdown Till Saugus Town Meeting official Saugus social media account providing up to date information about school closings, parking bans, WIN issues, town emergencies, Route 1 accidents, etc. Stacey Herman-Dorant: Continuing to maintain our fiscal stability while focusing on positive growth in approving the Town budget is a priority. Positive growth includes: safe and prosperous educational environments; continuing the beautification of Saugus by improving sidewalks and green space; smart growth and improving our recreational facilities. Additionally, after attending nearly every meeting of the Ash Landfill Closure Committee, it is even more apparent that we need to push forward the efforts of this committee and protect the health of our community. Sue Palomba: As we prepare for the 2025 Town Meeting, I believe the top priority for Saugus should be fiscal responsibility and sustainable development. Ensuring that we allocate resources effectively while maintaining the town’s character and infrastructure is essential. Additionally, addressing public safety, education, and town services remains a key focus. Question Two: What do you consider the top priority for residents in your precinct as you prepare for the opening of the 2025 Town Meeting session? Mark J. Bell: As far as Precinct 1 residents, I hear nothing more from residents than Stackpole Playground. Myself, as well as my current Precinct 1 colleagues, have and will continue to fight for a new playground at Stackpole. It really is a safety hazard. Another major concern for residents is the preservation of Prankers Pond. Due to the new Saugus Ridge housing development right behind Prankers, it’s important that no one is cutting through residents’ private property and making a footpath to Prankers. It is also important that what is left of Prankers Pond is kept clean, safe, and untouched from any new development. TOWN MEETING | SEE PAGE 17 THE SEAT OF SAUGUS TOWN GOVERNMENT: The 50-member Town Meeting is the legislative branch of Saugus Town Government and convenes on the first Monday in May each year for a series of meetings to approve zoning articles and resolutions and to pass the town’s municipal budget. (Saugus Advocate file photo by Mark E. Vogler) Editor’s Note: The 2025 Annual Town Meeting convenes on Monday, May 5. As a special service to our readers and the registered voters of Saugus, we are reaching out to all 50 Town Meeting members, focusing on one precinct each week, in the weeks leading up to the start of Town Meeting, asking members about their expectations for the upcoming Town Meeting. This week, we received responses from three of the five Town Meeting Members in Precinct 1. For next week’s newspaper, we will reach out to the five Town Meeting Members from Precinct 2. The 2025 Annual Town Meeting convenes nine weeks from Monday. Question One: What do you consider the top priority for the town as you prepare for the opening of the 2025 Town Meeting session? Mark J. Bell: First, I still believe the main priority for Saugus is having a third fire station on the west side of Saugus. The feasibility study was approved by Town Meeting. Myself, as well as the residents of that area, look forward to the results of the study and hope a new fire station gets done. Second priority would be having a meeting or update from the Town regarding the future of the offline schools. As a parent, and a youth coach that sees how crowded gym time can be, it can be frustrating watching the old schools just sit there empty. I understand it will cost money to get the schools back online but starting a discussion about ideas and time frames would be a great idea for the town. Third, and this might just be a pet peeve of mine, I’d love to see the town adopt a text notification system and/or official social media account for residents. So many people now receive their information from their phone and social media. It would be great to have a text notification system and
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