THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2023 Page 13 The Sounds of Saugus By Mark E. Vogler Good Morning, Saugus! Historically, the political campaigns for the Saugus town elections don’t really get started until about mid-July when nomination papers become available at the Town Clerk’s Offi ce. And then what amounts to a seven-week campaign begins in earnest, after mid-September when the papers are filed and it’s clear which candidates are running for town offi ces. But it sure looks like things may be heating up much sooner for the November town elections, at least in the race for the five-member Board of Selectmen. And if Board of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano — the top vote-getter in the last two town elections — decides to run for another two-year term, it should be a very hot and heavy political season in the fall. There seem to be some serious cracks in the underlying foundation of civility and collaboration that has marked the fi rst three years that the current fi ve members have been together. Things are getting downright nasty on social media and spilling over into the second fl oor auditorium at Saugus Town Hall. That was pretty clear to anyone watching this past Tuesday night’s (March 20) Board of Selectmen’s meeting. When you cover all of the board meetings in person, you get to notice and feel the tension in the room. And after having covered the Board of Selectmen for seven years, my sense is that a few issues are polarizing — particularly the ongoing discussions of a Host Community Agreement between the town and WIN Waste Innovations and the related discussion of possible expansion of the ash landfi ll at the trash-to-energy plant. And, more recently, the discussion over whether the Board should grant a Special S-2 permit to Antonio Moura De Jesus to operate Moura Tattoo Studio, Inc. at 28 Hamilton St. De Jesus would need four of fi ve votes from the board to get the permit to move into a building across the street from the Police Station. But if a vote were taken Tuesday night instead of a continuance, his request would have been denied. Board of Selectmen Vice Chair Debra Panetta said she didn’t feel comfortable voting on the issue because of what she called a potential confl ict of interest that she needed to consult with the state Ethics Commission about. Meanwhile, Selectman Michael Serino said he had problems with the location and would oppose it. However, he said he would support locating a tattoo parlor on Route 1. Board of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano and Selectman Jeffrey Cicolini said that the town already has an “anti-business” reputation among North Shore communities, and suggested that this vote would refl ect that aspect of the town’s public image. The hearing on the S-2 permit has been continued until April 4. Meanwhile, Selectmen Panetta and Serino are getting disparaged on Facebook in a vulgar way by Cogliano’s brother Scott, even after board members pledged to work together during Tuesday night’s meeting. But, it sure looks like social media ? la Saugus is contributing to the polarization of the Board of Selectmen — a board that seemed to work together, for the most part, in a collaborative fashion during the worst days of the COVID-19 pandemic. My take on Cogliano’s social media comments People around Saugus Town government who know me know I’m not a big fan of social media. There are some productive aspects to it, if you are trying to plan a family or high school or church reunion. And I’m sure it would be a great tool to use in trying to mobilize a group for a common cause. But when it comes to people in a community hurling hurtful and disparaging insults at each other on Facebook or other social media sites, it’s not productive. It creates animosity among people involved in an exchange. And it doesn’t take much to whip certain segments of a community into a mob-fueled frenzy, ganging up on individual civilians or people involved in local government. It really doesn’t help a community. In fact, little good comes out of a social media fi refi ght which often degenerates to crude and profane rhetoric, like the recent one involving Board of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano. One good rule of thumb for elected politicians who like to spar with their adversaries or rivals on social media: At least try to be civil and keep it clean. Don’t say anything that you wouldn’t say in front of your mother. Because it could be embarrassing if it winds up becoming public. A Town Meeting member emailed me screenshots of Cogliano’s alleged “homophobic comments” a week before the full Board of Selectmen received an email complaining about the comments. My initial reaction was that the social media comments were quite crude and not the kind of stuff that belongs in a newspaper. Certainly, THE SOUNDS | SEE PAGE 14
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