THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, ApriL 4, 2026 Page 3 Countdown Till Saugus Town Meeting Editor’s Note: The 2026 Annual Town Meeting convenes on Monday, May 4. 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 four of the five Town Meeting Members in Precinct 6. For next week’s newspaper, we will reach out to the five Town Meeting Members from Precinct 7. The 2026 Annual Town Meeting convenes four weeks from Monday. Question One: What do you consider the top priority for the town as you prepare for the opening of the 2026 Town Meeting session? Jeanie Bartolo: Keeping our AA+ bond rating and maintaining our Stabilization Fund is a top priority for the town. We are fortunate to be fiscally stable. Many of the surrounding towns are in serious financial trouble and are considering overrides. After decades of trying, Saugus has attained 10% compliance on 40B projects, a huge success for the town. School funding is an important issue and the 30-year bill for the Vocational School is as well. Also, the price tag for snow plowing for this past winter. We have had literally no snow the past five years. Another priority is the third Fire station for the west side of town. We’ve had more than enough studies done over the years it’s time to get it built hopefully without the need of a potential override to support the funding. Also, electric bikes are another big issue town wide. A commission has been formed to regulate the use of electric bikes in town. There have been many issues with kids riding these bikes in traffic and on the rail trails and frightening seniors and families out walking. Serious tree issues with tree trimming and culverts not being cleaned out which causes flooding to homeowners’ yards and basements causing them to pay thousands of dollars in repairs. Alicia R. Bonito: Saugus is rich with resources, RT 1 being so close to Boston, but is lacking a vision. Residents do not want to see another apartment or franchise fast food joint. It cheapens us. Retail generates less tax revenue than other sectors such as bio tech, medical and corporate offices. Saugus should be a destination where people want to invest in our community and raise a family. Yet, since 2019, free cash and stabilization accounts increased exponentially and funding for schools has decreased. For years, town meeting has prioritized bond rating to be the #1 issue, while our schools have not been funded to their full potential. Currently, our stabilization fund is at 17.35% (approx $21 million) and free cash sits at approx $18 million. These numbers are much higher than other surrounding towns with similar bond ratings. There is no excuse not to fully fund our departments. Elizabeth Marchese: My top priority heading into the 2026 Town Meeting is ensuring true transparency in our town’s finances and decision-making. As a Town Meeting Member, I cannot make informed, responsible decisions without access to accurate and timely information — and right now, that access is lacking. For example, I currently have six outstanding public records (FOIA) requests related to financial matters that have gone unanswered well beyond the required 10-day response period. That is unacceptable and undermines the ability of elected representatives to properly serve the public. We are also seeing critical gaps in town operations, such as the town planner position TOWN MEETING | SEE PAGE 6 Lawrence A. Simeone Jr. Attorney-at-Law ~ Since 1989 ~ * Corporate Litigation * Criminal/Civil * MCAD * Zoning/Land Court * Wetlands Litigation * Workmen’s Compensation * Landlord/Tenant Litigation * Real Estate Law * Construction Litigation * Tax Lien * Personal Injury * Bankruptcy * Wrongful Death * Zoning/Permitting Litigation 300 Broadway, Suite 1, Revere * 781-286-1560 lsimeonejr@simeonelaw.net SABATINO/MASTROCOLA INSURANCE AGENCY 519 BROADWAY EVERETT, MA 02149 Auto * Home * Boat * Renter * Condo * Life * Multi-Policy Discounts * Commercial 10% Discounts * Registry Service Also Available PHONE: (617) 387-7466 FAX: (617) 381-9186 Visit us online at: WWW.SABATINO-INS.COM
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