THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, April 4, 2025 Page 3 Countdown Till Saugus Town Meeting 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 two of the five Town Meeting Members in Precinct 6 and from a Precinct 5 Town Meeting member whose comment was received after the deadline for last week’s column. Town Meeting members who don’t respond in a given week are still invited to submit a response, which will be included in the next edition. For next week’s newspaper, we will reach out to the five Town Meeting Members from Precinct 7. The 2025 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 2025 Town Meeting session? Jeanie Bartolo: Maintaining our Stabilization Fund and our AA+ Bond Rating. On other issues across town I am hopeful that progress will be made on the third Fire Station. Also, continue with the work being done on the infrastructure as well as our playgrounds. Discussions on what becomes of the closed schools and the property on Main Street. William S. Brown: It’s a primary responsibility of Town Meeting to approve a budget that will maintain fiscal stability. The town manager, his staff, and all the contributors of this budget deserve our thanks for their efforts. I am concerned that maintaining fiscal stability may be a challenge due to volatility of cash from federal programs which may dry up as it flows through the state. The other primary responsibility of Town Meeting is the disposition of zoning articles, these I usually need to hear the debate to decide how to vote. Mark Panetta (Precinct 5): Maintaining our AA+/Stable 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) rating from S&P Global, which is the highest in Saugus’ history. This favorable rating helps Saugus achieve more favorable borrowing rates which saves the taxpayers money. Continuing the rehabilitation of parks and playgrounds around Town. Continue to be a full-service community. Continue the positive steps taken in improving communication throughout the Town. Question Two: What do you consider the top priority for residents in your precinct (Precinct 6) as you prepare for the opening of the 2025 Town Meeting session? Jeanie Bartolo: The areas that I see need attention in Precinct 6 are: Traffic in Cliftondale Square is a nightmare. There is bumper to bumper traffic from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and there are drivers cutting through neighborhoods. Litter is a huge problem in Cliftondale as it is all over town. Enforcing NO PARKING during snowstorms, several cars were not moved on Jackson Street or Essex Street. Another issue is street cleaning. We need to know exactly when the street sweepers are coming and notify the residents when to move their cars, as it stands now we are paying for street sweepers to drive down the middle of the street. A serious issue is tree trimming and culverts not being cleaned out which causes flooding in homeowners yards. William S. Brown: What I understand the concerns of Precinct 6 residents are: a third fire station and the traffic that travels through our town. The third fire station has been studied to the extreme, it is time to make some decisions! The next concern is twofold, the first part is the speed that drivers travel throughout Saugus. Far too many busy streets are lacking TOWN MEETING | SEE PAGE 7 50 425r Broadway, Saugus Located adjacent to Kohls Plaza Route 1 South in Saugus at the intersection of Walnut Street We are on MBTA Bus Route 429 781-231-1111 We are a Skating Rink with Bowling Alleys, Arcade and two TV’s where the ball games are always on! PUBLIC SKATING SCHEDULE 12-7 p.m. Sunday Monday Tuesday $10.00 Price includes Roller Skates Rollerblades/inline skates $3.00 additional cost Private Parties 7:30-11 p.m. Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday $11.00 Price includes Roller Skates 18+ Adults Only After 7 PM - ID Required Private Parties Private Parties 4-8 p.m. $10.00 8:30-11 p.m. $11. 18+ Adults Only After 7 PM - ID Required 12-9 p.m. $10.00 Everyone must pay admission after 6 p.m. Sorry No Checks - ATM on site Roller skate rentals included in all prices Inline Skate Rentals $3.00 additional BIRTHDAY & PRIVATE PARTIES AVAILABLE www.roller-world.com
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