THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, ApRil 24, 2026 Page 11 Transparency in Saugus: The Law Requires More Than Lip Service ~ letter-to-the-Editor ~ Dear Editor: Transparency is not optional in government — it is the law. And in Massachusetts, that principle is clearly defined through two essential statutes: the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law and the Massachusetts Public Records Law. These laws are not bureaucratic formalities. They are the foundation of public trust. They exist to ensure that residents can both see how decisions are made and access the information behind those decisions. But in Saugus, recent events raise serious concerns about whether that standard is being met. For years, the Finance Committee’s review of the school budget; a critical step in the town’s fiscal process, has been held at a time and in a manner that allows for meaningful public observation and participaAtlantic Tambone Management MOUNTAIN VIEW TERRACE APARTMENTS WAITLIST OPENING NOTICE (Project-Based Section 8 Community) WAITLIST OPENING - EFFECTIVE MAY 1, 2026 Mountain View Terrace Apartments will open select waitlists for a limited period of sixty (60) days. WAITLISTS OPENING: • One (1) Bedroom - Handicap Accessible Units • Two (2) Bedroom - Handicap Accessible Units • Two (2) Bedroom - Elderly/Disabled Units All other waitlists will remain closed. GENERAL INFORMATION: • Computer-generated lottery determines placement • Submission does not guarantee housing • Rent is approximately 30% of adjusted income • Income must not exceed HUD limits APPLICATION AVAILABILITY (BEGINNING MAY 1, 2026): Mystic Valley Elder Services - 300 Commercial St, Malden, MA Tri-CAP-100 Pleasant St, Malden, MA Veterans Affairs - 136 Elm St, Stoneham, MA Stoneham Senior Center - 136 Elm St, Stoneham, MA Additional options: Mail, Email, or pick up at 27 Mountain View Drive, Stoneham, MA Monday-Thursday, 9AM--4PM www.mvterrace.com REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION: Contact management if assistance is needed. We provide accommodations to ensure equal access. EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY tion. This year, that consistency has broken down. As Town Meeting approaches in early May, there has been uncertainty around scheduling, and more troublingly, resistance to holding meetings in a venue large enough to accommodate the public. This is not a minor logistical issue. When public interest is high as it is now with a significant school funding gap, holding meetings in a confined space where residents cannot reasonably attend or observe raises legitimate concerns under the Open Meeting Law. The law is clear: compliance is not just about holding a meeting; it is about ensuring the public can meaningfully access that HELP | FROM PAGE 10 school setting. This will pay for two specialists at the Belmonte STEAM Academy and the Veterans Early Learning Center. –$100,000 to support High School students by offering tutoring and student study centers. –$42,000 for elective programing at Saugus High School. Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree introduced a warrant article to create the fund at a Special Town Meeting in the fall of 2022. It was approved by Town Meeting members. Crabtree said that then-Gov. Charlie Baker provided admeeting. At the same time, there is a second and equally troubling issue: the failure to respond to public records requests. Under Massachusetts law, municipalities are required to respond to records requests within a defined timeframe. These responses are not optional, nor can they be ignored indefinitely. Yet when requests go unanswered and when residents are forced to follow up repeatedly or escalate to formal appeals it sends a clear message: transparency is being treated as an inconvenience rather than an obligation. That is unacceptable. LETTER | SEE PAGE 12 ditional monies in Chapter 70 funds for public school, amounting to about $3-million for Saugus Public Schools. This money would allow for a variety of educational programs in the school district which are not currently covered by the School Department’s operating budget. Precinct 10 Town Meeting Member Manoogian, a retired educator and former Saugus School Committee member, did some groundwork on the article that Crabtree authored in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The primary focus of the fund was to help students whose education suffered from the pandemic. FURNISHED ROOM FOR RENT EVERETT 1 bedroom, 1 bath furnished room for rent. $275. per week rent. Two week deposit plus 1 week rent required. Call: 617-435-9047 - NO TEXT
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