THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2022 Page 3 Opportunity knocks for Cliftondale Monday’s Special Town Meeting will consider articles that will enable town to buy a vacant bank building and property for the site of a future parking lot By Mark E. Vogler A vacant bank building and the quarter acre lot it sets on provides an opportunity for the town to develop a municipal parking lot in Cliftondale, according to Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree. “I’m going to support this at Town Meeting,” Crabtree told the Finance Committee Wednesday night (April 27) of two articles he has introduced that would address the lack of accessible parking — which is considered a major barrier to the revitalization of Cliftondale Square. Article 11 would authorize the Board of Selectmen to acquire title to the land and building located at 481-483 Lincoln Ave. Article 12 requests the appropriation of $775,000 to buy the property. These two measures are among 13 warrant articles to be considered at Monday’s (May 2) Special Town Meeting, set for 7:30 p.m. in the second floor auditorium at Saugus Town Hall. Finance Committee members voted overwhelmingly to recommend passage of Articles 11 and 12 during their Wednesday night meeting. “If the town is serious about revitalizing that area, then I feel this is a good fit,” Finance Committee Chair Kenneth DePatto said. “I feel strongly that this is in the best interests of the town,” DePatto said. One “no” vote Veteran Finance Committee Member Ronald “Rocky” Jessup voted against it, expressing concerns over the increased burden on Saugus taxpayers. “Three years ago, I would have made the motion [to support it] … Three years ago, I would have been all over it,” Jessup said. In explaining his reason for introducing the two articles, Crabtree stressed that the revitalization of Cliftondale Square has become a top priority for town officials. The town manager noted that selectmen and Town Meeting members “have been vocal” about future economic development in the area. He cited the Town Meeting’s creation last year of the Cliftondale Revitalization Committee to study the causes and potential responses to economic trends in the Cliftondale area as an example of that commitment. “As part of the 2022 Master Plan update, Cliftondale was also identified as a top economic development concern and a priority area for public investment and incentives,” said a document that Crabtree presented to the Finance Committee. “The studies identified a primary cause of decline in the commercial sustainability in Cliftondale as a lack of accessible parking in proximity to destinations,” the document stated. “Without available parking many potential patrons of local establishments do not stop in the area for service or products. The conclusions of the studies consistently pointed to the public acquisition of property to allow for exA POSSIBLE SOLUTION: A lack of accessible public parking has contributed to Cliftondale Square’s decline as an important commercial and retail business district in Saugus. But Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree and other town offi cials see the purchase of the Loan Center at 481-483 Lincoln Ave. as a way to improve the parking situation. An article to buy the property will be considered at Monday (May 2) night’s Special Town Meeting. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate) pansion of accessible public parking.” North Shore Bank decided to list the property earlier this year, and the Town of Saugus decided to put in an offer, which is contingent upon the passage of the town articles, according to Crabtree. Finance Committee Member Theresa Katsos expressed concerns that there would be more costs associated with the property than just the purchase. “There’s going to be a cost to tearing it down,” Katsos said. “You don’t know if there’s asbestos in the building,” she said. Crabtree said the focus of the articles is to acquire the property. “There are different options and a host of different funding sources as well,” he said. CLIFTONDALE | SEE PAGE 6
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