Page 2 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – Friday, June 19, 2020 Facebook.com/ advocate.news.ma Lawrence A. Simeone Jr. * Corporate Litigation Attorney-at-Law ~ Since 1989 ~ * Criminal/Civil * MCAD * Zoning/Land Court * Wetlands Litigation * Workmen’s Compensation * Landlord/Tenant Litigation * Real Estate Law * Construction Litigation * Tax Lein * Personal Injury * Bankruptcy * Wrongful Death * Zoning/Permitting Litigation 300 Broadway, Suite 1, Revere * 781-286-1560 Lsimeonejr@simeonelaw.net LATE AND LIMITED | from page 1 said, it is best to limit the town Warrant to financial Articles. When Selectman Debra Panetta asked what will happen to all of the non-financial Articles that selectmen approved to be included in the Town Meeting Warrant, Vasapolli said he believes they could be removed and included on a Warrant for an upcoming Special Town Meeting. Board of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano said he would be calling on the town moderator to set up a date for a Special Town meeting – which could be set up as early as next month. Meanwhile, Town Manager We Now Offer For Your Eating Pleasure “UBER EATS” Convenient Delivery Service Bianchi’s Pizza and Renzo’s Full Menu To Go Open for Takeout for Bianchi’s Pizza and Renzo’s Food 381 Revere Beach Blvd., Revere 781-284-5600 $1.55 GALLON We accept: MasterCard * Visa * & Discover Price Subject to Change without notice 100 Gal. Min. 24 Hr. Service 781-286-2602 Scott C. Crabtree noted that the one-twelfth budget approved on a 5-0 unanimous vote by selectmen was done to protect the town under “a worst case scenario” in the event that the Town Meeting doesn’t approve a budget by the end of this month. “This… will help us resolve administrative and financial issues,” Crabtree said. “We have a shortfall or revenue this year that we need to resolve before the 30th [of June],” he said. With the shutdown of restaurants and other town businesses in March by Gov. Baker, the town is not receiving timely tax revenue – which has already exceeded several million dollars, according to documents presented to selectmen Tuesday night. For instance, a document prepared by the town’s treasurer/tax collector, Wendy Hatch, showed a “total general fund variance” of close to two million dollars as part of the one-twelfth budget and a “Total Enterprise Fund Variance” of more than $600,000. With businesses shut down, there is also a dramatic decrease in water usage, Hatch pointed out. A hotel on Route 1 which has been using 300,000 cubic feet of water monthly has only used 29,000 cubic feet since February, she said. Even though the water isn’t used, it winds up costing the town money in lost revenue, according to Crabtree, who told selectmen that Special Town Meetings may have to be called in the future so the town can make possible adjustments in water and sewer rates. “We’d need to have one [Special Town Meeting] prior to setting the tax rate in the fall,” Crabtree said. “We’re going to have to all work together to figure this out,” the town manager said. Manoogian criticizes meeting format But at least one Town Member who spoke during the citizen’s comment session of the selectmen’s meeting criticized selectmen’s decision of a remote meeting instead of the meeting being held outside – either on the front lawn of Town Hall or at Stackpole Field. Precinct 10 Town Meeting Member Peter Manoogian also questioned why he and other Town Meeting members weren’t consulted by the moderator. “I don’t understand why it’s so difficult to have Town Meeting at Stackpole Field or the Town Hall lawn,” he said. Manoogian said town officials need to make sure “not to use the pandemic to prevent the voices of people being heard.” He accused selectmen of denying Town Meeting the opportunity to take up numerous non-financial Articles. “You’re going to ask people to raise water and sewer rates,” he added. “You’re not being sensitive to the people who have lost their jobs,” Manoogian said. Selectman Jeffrey Cicolini took umbrage to Manoogian’s comments which suggested that the voices of Town Meeting members were being silenced unfairly. “I feel the pandemic is unprecedented and we’re doing the best we can,” Cicolini said. “I do not see it as silencing the people. I look at it totally differently,” he said. Cicolini noted, “Saugus is still on the top 20 list,” a reference to the town having one of the highest rates of people testing positive for COVID-19 per 100,000 population. Normally, selectmen don’t participate in the citizen comment period, Cicolini noted. But he added that Manoogian’s criticism was unfair and needed to be addressed. Cicolini noted that “we don’t have to lay off people who are losing their houses in other communities…We have a huge budget gap ahead of us…depends on when the governor gets off his butt…we need to be prepared for the worst case scenario.” Panetta suggested that Manoogian was overstating the role of the Board of Selectmen. “The ultimate vote is not with us – it’s with Town Meeting,” she said. Selectmen approved a twopage Warrant containing 11 Articles -- all of them financial. In addition, there will be two Public, Education and Government (PEG) access Articles for Saugus Cable TV. This week on Saugus TV Sunday, June 21 from 9–11 p.m. on Channel 8 – “Sunday Night Stooges” (The Three Stooges) Monday, June 22 all day on Channel 8 – “Movie Monday” (classic movies) Tuesday, June 23 at 8:30 p.m. on Channel 9 – Board of Selectmen from June 16 Wednesday, June 24 at 8 p.m. on Channel 9 – School Committee from June 16 Thursday, June 25 at 8 p.m. on Channel 22 – Saugus Ironworks Preschoolers in the Park III Friday, June 26 at 9 p.m. on Channel 8 – “Friday Night Frights” (scary movies) Saugus TV can be seen on Comcast Channels 8, 9, & 22. For complete schedules, please visit www.saugustv.org. ***programming may change without notice***
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