Page 6 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – Friday, June 26, 2020 BATTLE | from page 1 neighbors face if the project is built. “You want to add 30 units of runoff water,” said Coburn, who spent 10 years in the Army National Guard. “This has nothing to do with veterans. This has got to do with a quality of life issue for us. Why would we let somebody else benefi t at the expense of us?” Coburn noted that a number of veterans live in close proximity to the proposed site – and all of them oppose the project because of its location. The town’s Conservation Commission heard testimony on the project earlier this SABATINO INSURANCE AGENCY Call for a Quote 617-387-7466 Or email Rocco@sabatino-ins.com We cover: * Auto * Home * Boat * Renter * Condo * Life * Multi-Policy Discounts * Commercial 10% Discounts * Registry Service Also Available A CAPTIVE CROWD: More than 75 residents – many of them neighbors who live near the vacant Amato’s Liquor Store at 206 Lincoln Ave. – showed up Wednesday night to meet the developer of a proposed veterans housing project at the site and ask questions. Everyone who spoke during the hour-long gathering opposed the project. (Saugus Advocate photos by Mark E. Vogler) month, but members continued their review to a meeting set for 7 p.m. July 15 via Zoom videoconferencing. Cogliano clarifi es his position on project Board of Selectmen Chair Anhttp://www.sabatino-ins.com SABATINO 564 Broadway Everett, MA 02149 617-387-7466 Hours of Operation are: Mondays - Fridays 9am to 5pm Saturdays by appointment only thony Cogliano arranged the meeting so that residents of the Lincoln Avenue neighborhood could ask questions of the developers about the project initiated by the Revere-based nonprofi t organization Rising Community & Housing, Inc. Cogliano said he also wanted to give the developers an opportunity to hear fi rsthand from the neighbors how they feel about the project. All the neighbors who spoke opposed the project. “It’s good to hear from the neighbors,” John Nakashian told The Saugus Advocate after the meeting. Does Rising Community & Housing have other options if the Conservation Commission challenges their project? Or, is AN ARTIST RENDERING: Here’s what the three-story, 30-unit veterans housing project proposed by Rising Community & Housing, Inc. of Revere would look like. The Saugus Conservation Commission is scheduled to resume a hearing on the project at its 7 p.m. July 15 meeting that will be held via Zoom videoconferencing. the organization open to other locations? “Right now, I can’t speak about that because there are other equations we are considering,” Nakashian answered. “But, I’m open-minded.” In an interview after the neighborhood meeting, Cogliano said he wanted to clarify misinformation he had heard from residents about his stand on the project, as well as the position of the Board of Selectmen. He stressed that neighbors need to know that this is not a town-sponsored project either. “Right now, I’m neutral,” Cogliano said. “I am not for it as some people have suggested, and I don’t have a vote on the matter. Neither does the Board of Selectmen. It’s before the Conservation Commission, and they have a lot of work to do. But I will tell you this: I won’t support anything that’s going to negatively impact this neighborhood. Selectmen can’t vote on this project. But we have taken a vote that allows the Conservation Commission to hire an attorney to oversee BATTLE | SEE PAGE 7
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