THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 2023 Page 3 A Grave Situation M By Mark E. Vogler ost Saugus residents who don’t already have a burial plot at Riverside Cemetery may have to look elsewhere for a final resting place. Unless cemetery property on the other side of the brook at the rear of the cemetery can be developed for future expansion. There are less than 40 burial lots left. But Town Meeting members voted 32-1 at Monday night’s Special Session to authorize up to $66,100 to complete a land survey needed to determine if the land is suitable for expansion. “I think this is the best option right now,” Precinct 5 Town Meeting Member Ronald Wallace told colleagues. “Digging the roads up [to create additional space] is just a Band-Aid,” said Wallace, who is a member of the Cemetery Commission. Precinct 8 Town Meeting Member William Kramich Jr. was the lone opponent to the article. “I don’t want to see bodies or coffi ns fl oating around,” said Kramich, who lives on Emory Street, within close proximity to the property. “It’s all wetlands there and gets fl ooded during a heavy storm. I don’t think that land is suitable for that kind of use,” he said. School Committee Member Joseph “Dennis” Gould, a former Cemetery Commission chair, lobbied Town Meeting members for support. “Anybody who doesn’t have a plot in Saugus doesn’t get buried in Saugus,” Gould said. With very limited options, the unused cemetery property would accommodate the town’s burial needs, Gould suggested. “Before you can use that land, you have to do testing to make sure it’s usable for the cemetery,” he said. Wallace read a letter from Cemetery Commission Chair Rich Thompson, a Precinct 3 Town Meeting member, who was unable to attend Monday night’s meeting. In his letter, Thompson noted that the overall area for the property under consideration is about 30 acres. “The area of use for the cemetery grounds would likely be on land in a specifi c area of six acres that are likely usable lands for burials,” Thompson. “The town desperately needs Cemetery space. The commission has considered closing a couple small roads within the cemetery to use for burials. If implemented, this will add some needed graves, but will only be to buy some time as other options are sought,” he said. “Citizens have an option of cremation or ground burial. There has been talk about other alternative modern burial options. During the process, we will explore all options to incorporate into expansion.” Thompson stressed that the tree farm, which currently uses some of the undeveloped property, would not be elimiCogliano disagrees with town counsel opinion that he can’t run for two offi ces By Mark E. Vogler B oard of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano said he plans to run for reelection in the town’s fall elections as well as for a position on a proposed Charter Commission he is pushing despite a recent legal opinion that he can only run for one of the posts. “I respect John Vasapolli, but don’t always agree with his opinions,” Cogliano said this week of the town counsel. “I plan on running for both positions and will deal with that at a later date. Both positions are equally important to me,” he said. Vasapolli concluded in his legal opinion that “no person may appear on the ballot for the offi ce of Board of Selectmen, School Committee, and Charter Commission nor would they be able to serve in both offi ces.” In his opinion, Vasapolli notes that Article 2 Section 1A of the Town Charter, which is titled “Candidacy Limit on Townwide Elective Offi ce,” states, “No person’s name may appear on the ballot for more than 1 major town-wide elective offi ce.” This section further defines “major town-wide elective offi ce” as the selectmen’s offi ce, the school committee and the housing authority and defi nes “town-wide offi ce” as all other elected offi ces in the town. Massachusetts General Laws Annotated Chapter 43B sets forth the procedure for cities and towns to adopt, revise or amend their charters. Section 6 of Chapter 43B provides for the election of Charter Commission COGLIANO | SEE PAGE 4 425r Broadway, Saugus Located adjacent to Kohls Plaza Route 1 South in Saugus at the intersection of Walnut St. 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 12-8 p.m. Sunday Monday Tuesday $9.00 Price includes Roller Skates Rollerblades/inline skates $3.00 additional cost Private Parties 7:30-11 p.m. $10.00 Price includes Roller Skates Adult Night 18+ Only Wednesday Thursday Friday Everyone must pay admission after 6 p.m. Private Parties Private Parties 4-11 p.m. Saturday 12-11 p.m. $9.00 $9.00 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 nated. And use of the property would not aff ect the Rail Trail Bike Path. Gould said that a future trend toward cremation over traditional burial could help to extend the life of Riverside Cemetery. He credited the columbarium in the veterans’ section of the cemetery, which holds urns of cremated remains — “saved us a lot of graves.” Pick up a plant... change the Charter Stop by Huberman’s Saturday, July 1 from 9 a.m. to noon for the annual vegetable plant giveaway. While you’re there, please sign on to the petition drive to study and improve Saugus’ Charter. 111 Vine Street Saugus MA, 01906 781-233-4682 hubermansgreenhouses.com
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