THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – Friday, July 3, 2020 Page 3 Special Town Meeting set for July 13 Members will consider an Article to study potential veterans housing at the old Ballard School By Mark E. Vogler T he old Ballard School could be a potential site for veterans housing. At least, that’s one option under consideration for use of the vacant building. Precinct 10 Town Meeting Member Peter Manoogian has introduced a measure that would create a five-person study committee that will investigate the potential use for the Ballard School including, but not limited to, the use for veterans housing under the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) program or other programs that offer state or federal subsidies. That is one of 28 Articles that will be considered at a Special Town Meeting set for 7:30 p.m. via Zoom videoconferencing. Had it not been for the COVID-19 pandemic, these Articles would have been part of the Warrant for this week’s Annual Town Meeting, which concluded Tuesday night. But town officials wanted to focus Town Meeting just on financial Articles and passing a budget for the new fiscal year that began July 1. The committee “will research and report on opportunities for public/private or public/ non-profit to partner with the Town and/or the Saugus Housing Authority. Said committee shall engage the Saugus Housing Authority and/or its Executive Director as part of its research as well as the Saugus Veterans agent,” according to the Article authored by Manoogian. “Said committee shall consist of two Precinct 10 Town Meeting Members to be appointed by the Moderator within 14 days of adoption of this article, one resident neighbor who resides on Richard, Greenwood or Dudley Street to be selected by the two appointed Town Meeting Members, one Selectman to be appointed by the Chairman of Women In Transition donate crocheted mask covers to help in COVID-19 battle everal members of the Women in Transition (WIT) Program of the Essex County Sheriff’s Department have been crocheting mask covers to help others keep safe from COVID-19. Michelle Dailey is one of those S women. She recently donated 35 of the 50 or so masks she has made to Fidelity House, a residential living facility for people with disabilities in Salisbury. “When we heard about this project a lot of us jumped at the opportunity,” Dailey said. “It’s nice to be able to give back to the community. I’m limited to what I can do but to be a part of this and to see where these masks are going is really exciting for me.” Assistant Superintendent Krystina McFarland, who runs the WIT program, said the women in the facility were looking for ways to help out during these trying times. They found a pattern for the mask covers and got to work crocheting. “This is a project we really collaborated on,” McFarland said. “This is a way to give back to our communities and to the local organizations that need to stay safe and keep people healthy.” WIT is a minimum security and pre-release facility in Salisbury. It was the first of its kind in the country, serving women with drug and alcohol addictions. The facility provides programs and services to prepare women for life after incarceration by assisting offenders in obtaining the resources and skills they will need to successfully reintegrate into society. Various programming components include individual and group counseling, education, employment, and community service assignments. the Board of Selectmen and the Town Manager or his designee. “In the event the Moderator fails to make appointments as herein described, the five Precinct 10 town meeting members shall appoint two from said delegation. “All meetings will be public and abutters of the BalGerry D’Ambrosio Attorney-at-Law Is Your Estate in Order? Do you have an update Will, Health Care Proxy or Power of Attorney? If Not, Please Call for a Free Consultation. 14 Proctor Avenue, Revere (781) 284-5657 lard School shall receive written notice of meetings. There shall be no less than one public hearing to receive input. “This committee will report to the next annual or special town meeting, whichever comes first. A final report, with recommendations, will be issued no later than October 15th, 2020.” 244 years later, the celebration continues. HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!
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