Page 2 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JULY 9, 2021 SCHOOL | FROM PAGE 1 sultation with Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree and his staff . “Several neighbors have sug$2.39 gested that portions be reserved for a dog walk area and a community garden,” Manoogian wrote in an announcement that was recently hand-delivered to some 80 homes that abut the Ballard School. Manoogian, one of the members of the fi ve-person study committee to investigate the potential use for the Ballard School, has scheduled an open meeting at the Ballard School site for next Monday (July 12) at 4 p.m. so people who live near the former school can learn more about the proposal and off er public feedback. “Please know that nothing will move forward without neighborhood input and more importantly, neighborhood support,” Manoogian wrote in his notice, which he said was presented to residents of Greenwood Avenue and Richard, Dudley, Wolcott and Bates Streets. The notice was also posted on the Facebook page of the Ballard School Study Committee. Crabtree supports proposal Manoogian said he had approached the Town Manager’s Offi ce about the proposal and Crabtree expressed support for it. “He doesn’t want to sell the building and he doesn’t want to lease it either,” Manoogian said. “I got a letter of support from him,” he said. “The neighbors are going to have a strong voice here, and I’d like to make sure they are on board. If the people lead, the leaders will follow. Here’s an opportunity to do something that would enhance the property values and bring the people together,” he said. Laura Eisener of the Saugus Garden Club said she likes the idea of converting part of the Ballard School property into a community garden. “The Ballard School site is a nice location in the middle of a neighborhood to provide a peaceful and relaxing spot for people to walk to for relaxation and enjoyment of nature,” Eisener said. “The school’s symbol was a bee, presumably for the fi rst letter of its name, but it might be nice to perpetuate that by including a pollinator garden on part of the site, with beautiful native plants for people as well as pollinators to enjoy,” she said. A survey for Saugus United 2035, the town’s ongoing Master Plan project, raised the question “What features do you feel are most important for the future of Saugus?” Sixteen percent of the town residents responding to the survey answered, “Well-maintained open spaces, parks and other natural assets.” That was among the highest-rated topics. “This dovetails nicely with the proposals in the Master Plan,” Manoogian said. “This is consistent with the feedback from the public-atlarge as well as the recommendations that will be in the Master Plan,” he said. The Ballard School Study Committee consists of Board of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano, Board of Selectmen ViceChair Corinne Riley, Precinct 10 Town Meeting Members COVID-19 | FROM PAGE 1 cases remained at 4,212 as of Wednesday (July 7) — the same overall total reported last week. Last week, there was just one newly-confi rmed A BUSINESS CHECKING ACCOUNT THAT CHECKS ALL THE BOXES. LOW MONTHLY FEES - ONLINE BANKING & BILL PAY REMOTE DEPOSIT CAPTURE - COIN SERVICES TALK TO US TODAY ABOUT OUR DIFFERENT BUSINESS CHECKING ACCOUNTS. WE’LL HELP YOU FIND THE RIGHT OPTION. EVERETT – 419 BROADWAY LYNNFIELD – 7 7 1 SALEM STREET 61 7-38 7 - 1 1 10 Visit our website to learn more at: EVERETTBANK . COM Member FDIC Member DIF COMMANDER | FROM PAGE 1 missed by a lot of people,” Castinetti said. DiMare, the commander of The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Organization Chapter 115, a regional veterans group that holds its meeting out the American Legion Hall on Taylor Street, died Monday (July 5). The U.S. Navy veteran, a Peabody resident, was 89. DiMare leaves his wife of 66 years, Carmella “Bella” (Albano) DiMare; two daughters, Charlene Costa and her husband, Stephen of Westford; and Christina DiMare Castagna and her husband, Ralph of Topsfi eld; and a son, Charles “Chip” DiMare, III and his wife, Bonnie of Peabody. Funeral services are set RIGHT BY YOU from the Dello Russo Funeral Home, 306 Main St., Medford, Monday, July 12th at 9 a.m. followed by a funeral mass celebrated in St. Adelaide Church, 708 Lowell St., Charles R. “Charlie” DiMare, Jr. Peabody at 10:30 a.m. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. Visiting hours are Sunday 3 to 7 p.m. Services will conclude with entombment at Holy Cross Mausoleum, Malden. In lieu of fl owers contributions may be made in Charles' name to the Disabled American Veterans, 44 Taylor St., Saugus, MA 01906. Martin Costello and Manoogian and Greenwood Avenue resident Wayne Carter. Town Manager Crabtree is ultimately responsible for any decision to demolish or sell the building, with the involvement of Town Meeting. The town manager, working with selectmen, would be involved in any lease arrangement. The results of a survey released last fall by the Ballard School Study Committee show that neighborhood and people who live outside the neighborhood agree on their top choice: reuse as a preschool or day care center. On a scale of 1 to 3, the Pre-School / Day Care option was rated at 2.5, making it the most popular among the 222 residents who responded to the survey. The East Saugus neighbors, who represent about 45 percent of those being surveyed, agreed with the rest of the town that the school site should be used for child care. The survey results revealed these top use preferences: The Neighbors Pre-School / Day Care 2.5 Tear Down for a Playground 2.3 Tear Down for Community Gardens 2.2 SCHOOL | SEE PAGE 7 Coronavirus case reported in town. The death toll of 73 hasn’t revealed any changes in weeks. Local offi cials credit the return to near normalcy with people getting vaccinated.
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