2

Page 2 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, JUly 12, 2024 INVITATION | FROM PAGE 1 meeting held in the crowded fi rst fl oor conference room at Saugus Town Hall. But a spokeswoman for the company sent an email to Board of Selectmen Chair Debra Panetta – a member of the fi ve-member committee – expressing WIN’s decision to refrain from involvement with the committee’s proceedings. “While we do appreciate the off er, we respectfully decline the invitation to participate on a committee that has been formed explicitly to attempt to dictate the future use of our private property,” WIN’s Sr. Director of Communications & Community, Mary Urban, told Panetta. “Our focus remains on fi ndLawrence A. Simeone Jr. Attorney-at-Law ~ Since 1989 ~ * Corporate Litigation * Criminal/Civil * MCAD * Zoning/Land Court * Wetlands Litigation * Workmen’s Compensation * Landlord/Tenant Litigation * Real Estate Law * Construction Litigation * Tax Lien * Personal Injury * Bankruptcy * Wrongful Death * Zoning/Permitting Litigation 300 Broadway, Suite 1, Revere * 781-286-1560 lsimeonejr@simeonelaw.net ing a path forward for the most environmentally friendly option which we believe is to continue to utilize our monofi ll to safely manage the residual ash from our adjacent waste-to-energy facility while also providing tens of millions of dollars in economic and environmental benefi t to Saugus,” Urban continued in her email. “We will continue to send updates about the plant in addition to attending the monthly BOH meetings. We would also be happy to provide any further communication about our operations that you may need. Thank you.” Panetta had made several attempts to solicit WIN’s participation in the committee meetings before Urban emailed back, declining the invitations. During Session 2 of this year’s Annual Town Meeting, members voted 44-0 – with one abstention – to create a fi ve-member Ash Landfi ll Closure Committee with the purpose of identifying time frames for fi nal closure, post-closure, maintenance and monitoring, post-closure economic reuse possibilities and other related issues that may be identifi ed, according to the article that was approved. 425r Broadway, Saugus Located adjacent to Kohls Plaza Route 1 South in Saugus at the intersection of Walnut Street 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 12-7 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. Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday $10.00 Price includes Roller Skates Adult Night 18+ Only Private Parties Private Parties 4-8 p.m. $10.00 8:30-11 p.m. $11. 18+ Adults Only After 7 PM 12-9 p.m. $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 A standing invitation Precinct 10 Town Meeting Member Peter Manoogian, who was voted chair of the Ash Landfi ll Closure Committee, told members that the committee should continue to send WIN invitations to participate while continuing to brief the company on the committee’s future meetings. The group’s next meeting is set for 6:15 p.m. on Sept. 16 in the fi rst fl oor conference room at Saugus Town Hall. “At this time, they’re not going to attend,” Manoogian told the fi ve-member committee. Manoogian reminded members that representatives of the Aggregate Industries Saugus Quarry had also initially rejected off ers to participate in closure of its quarry, but later joined in the closure committee talks with the town. Manoogian broached the question as to whether the Town Meeting-created panel should continue to meet despite WIN’s refusal to participate in the proceedings. It was unanimous that the committee continue with its work as endorsed nearly unanimously by Town Meeting. “Maybe they will change their minds,” Panetta told her colleagues. “They’re going to have to close. Let’s have the discussion,” Panetta said. Precinct 10 Town Meeting Member Carla A. Scuzzarella, another Town Meeting member appointed to the commitRESPONDING TO REJECTION: During a July 1 meeting, Peter Manoogian (center) conferred with members of the Ash Landfi ll Closure Committee on how to respond to WIN Waste Innovations’ statement that the company will not participate in the committee’s future meetings. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) tee, agreed that the committee should proceed with its work. “I think we should continue and keep inviting them,” Scuzzarella said. “We can’t ignore the fact that we need a plan [for closure],” she said. Selectman Michael Serino, a longtime participant in talks between the town and WIN over issues involving the incinerator and ash landfi ll, stressed that it is important for him and fellow committee members to move forward – with or without WIN’s involvement. “I say we continue,” Serino said. “The state has been after WIN to develop a post-closure plan,” he added. Town Administrative Aide Jeanette Meredith, Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree’s designate to the committee, said she will “keep reaching out” to local WIN representative Jack Walsh to get WIN to participate in the committee’s activities. Most of the seats in the small conference room were taken by citizens from Lynn, Revere, Saugus and the Boston area. They included several Saugus Town Meeting members, a representative of the Saugus Board of Health and members of regional environmental groups that have been monitoring WIN-related activities. There is no “end date” on the committee’s existence, according to Manoogian, who authored the article that created the committee. “We will give a report to Town Meeting every time Town Meeting convenes,” Manoogian said. The committee’s ongoing agenda Manoogian stressed that it is important for the committee to act as a fact-fi nding body to provide the town with important information related to the ash landfi ll and potential alternative uses of the landfi ll once the state has established a specifi c deadline for its closure. “We need to become familiar with everything that’s related to this landfi ll,” Manoogian told committee members. “Information gathering – what’s out there in the public realm. Maybe another person will go down to DEP with me to look at what’s in the public realm,” he said. Several committee members expressed concerns with WIN’s reluctance to give up hopes of future expansion of the ash landfi ll – an unlikely scenario, considering the current position of the state Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). The last two state DEP commissioners have said that no expansion of the ash landfi ll would be allowed under the current state environmental regulations. Members also said they wonder about WIN’s continued support of a nonbinding Host Community Agreement (HCA), which selectmen supported a year ago on a 3-2 vote as a precautionary measure in case the state weakens environmental regulations related to the landfi ll. That HCA has no legal basis, under state law and under the Town of Saugus Charter. Furthermore, any HCA would have to be negotiated by the town manager and wouldn’t take effect unless the state allowed the company to expand its ash landfi ll. If the state loosens the regulations at the ash landfi ll, the Board of Health would have authority to conduct site modifi cation hearings to ultimately decide whether and how expansion of the ash landfi ll would proceed. Saugus would receive $20 million over the next 20 years while WIN Waste could continue use of the ash landfi ll, according to the hypothetical HCA supported by a majority of the selectmen. “Selectmen have no authority to engage in a Host CommuniINVITATION | SEE PAGE 4

3 Publizr Home