Page 14 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, JUly 19, 2024 ASKS | FROM PAGE 13 they get there. I’ve had sand in my yard for quite a while. I built the sandbox last year. Q: Any advice that you would offer to somebody who is considering the art of sand sculpting? A: The most important thing you can do is go to the beach and start playing with a block of sand. The tools could be kitchen tools, plastic knives or artist tools. Many of us create our own tools. We work with kitchen tools, masonry tools and artist pallet knives. Q: Do you work with any of Artie’s kitchen utensils? A: Yes! I have. I’ve worked with a brown, square plastic flat tool. It was Artie’s kitchen scraper. One day, he asked me if I had seen it because he couldn’t find it. I found it to be a useful tool in sand sculpting. Q: How long will you continue the art of sand sculpting? A: I’m going to be there ON THE MOVE | FROM PAGE 4 playground as well as all the other Capital improvements and infrastructure upgrades that the manager presented.It is impressive that we are moving forward with our short and long term priorities that are well identified and researched. These types of improvements help build astronger sense of community and improve the quality of life for our residents.” Board of Selectmen Vice Chair Jeffrey Cicolini: “I think it is eye opening to hear just how many irons are in the fire as far as capital improvement projects go. The town has so many projects at various stages of completion, many are much needed repairs and maintenance and others are exciting new recreational areas and playgrounds, movement towards a 3rd fire station and many more. To hear of the millions of dollars in grant funding obtained by the Town Manager is great news for our residents as it helps reduce the tax burden associated with these costs. “As for any concerns I have I feel the lack of qualified persons applying for or accepting many key roles, namely our planning department is somewhat concerning. People interview for the positions and ultimately accept jobs elsewhere. It isn’t always a financial decision. I do think our storied, negative political landscape reflects poorly A POPULAR SAND SCULPTURE: Saugus resident Deborah Barrett-Cutulle won the People’s Choice Award in 2022 for “Sk-Eyeshadow-S.” (Saugus Advocate file photo by Tara Vocino) as long as my health and my strength allows. I do the best I can with the strength I have and I pray a lot. We’ve got to stay strong and healthy. I really strive to become physically stronger. on our ability to attract prospective employees. We need to stop the negativity and focus on raising awareness of all the things that make Saugus such an amazing community. This will allow it to gain a reputation as a great place to live and to work. This is critical in our efforts to fill key vacancies within various departments. The status quo approach obviously isn’t working. I am also concerned about the overall cost and financial impact of the voke project while our enrollment numbers continue to fall, as raised by the Town Manager. This needs to be researched further with the officials from the Voke.” Selectman Anthony Cogliano: “I think everything the manager brought forth tonight was positive for our town. The new playground at Anna Parka is a major step in the right direction, Pickleball is the hottest game out there today and something I get calls from our residents all the time. The Street hockey court is also a welcome addition and what i like best about it, it goes back to the place it always was before it was run down. The picnic benches and lighting are also a nice touch for Anna Parka. My frustration with this project is that we are kept in the dark until the project is ready to go out for bid. I know we can’t do everything that’s needed at once, but we should be able to answer to the residents why Anna Parka was picked ahead of StockSand sculpting is a very grueling art form of work. It’s difficult. I wish I could go as high on a sculpture as I see others go Q: How old are you? And how much longer can you er, Stackpole, and Golden Hills which in my opinion should be condemned before someone gets injured. All in all it is still a win for Saugus. “It is also nice to hear that the West Side Fire Station, which was voted on in 1996 is inching closer to becoming a reality. With traffic as bad as it is in North Saugus, this is a must for our town.” Selectman Corinne Riley: “I was pleased with all the improvements that the Town Manager has been working on. My top priority continues to be the West Side Fire Station, so I am happy to see this project moving to the next phase. The Selectmen and Manager have agreed that Parks and Playground are a priority, and this was supported by both the Finance Committee and Town Meeting in recent years. The improvements at Anna Parker are very exciting and I look forward to this work getting started soon. Residents of Golden Hills have been in dire need of a new playground for many years, so I was very happy to hear the Manager commit to addressing the Golden Hills Playground starting later this year. The park is not up to modern standards regarding safety and accessibility, and no alternative park is within a safe walking distance, which is why I feel so strongly about it. I’m also excited to see the Riverwalk project come to realization, as well as improvedo this? A: I’m 65 right now. I hope I can do it for a few more years and be an inspiration to others. There’s people older than me in the industry. I know an individual ments at the Senior Center. I was especially happy to see the much needed improvements to the American Legion building get started a few weeks ago, as this building is so important to our Veterans. “At his last evaluation a year and a half ago, all five Selectmen as well as the manager agreed that communication for residents needed improvement. Tonight, the Manager informed the Board that he has hired a new employee to facilitate communication. I am pleased that the Manager has taken this step, which I think will be helpful in getting timely and accurate information out to residents. I am hopeful that this is the first step toward implementing a subscription-based email/SMS-compatible notification service for residents, which all of our neighboring towns and cities have. “My concern, listening to the update, is that filling the critical Planning Department positions will be difficult. We need these employees to help address economic centers like Route One, Cliftondale, and Saugus Center, both to provide improved amenities for residents, as well as bring in increased tax revenue. I have stated before that we need to address changing times in our town to what we want, and not what could be forced upon us.” from Texas in his early 80s. They call him “Amazing Walter” – Walter McDonald of South Padre Island, Tex. He’s an inspiration to me. My goal is to get stronger. Personal progress is the most important thing to me – not competition. I’m competing with myself, from year to year. If I’m not showing any progress, then it’s time for me to throw in the towel. But I’m not throwing in the towel any time soon. I love it too much. Q: And your work seems to be popular with a lot of the people who go to the event. A: Yes. I have won the People’s Choice Award three times – the first time in 2016, when I competed with Steve. And I have won it for the last two years. I enjoy being a part of the Annual International Sand Sculpting Festival. It’s one of the largest sand sculpting events in the world and it takes place in our own backyard – on Revere Beach – America’s oldest beach. Selectman Michael Serino: “I thought that the update went well. There are many capital projects in the pipeline. Residents that I have spoken to are all excited about the park project at the Anna Parker playground. Six new Pickleball Courts along with a Street Hockey Court and a Picnic Area will be constructed. With the support of the Board of Selectmen, Town Manager and Town Meeting Members, approximately 4 million dollars has been set aside for our parks and playgrounds. I am disappointed in the setback at the Golden Hills playground due to an issue regarding an abutting lot line. However, the entire Board is committed to the rehabilitation of that playground. I am happy to hear that work will begin in regards to a parking lot for Cliftondale Square. Moreover, the study regarding a third Fire Station should be completed by Sept 1st. “I still remain concerned regarding the construction of the new North East Vocational school, which is needed. However, it seems like no updates have been provided to the Town. I believe that quarterly updates should be provided to the town in regards to the construction status of the project. The update should include an estimated time-line to completion of the project, along with any adjusted estimated costs of the project to the town.”
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