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THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – Friday, August 2, 2019 Page 11 THE SOUNDS OF SAUGUS By Mark Vogler H ere are a few tidbits that you might want to know about this week in Saugus. “A shout-out” for Tim Fawcett “How about interviewing the retiring Police K-9 officer, Tim Fawcett?” a couple of readers recently suggested. Actually, we had an interview request dating back to March, around the time that Tim’s K-9 Dog, Bruin, received a classic tribute on his final ride to a Wakefield animal hospital where he was put to sleep. After learning that Tim had retired, I was planning to call him this week to see if he was agreeable to doing an interview for this week’s “The Advocate Asks.” Then, early Tuesday morning I received this text from Tim: “Mark, sorry to bother you this early but wanted to inform you that I am now retired from Saugus PD and can now do the interview you requested after k9 Bruin had passed without any restrictions from administration. I would be honored to do an interview when ever we could meet. I Thank You for your support Please text me when you can and hopefully we can finally get to say what I would like to express. Thank You again. Tim Fawcett.” Well, it was an opportune time, as I desperately needed an interview for this week’s paper. So please check out our comprehensive reflections piece with Tim. There weren’t any reader nominations this week for “A shoutout,” so Tim gets that honor as an editor’s choice. What a standup, classy guy and a great people-person whose K-9 dogs – Bruin and Beny – were household names for hundreds of students attending Saugus Public Schools over the past eight years. So, please check it out. Want to “shout-out” a fellow Saugonian? This is an opportunity for our paper’s readers to single out – in a brief mention – remarkable acts or achievements by Saugus residents. Just send an email (mvoge@comcast.net) with the mention in the subject line of “An Extra Shout Out. No more than a paragraph – anything longer might lend itself to a story and/or photo. Jeannie debunks job rumors I ran into School Committee Chair Jeannie Meredith this week at the back of the Town Hall basement. I have been hearing a few interesting rumors that have been flying around town in recent weeks. The kind of rumors that might grab attention, but might not necessarily be true. One of them had her going to night school to receive education and training that allegedly would ease her into a planner-type job. She’s currently working out of the office used by the former town planner and planning and economic development director. Another one that seems to be making the rounds is that she might be in line for an animal control officer’s job. Jeannie laughed and said neither rumor should be considered a reliable news tip. And, by the way, she says she is not receiving the town’s health care benefits and is also not interested in the vacant health director’s job. “I’m not going to school at night,” Jeannie told me. “And nobody approached me to take one of these jobs,” she added. The only thing that keeps her busy at night during these hot days of summer is if she has a hankering for some ice cream. “I love a twist of soft serve with some jimmies – chocolate and vanilla with the jimmies on one half.” Jeannie says she loves to frequent the local Soc’s Ice Cream or the Dairy Maid in Everett. Sounds like more fun than going to school. Sizing up the super A workshop is planned for Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. in the School Committee Room in the Roby Building to get into the nuts and bolts of evaluating Saugus Public Schools Superintendent Dr. David DeRuosi, Jr. That could be an interesting session for people who are curious about Dr. DeRuosi’s shelf life as a Saugus administrator. Stay tuned. Interested in serving your town? The Saugus Town Manager is accepting resumes/applications from Saugus residents for several volunteer positions on the following Boards or Commissions: Board of Health: They are responsible for protecting and serving the citizens in health areas, such as food sanitation, restaurants, markets and compliance with the state sanitary and other health codes as well as emergency preparedness. Medical degree or physicians preferred. Commission on Disabilities: The responsibilities of these positions are to answer questions and provide referral guidance regarding disability-related issues in accordance with the Massachusetts General Laws. Historical Commission: The Commission’s responsibility is to preserve and register all historical sites in Saugus. Youth and Recreation: The Commission was established for the purpose of carrying out programs including but not limited to, those designed to meet the opportunities, challenges and problems of the youths of Saugus. If you are interested in volunteering and are a resident of Saugus, please send in a letter of interest and resume by Friday, August 9, to: Saugus Town Manager, 298 Central Street, Saugus, MA 01906. You may also email your letter of interest and/ or resume to Christine Moreschi at cmoreschi@saugus-ma.gov. Want a seat on FinCom? This just in from Town Moderator Steve Doherty. The Town Moderator is seeking volunteers who are interested in serving on the Town’s Finance Committee. The Finance Committee is responsible for making recommendations on all warrant items involving the expenditure of Town funds to the members of Town Meeting. Interested citizens should submit a brief statement of interest and qualifications to Moderator Doherty either by email to precinct4steve@gmail.com or by mail to Saugus Town Clerk’s Office – ATTN.: Town Moderator, 298 Central St., Ste. 7, Saugus, MA 01906. Submissions should be received by August 19 for consideration for the coming term. Bike and car safety for kids Saugus Police officers will be at the Veterans’ Memorial School parking lot tomorrow (Saturday, August 3, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) for car seat installations and inspections. Officers will also have bike helmets (child must be present for proper fit), bike lights and reflective bands to give away. Call 781-941-1190 with any questions. A Blood Drive at Breakheart The Friends of Breakheart are making preparations for their Annual Blood Drive. The American Red Cross Bloodmobile will be at 177 Forest St. in Saugus on Thursday, August 8, from noon to 5 p.m. Please join the fun in supporting the Friends of Breakheart. There will be free T-shirts to donors and a free donor raffle! Please call 1-800 RED CROSS or visit redcrossblood.org to schedule an appointment. Remember: One pint of blood saves up to three lives. Every two seconds someone in the United States needs blood. Saugus High Class of ’69 reunion The Saugus High School Class of 1969 is planning for its 50th class reunion. The reunion will be held on Sept. 20 at 6:30 at Kowloon. Cost: $50 per person – checks payable to Marie Adams; memo line: “SHS REUNION” – can be mailed to Marie Adams, 9 Profile Dr., Merrimack, NH 03054. The alumni newsletter will have this info in it also. The following day is open house at SHS for walk though and events prior to its demolition to make way for new athletic fields, etc. For classmates coming from out of state or those who just would like a hotel within walking distance from the event, call Red Roof Inn +1 (781) 941-1400 and book ASAP. For more details, check with Dennis Gould (617-267-4847). Does he stay or does he go? Is Selectman Mark Mitchell going to stand his ground and finish out his two-year term? What on earth could keep him from stepping down at a time when his colleagues are urging him to call it quits? Well, perhaps he wouldn’t want Corinne Riley, who finished just a dozen or so votes behind him in the election two years ago, to fill his seat. There are some rumblings that he is being encouraged privately to stay on the board, but not go to the meetings. One report has Town Manager Scott Crabtree interested in a contract extension. If so – and we don’t know if there is much basis to this report – then Mitchell would probably not go anywhere. Meanwhile, it’s easy to see why Mitchell’s colleagues are in unanimous agreement that Mitchell should resign. Here’s a board that ran as a team in two regular town elections after winning a recall election as a team which enabled them to rehire the town manager after he had been fired by the four selectmen who were ousted in the 2015 recall election. So this team was very tightknit. They went to one another’s fundraisers. They celebrated their election victories together after basically campaigning as a team. Now they are trying to avoid linkage to Mitchell – sort of guilt by association. It’s quite a conundrum. But the days of “the Fabulous Five” might be over. We might be off base with some of these rumors, but they are worth watching. Let the campaign rumors begin! We’re into the second week of nomination papers being taken out at the Town Clerk’s Office, and there is some interesting listing of names of people pulling the papers. For instance, Paul Allan, one of the four ex-selectmen who was ousted in the recall election four years ago, has pulled papers. A little irony there. Could he pick up enough votes to claim the seat taken over by Mark Mitchell? Another former selectman – Michael J. Serino – has also pulled papers. Former School Committee member Corinne Riley, who came close to beating Mitchell out for the fifth spot two years ago, declared this week that she will be running. Michael J. Coller, Alexah Joseph, Matthew P. Riley and Domenic Montano have also pulled papers for selectman as of late Wednesday. That’s seven candidates who are not incumbents. Whether they go ahead and file the papers is another matter. None of the incumbents have yet pulled papers for a seat on the School Committee. Coller, former School Committee Member Arthur Grabowski and William R. Moore have pulled papers. It will be interesting to see whether this fall’s elections for the School Committee bring out candidates who are angry over the privatization of custodial services which cost 21 custodians their jobs. For the Saugus Housing Authority, incumbent Member John Cannon and Coller have pulled papers. Another interesting election story is candidate Coller. He has pulled papers for the School Committee, the Board of Selectmen and the Housing Authority. Coller was unsuccessful in campaigns for state rep last year and the selectmen’s race two years ago. Could he wind up getting elected to a seat by running SOUNDS | SEE PAGE 12

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