Page 14 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, AUGUST 11, 2023 ASKS | FROM PAGE 5 be celebrating its 50th year anniversary. There are a lot of residential houses in the precinct. It’s deeper than you think. You probably had no reason to drive down some of those roads. And some of the major Housing Authority properties are within the Precinct Q: Do you plan on running for Town Meeting again this fall? A: Yes, I do plan on running again. Q: What would your top priorities be for the precinct? A: Within the precinct, I still think there is some work to be done at the rail trail crossings. They still need some work. Why not put a traditional traffic light at each of these intersections? It’s still a very dangerous situation, especially on Central Street. It’s confusing and dangerous. I think it needs to be studied – the traditional traffic light. Q: What are your concerns about the current traffic signals set up at these rail trail intersections? A: At the location where the bike stops, the front wheel is in the roadway for them to be hitting the button. Q: What else would you like to see done to improve the precinct? A: I would like to see us change from personal services more towards professional services. Right now, we have about three barbershops, four or five hairdressers and a couple of nail salons. I would like to see the retail aspect of the business near Saugus Center improved. I’d like to see us get another nice sit-down restaurant someTHE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING AT 27 Hamilton St. is one of the most important buildings in Precinct 8. It houses the Saugus Police and Fire Departments. where. I’d also like to see us bring some better retail businesses to the area and provide some reasons to draw people down there. Right now, we have the old Gregson Law Offices Building [at 325 Central St.] on the market. That could be repurposed, hopefully, for something that benefits the center. Q: The Douglas Waybright School, at 25 Talbot St., is one of three former elementary school buildings that the School Department turned over to the town last year. Isn’t the Waybright School in Precinct 8? A: Yes, it is. Q: Do folks in your precinct have a preference on its reuse? Do you have a preference on its reuse? A: I have not heard of any proposals. I would like the school and the large existing ballfields repurposed/continued for parks and recreation. Q: Thank you. Is it much of an issue for Precinct 8 residents? A: Not a big issue at this time. Most residents are waiting for the Town [Manager/ Selectmen] to come up with a plan. Q: What are people talking about in your precinct? A: The trees that are ready to fall down in the yard, the potholes in the street, complaints or questions about the trash pickups – those are the calls that I get. I don’t get the calls on politics or political issues. As a Town Meeting member, it’s not so much that I get calls from people to solve their problems. It’s more a matter of being a facilitator, pointing them in the right direction – to connect them with somebody who can help solve their problems. I don’t receive as many calls as you would think. On average, I don’t get more than four to five inquiries per term [two years]. The real job for me is going to Town Meeting, listening to the debate, doing my homework on the issues and voting the right way. Q: What do you see as the big issue emerging in the town’s fall elections? A: I think the big thing is going to be the Town Charter Commission and who is going to get elected to the Charter Commission. I think a lot of people are talking about the need to change the form of government we have. Some people are concerned about too much power concentrated in the Town Manager’s Office. Some people are complaining about the lack of communication coming out of Town Hall and out of the Manager’s Office. There’s been a lot of discussion about the need to make town government more accountable to the people. That will be a big issue in the fall if the Charter Commission does get on the ballot. Q: Do you expect a big turnout on Aug. 14 [Monday] when we have the next “Saugus Over Coffee”? A: I don’t know, but I hope so. VACANT SCHOOL PROPERTY: The Douglas Waybright School, which is located at 25 Talbot St., is one of three former elementary school buildings that the School Department turned over to the town last year. It is located in Precinct 8. Town Meeting Member Thomas E. Traverse said he would like to see the building and existing ballfields used for parks and recreation. (Saugus Advocate file photo by Mark E. Vogler) “THE PUMPKIN CHURCH”: First Congregational Church in Saugus Center, which is on the corner of Central and Hamilton Streets, is one of the popular attractions in Precinct 8 during the fall when Saugus families and residents from outside the area visit “The Pumpkin Patch.” (Saugus Advocate file photo)
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