SAUGUS Your Local News, Sports & More! Scan & Subscribe to Advocate News Online! Vol. 28, No. 37 -FREEwww.advocatenews.net Published Every Friday FOR THE BETTERMENT OF SAUGUS HONORED BY THE TOWN: Nelson Chang and Julie Cicolini displayed their 2026 “Person of the Year” Awards last Saturday (Sept. 12) at the 45th Annual Saugus Founders Day Celebration. Please see inside for the story and more photos. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) 781-233-4446 Friday, September 18, 2026 A $36.5 million question Are Saugus residents willing to build and staff a third public safety building to be located on the west side of town? By Mark E. Vogler I t will cost about $35 million to build a third public safety building to covHome of the Week SAUGUS – Wonderful Family Colonial featuring 7 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 1 1/2 baths, eat-in kitchen with pantry area offering granite counters, desirable and spacious 1st floor family room, large living room open to dining room, enclosed front porch, rear deck overlooking large, level yard, two car detached garage, newer gas heating system, 2026 gas hot water heater, conveniently located just outside of Saugus Center, close to shopping and NEW & EXCITING PRICE $599,900 all major routes. Welcome Home to 116 Main Street Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Commonwealth Real Estate Formerly Carpenito Real Estate (781) 233-7300 335 Central St. Saugus commonmoves.com ©2024 BHH Affiliates, LLC, An independently owned and operated franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of Columbia Insurance Company, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate. Equal Housing Opportunity. er the west end of Saugus and about $1.5 million to staff it, according to Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree’s latest estimates. “The third public safety building remains a longterm priority,” Crabtree told selectmen at their Tuesday night (Sept. 15) session that focused on goals and objectives. Crabtree and selectmen noted during their discussion updating the project that the main question remains whether the registered voters of Saugus will support the project. Funding it will require public approval of both a debt exclusion for building-related expenses and a Proposition 2 ½ override for manpower costs. “If people want this, they’re going to vote for it,” Crabtree told selectmen. “It’s going to be $35 million and $1.5 million,” he said. The town already has a $1.2 million investment in the proposed facility whether voters approve or reject a debt exclusion and Proposition 2 ½ override – something the town has never passed. Back in the mid90s, the Annual Town Meeting Town Meeting voted to buy property on the west side of Saugus and for the funds for a fire station to go on the property. But the project never materialized because they voted against funds to staff the fire station. Despite that setback, town officials and public safety employees and officials have lobbied for the project for years since then. The efforts of those who support the project received a major boost this past spring when members voted unanimously at this year’s Annual Town Meeting to appropriate $825,000 on a feasibility study for a third fire station/ West Side Public Safety and EMS Response Facility. That vote came less than a month after Context Architecture, a Boston-based firm with experience in developing the designs for public safety buildings around the state, presented the findings of a study that QUESTION | SEE PAGE 2 Established 1978 Mid-grade Regular 4.09 4.60 6.05 $4.91 Full Service ULS $5.559 Order online at angelosoil.com Kerosene Now Available! FLEET CARD Check Out Our LOW PRICES!
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