Page 2 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, SEpTEmbEr 18, 2026 Developer requests $70,140 in legal fees after Federal Court dismissed town’s counterclaim to lawsuit By Mark E. Vogler T he developer that filed a $25 million federal lawsuit last year against the Town of Saugus and Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree has requested QUESTION | FROM PAGE 1 analyzed existing Saugus Fire Department response times and incident coverage to determine the feasibility of a new fire station/EMS public safety the judge overseeing the case to award $70,140 in legal fees related to a counterclaim filed by the town. Earlier this month, Judge Julia E. Kobick granted TB Holdings Inc.’s special motion to dismiss the town’s abuse-of-probuilding and where such a facility could be located to best serve the town’s public safety needs. The study that Town Meeting approved this spring will fund Phase 2 of the project, which “WE’RE STILL HERE!” Since 1947 MALDEN AUTO BODY Book online: Maldenauto.com 49 Robin St., Everett, MA 617-389-3030 * Maldenab@yahoo.com Over 79 years of exceptional service! Massone Family Owned & Operated cess claim and ruled the developer was entitled to reasonable attorney’s fees and costs. In her ruling, the judge determined the town’s counterclaim “was based solely on TB Holdings’ protected petitioning activity and that the will entail narrowing down the number of sites to a preferred location in northwest or southwest Saugus. It will also involve developing conceptual plans of the proposed facility and any additional information that will educate the public on the facility before voters consider whether to go forward with the project. During this week’s goals and objectives meeting, Crabtree and selectmen talked about the importance of developing a strategy that would educate the public about the need and benefits of having a public safety facility to cover the west end of town. “I do think that having the teachers involved in the new school helped us immensely,” Selectman Jeff Cicolini said, referring to the challenge of winning public support for the construction of the new Saugus Middle-High School several years ago. Cicolini sugDefendants failed to carry their burden of showing that activity was devoid of reasonable factual support or any arguable basis in law.” The town has 14 days to respond to TB’s application for atgested using personnel from the Saugus Police and Fire Departments in a similar way, so that the public could relate to the importance of the project. “It’s going to carry more weight by involving public safety,” Cicolini said. Selectman Frank Federico said getting the public’s support would involve calming residents’ concerns about the economic costs of the new facility. “If this does go forward, what is the town doing to mitigate some of these costs?” Federico asked. “The town has got to show it’s not putting the burden on the residents,” he said. Cicolini said it is important for the town to consider the overall financial impact of the project in context with what the town will be paying as part of its share for the new Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational High School in Wakefield, which recently opened torney’s fees and costs. The judge will determine the amount to be awarded. The case involves a dispute between TB Holdings, the Town of REQUESTS | SEE PAGE 12 for the new school year. Cicolini said the project is doable “if we get the community together and behind this.” “It’s how we put the story out – like the school [the new Saugus Middle-High School],” he said. Crabtree considers the project a good idea for Saugus, but stressed that community “buy-in” is necessary – that the public is willing to take on the long-term costs. “This is something people have to decide,” he said. Meanwhile, Crabtree noted that Phase 2 of the project is proceeding, with the consultant ready to work on the design as well as the location. “We have six locations and a report that lays them out,” Crabtree said, noting that any one of the six locations would be acceptable. The town manager said he’s not ready to announce the sites at the present time because the price of acquiring the property will go up. Crabtree said he believes that expanding what was once a proposal for a third fire station into a public safety facility that will be used by the Fire Department, the Police Department and the ambulance was significant and makes the project more relevant to the public. “The ambulance piece is huge,” Crabtree said. Increasing ambulance response times in the west end of town is something that affects everyone in town, not just the residents and businesses on the west side of town, he said. The overall building is focused on first responders from the ambulance service and Fire Department. It would serve as a temporary stop for police on patrol in the area, a matter of convenience to use the bathroom or take a break to fill out reports, according to town officials.
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