Page 8 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, OCTObEr 17, 2025 Town Election 2025 Nine candidates share their views on what they consider “the biggest challenge” facing the next board of Selectmen (Editor’s Note: Today, in the second of a four-part series leading into the Nov. 4 Town Election, we asked each of the Board of Selectmen candidates the following questions: What do you consider the biggest challenge facing the next Saugus Board of Selectmen? If elected, how should you and your fellow selectmen address that challenge? Please answer in 300 words or less. Here are the responses from the candidates who will be on the ballot seeking a two-year term in one of the five seats. We have listed the candidates alphabetically.) Jeffrey Cicolini, incumbent Saugus selectman: One of the biggest challenges facing our town is balancing the need for significant capital projects such as a west side fire station with the overall financial burden it will have on our residents. A west side fire station is an absolute need for Saugus however with many of our residents living on a fixed income and struggling to get by each day, it is very important to be cognizant of the overall impact it will have on them. We also EIGHT CANDIDATES | FROM PAGE 6 ing students and students who choose to come to school when they want, it doesn’t bring us the most accurate reflection of the teacher’s job. We are at times refusing to realize that Saugus has changed in many ways. With that being said, that’s not a bad thing, but until we realize as a community and School Committee the capacity of what you’re dealing with, you will not be able to solve the problems now or in the future. I meet with the principals, I walk through the schools, I talk with parents. Oftentimes we forget to consult the most important reason why we do this. THE KIDS. Talk with them on the soccer field, pull them aside at a school event. Ask them what’s working for you and what would you like to see change. I can promise you; I will do that and will continue have to take into consideration the pending impact the VOKE school will have. We need to work together with the town manager to make certain all sources of funding are explored including Federal and State appropriations as well as Corporate Grants. I have heard of communities offering naming opportunities as a way to generate revenue to put towards the project. We need to see if that would be an option we can choose to lower the overall tax impact to our residents. Engaging a grant writer specifically for this purpose would be appropriate. Fortunately, Saugus remains an affordable, full service community. It is our job to make sure that it stays that way. The traffic throughout town is another major issue, unfortunately it is omnipresent on the North Shore and only getting worse. We need to continue to meet with our state delegation to explore avenues to alleviate the congestion on route 1 and surrounding roads. Recently, we asked that they explore removing the light at the jug handle as a way to smooth to if elected in this next term. Thank You Shannon McCarthy, a parent and active PTO member: It’s hard to pick just one challenge facing the next Saugus School Committee because our district is confronting several that are deeply connected. One of the most pressing is the need for strong oversight and modernization to ensure our policies, records, and planning reflect the realities of today’s Saugus. For example, the district’s emergency plan has not been reviewed since 2012, more than a decade ago. During that time, our student population has grown from roughly 2,700 students in 2012 to about 2,900 today, while the number of schools has been reduced to just three. This consolidation, combined with no new funding, has created added strain on class sizes, transportation, and overthe flow of traffic. We also need to encourage development on route 1 other than apartments. Commercial space such as medical and lab space would be ideal. Our recently amended zoning bylaw should help promote more suitable development on Route 1. Anthony Cogliano, incumbent Saugus selectman: Development and Traffic: The Challenges Facing Saugus There are many issues facing Saugus today, but development and traffic remain at the forefront. I hear it constantly from residents—no one in town wants to see more apartments, whether along Route 1 or elsewhere. Unfortunately, Saugus currently stands at just 6.8% affordable housing, while the state requires 10%. I raised this concern two years ago, but was told my calculations were wrong and that we had already met the threshold. As it turns out, we had not. With the new 40B project at 961 Broadway approved, we should finally meet compliance. Back in 2016, the town adopted major rezoning to stimall student support. Looking ahead, new 40B housing projects underway in town will likely increase enrollment even further, adding pressure to already stretched resources and facilities. Without proactive planning, our schools could face serious overcrowding and staffing challenges in the coming years. Compounding these issues, some district files and records have not been updated since 2010, limiting transparency and the committee’s ability to make fully informed decisions. If elected, I would work with my colleagues to take a responsible, data-driven approach by conducting a meticulous review of all funding to ensure every dollar directly benefits students. I would also lead a comprehensive review of district policies, procedures, records, and emergency plans to bring them up to date and ensure they are followed as set forth by current SAUGUS TOWN HALL: the house of town government, where nine candidates are running for five seats on the Board of Selectmen in the Nov. 4 Town Election. (Saugus Advocate file photo by Mark E. Vogler) ulate growth. It worked—but mostly for residential development, which far outpaced commercial expansion. To slow the surge, the town enacted a two-year moratorium on residential projects, yet during that pause failed to revise zoning or create meaningful solutions. That was when I decided to return to public service after recommendations. Finally, I believe in strengthening communication with families, educators, and the community to maintain transparency and accountability. By modernizing our systems, planning responsibly for future growth, and keeping students at the center of every decision, we can ensure that Saugus schools remain strong, safe, and well-prepared to meet the needs of every student. Thomas Whittredge, incumbent Saugus School member: The biggest challenge I foresee the next School Committee will face will be navigating running a school department within the means of the approved budget. Layoffs in any district are devastating to student achievement and my fear is that any potential layoffs in the coming years will have a catastrophic impact on our disa 16-year break, running again for a seat on the Board in 2019. Now, with the Kowloon redevelopment and the Blue Star site project moving forward, Saugus is entering a new era. But this progress raises serious questions: What will it mean for our already strained traffic patterns? Were our new schools built to handle the influx of students? And why do we still lack a town planner and economic development coordinator? The next Board of Selectmen must work closely with the town manager to reset our course. We must also engage our state delegation and the Department of Transportation to address long-overdue traffic issues. Eliminating the jug handle in Peabody, for example, would provide much-needed relief. I love this town deeply, and I’m committed to helping us find balanced, thoughtful solutions for the people of Saugus. NINE CANDIDATES | SEE PAGE 19 trict. The only viable solution is to start living within our means, not over spending, and be financially responsible. We need to be able to support our students in and outside of the classroom, have a more diverse selection of electives at the MSHS complex, and continue to deliver high quality instruction, while providing support for faculty and staff as well as adding more transportation. For any of these scenarios to be possible it will require collaboration between the Superintendent, faculty and the School Committee. I often say that we need to change the way we do business as a district. My hope is that I am re-elected to the School Committee and whoever I have the privilege of serving with will share the same vision, to consistently make decisions with the best interest of the children of the district in mind.
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