Page 4 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, OCTObEr 20, 2023 ~ The Advocate Asks ~ Town Meeting’s Peter Manoogian shares his views on what makes Precinct 10 special and the top issues facing the people he represents Editor’s Note: For this week’s column, we sat down with Town Meeting Member Peter Manoogian and asked him what makes Precinct 10 so special and what he sees as the top issues in the Saugus neighborhoods he represents. Manoogian, who turns 69 next month, spent 34 years as an educator before retiring. First elected in 1985, he has never lost an election. He has served East Saugus and all of Saugus in a variety of roles, including three terms as a selectman, past member and Chairman of the Saugus Finance Committee, past Chairman of the 2007-2009 Charter Commission, Vice Chairman of the Saugus School Committee (2015-2017), and many appointed sub-committees Gerry D’Ambrosio Attorney-at-Law Is Your Estate in Order? Do you have an update Will, Health Care Proxy or Power of Attorney? If Not, Please Call for a Free Consultation. 14 Proctor Avenue, Revere (781) 284-5657 of Town Meeting, most recently being on the Ballard School Study Committee. He is a 1972 graduate of Saugus High School. He received his bachelor’s degree in History from Salem State College (1976), a master’s degree in public administration from Suffolk University (1991) and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Salem State College (2001). He and his wife Sandra, have three grown-up sons: Peter, who lives in Winchester; Alex, who lives in Saugus; and Julian, who lives in Charleston – all Saugus High graduates. His service and advocacy for his community and his precinct resulted in his being named Saugus Person of the Year in 2018. Some highlights of that interview follow: Precinct 10 Town Meeting Member Peter Manoogian relaxed with a coffee after a recent interview. He is one of several Precinct 10 Town Meeting members who are expected to appear in the Community Room at the Saugus Public Library next Monday (Oct. 23) at 6:30 p.m. for the latest “Saugus Over Coffee” forum. Precinct 10 residents will be able to enjoy a cup of coffee with their representatives before the event and listen to their representatives highlight what they think are the key issues facing Precinct 10. Doors open at 6 p.m. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) Q: Please tell me a little bit about your Saugus roots. A: My father moved here in the 40s from the Armenian enclave in Watertown. Moving from the urban part of Watertown to Saugus is like from Saugus to the inner woods of Maine. Q: What makes Precinct 10 special? A: It’s always had diversity because it’s the most affordable part of town. Bristow Street and Venice Ave. are an Italian enclave. Demographically, East Saugus has had a history of ethnic and cultural diversity. We have many Jews in East Saugus, many Poles and French Canadians. We once had the largest lobster fleet on the East Coast based right here in Saugus. It’s still an economic factor. We have two active boatyards in East Saugus and social clubs – the Italian American Club and the Fox Hill Yacht Club. The tight-knit families for many years have characterized East Saugus. The area has always had its share of political characters. East Saugus has always had people active in government. Q: Please tell me a little bit about the history. A: There was a controversy that they were going to build the Town Hall where it is now, so East Saugus wanted to secede from the town. East Saugus was going to break away, so to pacify East Saugus, new water pipes were installed. A lot of your infrastructure is in East Saugus. The sewer pump station used to be a public library. Saugus General Hospital was right on Chestnut Street. We had the Ballard School. There’s a lot of interesting history in this part of town. Washington and Lafayette went over Boston Road to get to Salem. There was talk of having an oil tank farm here in the 30s. The Patriots were talking about building a football stadium here in the 1960s. There was also talk of a commuter rail station. A lot of noted Saugus High athletes came from East Saugus. A lot of GE factory workers and World War II veterans lived in East Saugus. Q: What about famous people who lived here? A: Marian L. Starkey, who wrote “The Devil in Massachusetts: A Modern Enquiry into the Salem Witch Trials.” Q: Anything else? A: The great paradox for East Saugus is that it generated so many elected officials. But in spite of that, these same elected officials have sacrificed East Saugus. East Saugus has been affected by the globalization of inASKS | SEE PAGE 12
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