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Page 16 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – Friday, November 8, 2019 ASKS | FROM PAGE 1 ferent perspective now than back then. Q: Do you think that the big anti-incumbent feeling out there in town that we saw in this recent election, that it all boils down to what happened to the custodians? A: Yes. That’s a huge underlying factor. Q: How huge? A: It could easily have been a situation where everybody was gone; it was that close that everybody who was on the board could have disappeared. And I think that the people in town are smart enough to realize that did just not come from the school side of town government. If you look at past statements from the town manager – he’s questioned the “paras,” the custodians, the cafeteria workers. It’s all been something that’s been said before. So, I think that was something that was discussed between the two sides of government. Q: If you were on the Board [of Selectmen] at the time, would you have done something to head that off [replacement of the custodians]? And what would it have been? A: Absolutely. I certainly would have stood up and said, “You’ve got to take care of Saugus people first.” You know, there are other ways they could have done things: They could have gotten creative and taken some money instead of going about it that way; and there are other ways they could have handled that. In my opinion, they were treated so disrespectful, and it showed. I think everyone came out and spoke loud and clear that they weren’t going to stand for it again. And I will make sure that – like I had said during a debate, had I been on the board at the time, I still would have gotten up and spoken for them because you don’t lose your rights as a citizen even if you are not speaking as a member of the Board of Selectmen. I just think it was wrong. I think they [custodians] were handled terrible, and, hopefully, that’s the last of it. Q: You feel it was a major mistake to get rid of the custodians and something that cost the School Committee members the election? A: Yes, that was huge. You got to protect Saugus people. It looks like the paraprofessionals are the next people on the list to eliminate, but that’s not going to happen Q: So, what if the state Attorney General’s Division of Open Government determines there were Open Meeting Law violations during the privatization of custodial services? Would you support bringing back school custodians? A: If there is any way for them to come back, it would be 100 percent focus for me. Saugus workers are important to me. I can see the DPW numbers dwindling. I really want to sit down with the manager and the board and get an understanding of where we are going with everything. We have the police chief that’s been acting for over a year. Q: Over a year? A: Yes, and I want to know what’s going on with that. There are a lot of questions that need to be answered. Q: You mention the interim police chief, but there are several key department heads and positions that have not been filled… like the planning director and the town planner … A: And it shows – and with the issues on Route 1 with the building moratorium – that’s a critical issue: not to have a planner in place … and putting forth a plan that’s going to work. Q: I believe there are a half dozen key positions that haven’t been filled… A: And need to be filled. Q: Is that something because of the low-wage scale in Saugus? A: I’m not sure what to make of it, but I think there are a lot of factors. Q: Then why hasn’t the Board of Selectmen addressed this issue over the last couple of years? A: Well, I think there were a lot of things that weren’t addressed over the last couple of years. Q: Well, what’s the major thing? A: It just seems as though everything was just one big “rubber stamp” on everything. I don’t think there was much oversight on things that were going on. Q: What do you mean “rubber stamp”? You mean approving whatever the town manager requested? A: Yeah. Absolutely. As for myself, I will question everything that’s going on. If I have questions, I am certainly going to ask them, and I am going to demand that I get answers. I think the fact that there are so many department head positions that are open – it is not a comfortable environment to work in. The pay scale is not right. Something is not right for this to be going on. Q: How is the morale among Town employees? A: You know, I don’t know. I have been away from town government so long; I kept my distance from the Town. I did my thing with town sports and everything else and stayed very active with the high school, but now that I’m back in [on Board of Selectmen], I have walked around and introduced myself to some people I didn’t know, and I intend on doing that quite a bit. I want to talk to everybody and get an understanding of what’s going on, and talk to the department heads myself, but I’m not trying to micromanage the manager. That’s his job, but I want to get a feeling for what it is. And if I can help correct it, I will. Q: Now, do you want to see a public evaluation for the town manager, something similar to the school superintendent? A: Yes. That is 100 percent correct. Q: Has that been something you will be talking about with other members of the board? A: I will speak to other members of the board. I want to get a meeting with Scott [Town Manager Crabtree) as soon as possible. If he can bring us up to speed on a lot of things and a lot of questions that we discussed tonight… and I want to hear from him: his take on it, why these positions are still available, and also to bring up the fact that everybody needs to be evaluated. You know, there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s how you judge someone’s highs and lows, and I think it’s a good thing. Q: Now, have you been in a position to give your own evaluation of him? A: Well, I have some opinions on what he’s doing great. I have my opinion on things I don’t think he does that well, but again, I want to get a chance to sit down with him and talk to him before I get into that. Everybody has strengths and weaknesses. And where I think I can help with some things, I will give my opinion on it. I’m looking forward to hearing from the other board members, too, because I’m sure there are some questions that they may have that maybe they didn’t feel comfortable with asking. It’s got to be a different situation. Q: Well, let me ask you this to follow-up on some of your earlier comments: Do you think the town manager was too involved with the custodian issue? A: I think he was quite heavily involved with that. Q: How so? A: He was part of the evalASKS | SEE PAGE 17 S by Jim Miller How to Create an Ethical Will Dear Savvy Senior, Can you write a column on ethical wills and how to make one? The attorney that made up my will recently suggested I write one as a tool to explain the intentions of my will, as well as express my thoughts and feelings, but I don’t know where to start. Interested Senior Dear Interested, An ethical will – also referred to as a legacy letter – can be a valuable complement to your legal will, as well as a wonderful gift to your family or other loved ones. Here’s what you should know along with some tips to help you make one. Ethical Wills Unlike a last will and testament, which tells your loved ones (and the legal world) what you want them to have, an ethical will (which is not a legal document) tells them what you want them to know. With an ethical will, you can share with your loved ones your feelings, wishes, regrets, gratitude and advice, as well as explain the elements in your legal will, give information about the money and possessions you’re passing on, and anything else you want to communicate. Usually no more than a few pages, the process of writing an ethical will can actually be quite satisfying. But be careful that you don’t contradict any aspects of your legal will or estate plan. If you’re having trouble with the writing, there are resources available to help you, or you can express yourself through an audio or video recording. Where to Start To craft an ethical will, start by jotting down some notes about what’s really important to you and what you want your loved ones to know. Take your time and remember that you’re not trying to write for the Pulitzer Prize. This letter is a gift of yourself written for those you love. After you’ve gathered your thoughts you can start drafting your letter. You can also revise or rewrite it anytime you want. And for safekeeping, keep your ethical will with your other legal documents in a secure location but be sure your executor has access to it. A safe-deposit box or fireproof filing cabinet or safe in your home is a good choice. Get Help If you need some help, there are numerous resources available like Celebrations of Life (CelebrationsofLife.net), which offers how-to information and examples of ethical wills, along with a “Ethical Wills: Putting Your Values on Paper” book, and the Ethical Wills/Legacy Letters workbook that you can purchase for $16 and $10 respectively. Another good resource is Personal Legacy Advisors (PersonalLegacyAdvisors.com), a company that offers ethical will writing classes and workshops, along with personalized services like coaching, editing, writing and/or audio or video recording your ethical will. Prices will vary depending on the services you choose. They also sell a doit-yourself guidebook “The Wealth of Your Life: A Step-byStep Guide for Creating Your Ethical Will,” by Susan Turnbull for $24. You also need to know that many people choose to share their ethical will with their family and friends while they’re still living so they can enjoy their reactions, while others think it should be read after their death. It’s up to you. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

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