Page 2 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, NOVEmbEr 18, 2022 RECYCLING | FROM PAGE 1 it’s not a school,” said Board of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano, who has been a longtime advocate for a third fire station to be located on the town’s west side. Selectman Corinne Riley said Monday night’s forum was “a first step in many meetings to come to get public input to see what happens to the closed school buildings over the next several years.” “This kind of public outreach for citizen input is one way to hear new and different ideas during such an important process. Just in the first meeting held tonight, there were ideas shared that maybe someone hadn’t thought of,” Riley said. “The Board of Selectman and the Town Manager know how important these discussions are and I look forward to future meetings including the residents along with elected officials and others who are willing to get involved to move our town forward,” she said. Precinct 5 Town Meeting Member Ron Wallace, who also sits on the Cemetery Commission, said land is desperately needed for more gravesites. “Our cemetery [Riverside Cemetery] is almost full,” he said. Some residents suggested that some of the school buildings be considered for affordable housing to accommodate families, veterans and elderly people. Crabtree stressed that Monday’s meeting was just the first step of a long process. “Right now, it’s ideas,” Crabtree said. “I think everyone in general wants to keep our property and not try to sell it,” he said. Looking for feedback at Monday’s forum on reuse of school buildings were, pictured from left to right, Selectmen Mike Serino, Debra Panetta, Anthony Cogliano, Jeff Cicolini and Corinne Riley. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) ~ Letter to the Editor ~ $4.95 The 1960s Come Back to Bite Us I GALLON We accept: MasterCard * Visa * & Discover Price Subject to Change without notice 100 Gal. Min. 24 Hr. Service 781-286-2602 t seems that we’re in a time warp regarding the environment. In 1934, owners of Breakheart Hill Forest sold their land to the state with the understanding that it would be preserved as a state park for all to enjoy. Thirty-one years later, in 1965, the state transferred 60 acres of this land to the Metro Tech school district to build a school. [Note that, contrary to what you may have heard, school districts are public property. Private property can only be held by individuals or corporations.] Metro Tech developed about half of this land, choosing to build on the flatter, northern portion. They preserved the forested southern half, which extends up onto a hill all the way to Farm Street. Since then, this rugged, elevated forest has been the domain of wildflowers and wildlife, and of hikers, runners, and dog walkers. It’s clear that the state gave the Metro Tech twice the land it needed. As a result, part of the forest that should have remained a state park was put at risk for development. Since 1965, we have had the environmental movement, including the founding of US EPA under President Nixon, 52 Earth Days, and innumerable reports on human impacts on the environment. During this almost 60-year period, we have come to understand the essential role of nature in every aspect of our lives. Where does our forest fit into this picture? Forests purify air, filter water, prevent erosion, provide habitat for thousands of species, and serve as a buffer against climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide. Forests are some of the most beautiful, magical places on Earth and we are losing them at an alarming rate. Recently our state government developed a Massachusetts Forest Action Plan (www.mass.gov/service-details/massachusetts-forest-action-plan). This 2020 plan is a 10-year update to the “Assessment of the Forest Resources of Massachusetts” and “Forest Resource Strategies of Massachusetts” published in 2010. Among other goals, the plan includes these: Goal 4: Maintain and increase urban tree canopy; Goal 5: Enhance the connection between forests and people; and Goal 6: Increase land base of conserved forests (keep forests as forests). Despite this environmental awareness, what did the Metro Tech building committee decide to do when given the task of siting a school? They decided to ignore everything we have learned since 1965 and everything in our forest action plan. The building committee chose site C3, a site rejected by the pre-feasibility study as “environmentally and fiLETTER | SEE PAGE 3 LEGAL NOTICE SAUGUS BOARD OF SELECTMEN PUBLIC HEARING Notice is hereby given that the Saugus Board of Selectmen will conduct a Public Hearing for the purpose of determining the percentage of local tax levy FY 2023 to be borne by each class of taxable property within the Town of Saugus, MA. This Public Hearing will be held in the Saugus Town Hall Auditorium, second floor, 298 Central Street, Saugus, MA on November 29, 2022 at 7:15 PM. Anthony Cogliano, Chairman Janice K. Jarosz, Temp. Clerk November 18, 23, 2022
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