THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021 Page 3 Special Town Meeting A session to “clean up” the budget is set for Dec. 6 By Mark E. Vogler T own Manager Scott C. Crabtree says a Special Town Meeting he requested for next month will enable Saugus town government “to complete our budget process.” The most important of the four articles on the warrant – Article 2 – would allow the town to rescind the vote under Article 2 of the 2021 Annual Town Meeting to transfer an amount not to exceed $1.4 million from the Stabilization Fund as a funding source for town charges for the 2022 Fiscal Year that began July 1. The money would be drawn from Free Cash to restore the Stabilization Fund. The Special Town Meeting is set for 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6 and will be conducted via Zoom teleconferencing at the request of Town Moderator Steve Doherty. “We used the stabilization money to balance the budget,” Crabtree said at Tuesday’s (Nov. 16) Board of Selectmen’s meeting. “This will help us maintain our bond rating,” he added. The town was able to use the Stabilization Fund on a shortterm basis to pass a budget during an uncertain fiscal climate affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. “The year before [2020], we were looking at $2.4 million to balance the budget,” he said. The town manager noted that other communities were faced with layoffs, cuts in services and increased fees. Meanwhile, Saugus has been in “a good financial situation” deVideo captures Halloween vandalism at World Series Park N ine cameras which make up the security system at World Series Park recorded vandalism at the park on Halloween Night. “We hope to identify those responsible from the surveillance video. We will ask for restitution and prosecution,” World Series Park Superintendent Bob Davis said this week. “How ironic, during the day we had a great community event at which we raised funds for a dreaded disease and at night these hoodlums come along and try to destroy the place. The video shows both boys and girls between the ages of 13 to 18,” he said. Davis, who found the damage, turned the video over to Saugus Police, who are conducting an investigation. After a successful fundraiser for multiple sclerosis that day, vandals struck between 7:00 and 8:30 p.m. Pumpkins left from the daytime event were smashed all over the place. In addition, the snack bar serving door was pried open and left jammed; a camera was stolen; and eggs were broken on the building. Anyone who witnessed this vandalism, has RECOGNIZE THIS PERSON? One of the photos shot by a surveillance video camera on Halloween (Oct. 31) night shows a suspected vandal wearing a striped tie at World Series Park. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate). knowledge of it or can identify the suspected vandal in the photo should contact the Saugus Police. spite the uncertain times affected by COVID-19. “We’re still balancing the budget with free cash, which is not a great practice,” Crabtree said. But the town manager said he hopes to avoid that practice in future years as town revenues increase. Another article would authorize the payment of unpaid bills from previous years. There are also articles to appropriate matching funds on a grant and to make a supplementary appropriation to be used on a Saugus Cable TV audit. The Special Town Meeting will not be held at Town Hall because of health concerns over COVID-19. “Because I do not foresee any way to safely assemble our 50 member Town Meeting, and allow for public attendance at the same time while complying with state directives on public assemblies during the current health emergency, I am hereby, requesting permission from the Saugus Board of Selectmen to hold the 2021 Special Town Meeting, as last year, in an on-line format, using the Zoom meeting platform, on the evening of Monday, Dec. 6,” the town moderator wrote in a letter to selectmen.
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