Page 2 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, DECEmbEr 12, 2025 E-BIKES | FROM PAGE 1 rum Several Town Meeting members and citizens addressed the Board of Selectmen about their e-bike and related fears at the Nov. 25 meeting. Several selectmen at that meeting said that plans are already underway to hold a public forum early next year with a focus on e-bike safety. “Ideally, I would like a community forum comprised of all stakeholders including public officials, Board of Selectmen, School Committee, Town meeting members, state delegation, public safety personnel, parents, students and anyone else who would like to join,” Selectman Jeffrey Cicolini said. “My preference for timing would be January, if not February so we can explore and research options and have any items implemented before spring, when the E bikes will be back in large numbers,” Cicolini said. “There are many town officials who have done a lot of legwork and research on the matter already, Mark Bell is one who deserves recognition. I am very appreciative of the data he has put together and shared to help get the ball rolling,” he said. “I have had numerous conversations with our chief of police. The department has the appetite to implement measures that will result in public safety and discourage the use of E-bikes in an unsafe manner on our streets.” Board of Selectman Chair Lawrence A. Simeone Jr. Attorney-at-Law ~ Since 1989 ~ * Corporate Litigation * Criminal/Civil * MCAD * Zoning/Land Court * Wetlands Litigation * Workmen’s Compensation * Landlord/Tenant Litigation * Real Estate Law * Construction Litigation * Tax Lien * Personal Injury * Bankruptcy * Wrongful Death * Zoning/Permitting Litigation 300 Broadway, Suite 1, Revere * 781-286-1560 lsimeonejr@simeonelaw.net Debra Panetta said this week she has already begun planning for the upcoming forum. No date has been set yet. “I have contacted the School Committee Chairman, Principal Carla Scuzzarella, the Town Manager, the Police Chief, and plan on discussing this with the Saugus Business Education Collaborative,” Panetta told The Saugus Advocate. “This is an issue in all communities, not just Saugus. I would hope students and parents will attend, where it is important that everyone gains a better understanding of the dangers of riding e-bikes and scooters,” she said. “We will need to review the laws and safety concerns with the residents. Many students are not wearing helmets, which is problematic. In fact, many students just have their helmets hanging off their safety bars. I hope that with this education and additional enforcement that we can avoid accidents.” Panetta said she’s troubled by some of the things she’s personally observed. “What I noticed was the number of students not wearing helmets, which is very concerning. Sometimes there are two students on the same motorized bicycle where neither one of them is wearing a helmet, and they’re going very fast,” she said. The Saugus Public School strategy Several School Committee members interviewed by The Saugus Advocate said school officials have begun discussion on steps the schools and the school district can take for public safety’s sake. “The School Department has been proactive in addressing this situation since the beginning of the school year,” School Committee Chair Thomas Whittredge said. “The Middle/High School has sent multiple emails to parents and students outlining expectations, rules, and safety guidelines for e-bikes. We also have schoolwide assemblies planned, hosted by the ‘Safe Routes to School’ group,” Whittredge said. “The overall message is clear: be smart, be safe, and be responsible — or e-bikes will no longer be permitted on school property. While forums and assemblies are important, the reality is that without active parent involvement, our message will not reach the students who need to hear it most,” he said. Meanwhile, Saugus Middle High School Principal Carla Scuzzarella said school officials have seen an uptick in the use of e-bikes, e-scooters and mopeds, along with regular bikes and scooters. “Our bike racks were overflowing all fall. Now that the weather has turned colder we are seeing less of these vehicles. With that said, the motorized vehicles are a safety concern for us as the students are not as careful as we want them to be, especially with the heavy traffic around the building in the morning and afternoon,” Scuzzarella said. “We added a section to this year’s Student Handbook about students riding bikes, scooters, etc. to school. This paragraph reminds students to wear a helmet, follow the rules of the road, etc. I sent a detailed email home in late September urging parents/ guardians to remind students to use caution when riding motorized vehicles to school,” Scuzzarella said. “We specifically reminded students and families about walking the scooters and bikes when on school property, and not weaving in and out of the traffic. We told families that students who do not operate their vehicles safely may lose the privilege of bringing the bike/scooter to school. When I send messages home to families, I usually put a reminder about bike/scooter safety at the end of the message.” The Saugus Middle High School will be hosting asE-BIKES | SEE PAGE 4 PART-TIME JOB OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE: * VICTIM ADVOCATE * ATTORNEY Portal To Hope (“PTH”) serves people whose lives have been impacted by domestic violence and related assault crimes. If you would like to join PTH’s award-winning team and share your leadership in the cause to end domestic violence, please call (781) 338-7678 for more information; or, email portaltohope@aol.com.
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