Page 18 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2021 Saugus author releases new Westerns S augus author and poet Tom Sheehan, in his 94th year (SHS 1947), has just received word that Pocol Press of Punxsutawney, Pa. has released with incredible honor their 9th and 10th collections of his Western books “The Townsman” and “The Horseman Cometh and Other StoPANDEMIC | FROM PAGE 9 Committee recommendation against approving an article which many town offi cials worry could lead to massive cuts in the town’s operating budget over the next 30 years. The estimated fi nancial impact for Saugus over a 30-year period is $40.6 million. A project with that kind of price tag should be funded through a debt exclusion instead of the town’s operating budget – and by a vote of the people, a majority of the members agreed. Otherwise, the town would be faced with having to fund its share by an average of $1.3 million from its operating budget each year. The chief municipal bodies of each of the 12 communities in the Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational School District had to vote on acceptance or rejection of the project. Rejection by any single community would force district offi cials to seek a general election for a popular vote by residents in each community. Hours before Saugus Town Meeting members rejected the article, the Chelsea City Council voted 11-0 against the debt authorization. The vote by Chelsea set up a Special Election in each of the 12 communities. In Saugus that will be on Jan. 25 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Saugus Senior Center. Regardless of whether Saugus voters oppose the project, a majority vote of the 12 communities will enable the project to continue. At that point, Saugus offi cials would have to consider how the town will pay its share. 7) Efforts to spur revitalization of Cliftondale Square. The Cliftondale Revitalization Committee created by Saugus Town Meeting launched a new eff ort to overcome challenges which have plagued the town’s historic business district for nearly four decades. A draft copy of Cliftondale Revitalization Committee’s Final Report concluded it’s possible to spark new life into the town’s dying business and housing district, providing the town, property ries.” The release says readers can ride along shotgun with this prolifi c author as he blazes new Western tales across the prairie in Amazon and Kindle versions. The Saugonian pens moralistic short stories brimming with frothy beverages imbibed at local owners, businesses and other stakeholders make a collaborative commitment. 8) Future use of the old Ballard School property. For the second consecutive year, citizens had a chance to share their views on the future use of the old Ballard School, which was turned over by the School Committee to the town. During the past year, town offi - cials have been considering the rundown site of the former Ballard School as an ideal spot for a dog walk area and also a community garden. “‘Ballard Gardens’ would be a passive, non-recreational, greenspace that would have topographical landscaping, walkways, plantings and benches,” Precinct 10 Town Meeting member Peter Manoogian said in July of the proposal he’s been developing in consultation with Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree and his staff . Manoogian, one of the members of the five-person study committee to investigate the potential use for the Ballard School, made a presentation inside the old school. About 45 people – most of them residents from the neighborhood surrounding the town’s vacant and deteriorating Ballard School building and grounds – got to learn about the “Ballard Gardens” proposal. Most of the neighbors who spoke said they like the concept of tearing down the old schoolhouse and beautifying the area for passive recreation – an ideal place where kids can play and grownups can relax. The process of how the town disposes of the Ballard School property could create a model to help guide town offi cials and residents consider the disposal of other town schools that will be coming off line in the near future. The Ballard School Study Committee fi led its report with the Town off ering options on what to do with the old schoolhouse and how to use it in the future. The Ballard School is just one of fi ve former Saugus Public Schools building properties that will be the subject of study for possible reuse in town over the next few years. Saugus saloons, passionate revenge, romantic sequences and plenty of gunplay. His understanding of the mythic West in America remains as strong as a cowboy’s rope. And somewhere, Tom Mix is smiling. Sheehan’s book output now totals 55; 33 by publishers and 22 self-published. Public Schools and school administration have consolidated into three buildings – largely because of the construction and opening of the new Saugus Middle-High School Complex and renovations of the Veterans Memorial School and the Belmonte School. The School Department no longer has a need for three elementary schools: the Waybright Elementary School, the Lynnhurst Elementary School and the Oaklandvale Elementary School. In addition, the school administrative staff have moved out of the Roby School Administration Building on Main Street and into the Belmonte School. The town will eventually consider what to do with these properties. 9) Violent crimes broke out in Saugus in December, leading to the suspicious deaths of two people, one of them already declared a homicide victim. In early December, family members found the body of Michael Norton, 26, inside his Essex Landing apartment, sparking a murder investigation. Angjeliki Hodaj, 33, of Saugus, remained in jail, being held without bail since being charged with the murder. Police and the District Attorney’s Offi ce have released few details about that homicide. Meanwhile, police have charged the boyfriend in connection with death of the Woburn woman whose body was discovered on Dec. 21 in the marsh area along Route 107. On Dec. 22, offi cers of the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section arrested Bruce Maiben, 44, of Lynn, on multiple charges that arose out of the police probe of the death of Sherell Pringle, 40, of Woburn. Pringle was reported missing by her son after she did not return home last Saturday night when she was reportedly out on a date with Maiben. He was arraigned in Lynn District Court on charges of Larceny over $1,200, Tampering with Evidence and Obstruction arising from the investigation into Pringle’s death. Officials have said that “foul play” is suspected. In August, a Saugus womPANDEMIC | SEE PAGE 21 Sa enir Sa y Senior Senio BY JIM MILLER Deciphering Senior Housing Options Dihi S i Dear Savvy Senior, Can you decipher the diff erent types of housing options available to seniors, and recommend some good resources for locating them? I need to fi nd a place for my elderly mother and could use some help. Overwhelmed Daughter Dear Overwhelmed, There’s a wide array of housing options available to seniors, but what’s appropriate for your mom will depend on her needs and fi nancial situation. Here’s a rundown of the diff erent levels of senior housing and some resources to help you choose one. Independent living: If your mom is in relatively good health and self-suffi cient, “independent living communities” are a top option that can offer a sense of community. Typically available to people over age 55, this type of senior housing is usually apartments or town homes that are fully functional. In addition, many communities also off er amenities such as meals served in a common dining area, housekeeping, transportation and a variety of social activities. To locate this type of housing, contact your Area Agency on Aging (call 800-677-1116 to get your local number), or use an online search tool like Caring.com. Most of these communities are private pay only and can vary greatly in cost ranging anywhere from $1,500 to $6,000 per month. Assisted living: If your mom needs some help with daily living chores, she’ll probably need an “assisted living facility.” These facilities provide help with the activities of daily living – like bathing, dressing, eating, going to the bathroom – as needed, as well as meals, housekeeping, transportation, social activities and medication management. Many facilities also off er special “memory care units” for residents with dementia. Costs for assisted living usually run between $3,000 and $6,000 per month depending on location and services needed. Most residents pay for assisted living from personal funds, while some have longterm care insurance policies. And many state Medicaid programs today also cover some assisted living costs for fi nancially eligible residents. Another similar, but less expensive option to look into is “board and care homes.” These offer many of the same services as assisted living facilities but in a much smaller home setting. Your Area Aging Agency is again a good resource for fi nding assisted living facilities and board care homes, as is Caring.com. Nursing homes: If your mom needs ongoing medical and personal care or has very limited mobility, a nursing home, which provides 24-hour skilled nursing care is the next option. To find a good one, use Medicare’s nursing home compare tool at Medicare.gov/ care-compare. This tool will not only help you locate nursing homes in your area, it also provides a 5-star rating system on recent health inspections, staff - ing, quality of care, and overall rating. But be aware that nursing home care is very expensive, costing anywhere between $4,500 and $13,000 per month for a semi-private room depending on where you live. Most residents pay from either personal funds, a longterm care insurance policy or through Medicaid after their savings are depleted. Continuing-care re - tirement communities (CCRC’s): If your mom has the fi nancial resources, a “CCRC” is another option that provides all levels of housing (independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing home care) in one convenient location. But these communities typically require a hefty entrance fee that can range from $20,000 to $500,000 or more, plus ongoing monthly service fees that vary from around $2,000 to over $4,000. To search for CCRC’s visit Caring.com. Need Help? If you’re not sure what your mom needs, consider hiring an aging life care expert (AgingLifeCare.org) who can assess your mom and fi nd her appropriate housing for a fee – usually between $300 and $800. Or you can use a senior care advising service like A Place for Mom (APlaceForMom.com) for free. They get paid from the senior living facilities in their network. 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. nior ior
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