THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2021 Page 9 PANDEMIC | FROM PAGE 5 system around over the past 12 months as students finally began attending classes in the state-of-the-art Saugus Middle-High School Complex; the education system moved out of its elementary schools and consolidated into three new or remodeled buildings; and the School Committee hired a top official from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as the district’s new superintendent. School Committee Member Joseph “Dennis” Gould reflected on the enormous strides by Saugus to turn its education around, citing two School Department stories at the top of his top 10 list. “First, was the finishing of Veterans Early Learning Center, Belmonte STEAM Academy and Saugus Middle High School and transitioning all the students and teachers into a new three school system,” Gould said. “The second top story in School District and Town I believe was the hiring of Ms Erin McMahon, as School Superintendent to lead the district forward,” he said. “With the opportunity ahead of us with the new three school system, having all students and teachers from the same grade in one school and with the vision and leadership of Ms McMahon, I am very confident we will enhance all students’ educational experience and opportunities. “The future under Ms McMahon looks bright, and we are shooting for the moon!” 3) Town Election 2021 – a year when the town voted to keep most of its incumbent officials. This was an election where incumbent office holders seemed to have a decided edge – a complete reversal from two years ago. Voters reelected 10 of the 11 candidates who ran townwide campaigns. Despite facing five challengers, all five selectmen held onto their seats by comfortable margins. Anthony W. Cogliano, Sr. finished as the top vote-getter for the second straight election, claiming the honor to serve as board chair for two more years. Runner-up Debra Panetta claimed the vice-chair’s seat for the next two years. Voters also reelected Selectmen Jeffrey Cicolini, Corinne Riley and Mike Serino. Meanwhile, four of the five School Committee members who replaced the incumbent committee members two years ago won another term. Only Committee Member Arthur Grabowski failed to get reelected, finishing last in a field of seven candidates – 429 votes behind his nearest competitor. School Committee Chair Thomas Whittredge topped the field again to keep his leadership position. Former School Committee Member Vincent Serino finished second to clinch the vicechair seat. Committee members Ryan Fisher, John Hatch and Joseph “Dennis” Gould were all reelected. Veteran Housing Authority Chair William B. Stewart beat his nearest opponent by 384 votes in a three-way race to win his third four-year term. Thirty-eight of the 41 incumbent Town Meeting members won reelection in their respective races in the 10 precincts. Twelve new Town Meeting members joined the 50-member body after this year’s biennial town election. Only 4,042 of the town’s 20,362 registered voters – 19.85 percent – turned out for this election. 4) The rebranding of Wheelabrator into a new company and efforts to improve communications between the town and one of its top taxpayers on financial and environmental issues related to the operation of the trash-to-energy incinerator on Route 107. In April, Wheelabrator Technologies Inc. announced it was among 10 leading waste industry businesses that were being integrated into a single company operating under the WIN Waste Innovations brand name. Even with the name change, the trash-to-energy plant on Route 107 continued to be a significant story over the past year. The Board of Health’s Wheelabrator Subcommittee conducted several meetings which resulted in improved dialogue between the town and the operators of the trash-to-energy plant. WIN Waste Innovations credited a new silencer system with keeping the noise level down in a turbine shutdown in July that would have sparked dozens of complaints from Saugus and Revere. Members of the Board of Health’s Wheelabrator subcommittee asked WIN officials to present them with a written proposal of what they are willing to include in a potential host agreement between the town and operators of the trash incinerator. At year’s end, the committee broached the issue of a host agreement for the town and the hotly contested topic of a possible closure date for the ash landfill. 5) Further progress on the crafting of Saugus 2035 – the town’s revived Master Plan. A second public visioning forum coordinated by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) produced preliminary goals in economic development, transportation and public facilities components of the town’s revised Master Plan. How to revitalize Cliftondale Square, making Route 1 safer and less congestive and establishing the vision for future economic development throughout the town were among the issues that drew much discussion. 6) The financial impact of how Saugus will pay its share of the proposed 317.4 million Northeast Metro Tech Regional District School project – for the design, engineering and construction of the new school and related athletic facilities. In a two-hour plus session held in October via Zoom videoconferencing because of health concerns over COVID-19, members voted 37-6 in favor of a Finance PANDEMIC | SEE PAGE 18 Gerry D’Ambrosio Attorney-at-Law Is Your Estate in Order? Do you have an update Will, Health Care Proxy or Power of Attorney? If Not, Please Call for a Free Consultation. 14 Proctor Avenue, Revere (781) 284-5657
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