Countdown Till Saugus Town Meeting

Editor’s Note: The 2026 Annual Town Meeting convenes on Monday, May 4. As a special service to our readers and the registered voters of Saugus, we are reaching out to all 50 Town Meeting members, focusing on one precinct each week, in the weeks leading up to the start of Town Meeting, asking members about their expectations for the upcoming Town Meeting. This week, we received responses from two of the five Town Meeting Members in Precinct 7. For next week’s newspaper, we will reach out to the five Town Meeting Members from Precinct 8. The 2026 Annual Town Meeting convenes three weeks from Monday.

Question One: What do you consider the top priority for the town as you prepare for the opening of the 2026 Town Meeting session?

John Chipouras: The school budget should be accepted at the first Town Meeting. We have the responsibility to educate our students with proper funding. The Saugus Teachers are educating our students for the future of the town and need our support. No teacher should be responsible to buy their classroom supplies on their own.

Phillip Gil: One of the top priorities to the Town of Saugus I believe is better communication from the top down. Lots of information gets left out or misconstrued and the public sees it one way, while the town sees it another. Would like to see budgets funded completely. Specifically, the school budget which I believe is important for the growth of Saugus. Another issue that came to light now is the water bill situation. I’m hoping that we can work together to figure out what the issue is and solve it.

Question Two: What do you consider the top priority for residents in your precinct as you prepare for the opening of the 2025 Town Meeting session?

John Chipouras: The top priority for Precinct 7 and the rest of the town is to investigate the increased Water and Sewer bills after the new water meters were installed. I have gotten many phone calls regarding this issue.

Phillip Gil: For Precinct 7, I had a few residents bring forth an abandoned home. They brought it to the BOS and there have been some changes made to the property which shows progress. Traffic is still high on the list specifically from Walnut Street on Lynnfield line down to Central Street lights. Also, again the water bills have affected some of P7 residents and we are looking for answers.

Question Three: Are you working independently or in collaboration with other members on articles to be introduced for this year’s Town Meeting? Could you please elaborate? Summarize your article and what you hope to accomplish.

John Chipouras: I am not working with any other Town Meeting Members on any specific articles.

Phillip Gil: I have been working with multiple town meeting members from all different precincts on a lot of different articles. There is a great wave of new TMM who are eager to help Saugus grow to its full potential. In all, I believe Saugus has so much potential. Saugus is a great town and a great place to raise a family. Just need to tweak a few things, and I believe that we can and will be successful with this round of newly elected members and officials.