Countdown Till Town Meeting

Editor’s Note: The 2024 Annual Town Meeting convenes on Monday, May 6. As a special service to our readers and the registered voters of Saugus, we will reach 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 8. For next week’s newspaper, we will reach out to the five Town Meeting members from Precinct 9.

Question One: What do you consider the top priority for the town as you prepare for the opening of the 2024 Town Meeting session?

Arthur Grabowski: First of all, let me say that the role of Town Meeting is really limited in its scope. We can only act on the articles put forward in the town warrant. Most of those articles are spending articles dealing with all the town department operating budgets. Most other spending articles such as capital expenditures also require town meeting approvals. It should be noted that the budget for the School Department, unlike others in the town, is, by law, a bottom-line lump sum amount. Neither the town officials nor town meeting can direct them how to spend that bottom line amount. The other major responsibility of the town meeting is zoning; this is quite important now with the multitude of developers wanting to build apartments in town. The one caveat that Town Meeting can do is put forward resolutions, in other words suggestions to the town administration as to how the town should operate. These resolutions are merely suggestions and carry no enforcement mechanisms.

That being said I believe there are three top priorities I would like to see the town address, they are traffic, over development and quality of life issues that affect all residents and local neighborhoods

I would also like to see all elected and appointed officials in town adopt a strict code of ethics and conflict of interest. Too many times in the past there have been allegations of “well connected“ residents and developers apparently getting preferential treatment in their dealing with the town. This has to stop! The time has come for special interest groups to stop thinking they can influence town politics by making donations or trying to influence local elections with sham committees that put money and resources behind candidates and initiatives that only enhance their activities.

Thomas E. Traverse: I am interested in updates of two projects that are looming over the direction the Town moved forward. 1) West side fire station. 2) Construction of vocational school.

Question Two: What do you consider the top priority for residents in your precinct as you prepare for the opening of the 2024 Town Meeting session?

Arthur Grabowski: In my precinct, 8, there are several issues that are major concerns. We hear and see it every day – TRAFFIC – I am not sure how much town meeting can influence an answer to this issue but it not only is an issue in my precinct but town wide. I believe that town meeting several years ago passed an article to create and fund a 3-person traffic unit in the police department… I would like to research this issue further and see what we can do to alleviate these conditions. Another issue less specific but more town wide is quality of life issues. Residents want to see essential services maintained and enhanced to make them proud and happy to live in Saugus. By this I mean trash and recycling programs to keep our streets and neighborhoods clean, pothole and street repair, and most important over development. The over development of apartment complexes in town has destroyed much open space. It appears that several developers have come into town with grandiose plans and concepts, only to never follow through with their plans and then modify them to suit their bottom line without regard to neighborhood ramifications. Zoning should not be modified or changed simply to accommodate a specific business or development, but should be protective of residents and neighborhood concerns. Our residents come first and foremost.

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.

Arthur Grabowski: I have been in contact with several other, long serving, town meeting members that are putting forth several articles that I feel will enhance the operations of our town government as well as affect the total quality of life for all residents.