Town Election 2023: Voters will pick from a list of 27 candidates to sit on a nine-member commission should Saugus voters approve Ballot Question #1

These 27 candidates for the nine seats on the Charter Commission will be listed alphabetically on the Nov. 7 election ballot. The Moving Saugus Forward Committee has identified 13 of them as being members of the committee and supportive of the Charter Commission campaign.

1) Robert James Camuso: a Precinct 2 Town Meeting member who is linked to Moving Saugus Forward. He participated in the Oct. 16 Charter Commission forum, which can be viewed on Vimeo Saugus TV.

2) Donald Cicolini: a close friend of Board of Selectmen Chair Cogliano and has been identified as a member of Moving Saugus Forward. He did not participate in any of the Charter Commission forums.

3) Anthony William Cogliano: Chair of the Saugus Board of Selectmen for the past four years after finishing as top vote-getter in the last two town elections. He is considered the leader of the ballot question committee Moving Saugus Forward. He participated in the Oct. 16 Charter Commission forum, which can be viewed on Vimeo Saugus TV.

4) Eugene F. Decareau: a former Town Meeting member who served on the 2007 Charter Commission. He is critical of the way town government operates and says it’s time to make some changes. He has been linked to Moving Saugus Forward. He participated in the Oct. 16 Charter Commission forum, which can be viewed on Vimeo Saugus TV.

5) Kenneth L. DePatto: has served more than 22 years as an appointed member of the town Finance Committee and its chair for the past decade. He is a vocal opponent of a Charter Commission. He opposes changing the current Town Charter. He says he is running to be on the commission to protect the financial integrity of the town. He participated in the Oct. 16 Charter Commission forum, which can be viewed on Vimeo Saugus TV.

6) Stephen Doherty: has served for 12 years as a Precinct 4 Town Meeting member and for the past decade as Town Moderator, presiding over the 50-member chamber. He said he will go into the process with an open mind if he is elected to a commission. He participated in the Oct. 16 Charter Commission forum, which can be viewed on Vimeo Saugus TV.

7) Frank V. Federico: a newcomer to Saugus politics. He is running for Town Meeting in addition to the Charter Commission. He has been linked to the Moving Saugus Forward Committee. He participated in the Oct. 16 Charter Commission forum, which can be viewed on Vimeo Saugus TV.

8) Ryan P. Fisher: is also running for reelection to his third term on the School Committee, which he was elected to in 2019 after serving a term on Town Meeting. He doesn’t see a good reason to create the committee, but he wants to serve on it in case voters approve Question #1. He participated in the Oct. 17 Charter Commission forum, which can be viewed on Vimeo Saugus TV.

9) Lori A. Gallivan: a retired career educator who chairs the Moving Saugus Forward Committee, which was created with the specific purpose for forming a Charter Commission. She participated in the Oct. 16 Charter Commission forum, which can be viewed on Vimeo Saugus TV.

10) Robert J. Long: a longtime participant in elected town government, particularly with Town Meeting, where he served as town moderator for 18 years. As a scholar of Saugus government and its charter, Long said he wants to serve to make sure that everyone involved understands the process. He participated in the Oct. 17 Charter Commission forum, which can be viewed on Vimeo Saugus TV.

11) Peter Z. Manoogian, Sr.: He has been involved with Saugus Town government since first getting elected to Town Meeting in 1985. He has been a selectman and a School Committee member and also served as the past Chairman of the 2007-2009 Charter Commission. He participated in the Oct. 16 Charter Commission forum, which can be viewed on Vimeo Saugus TV.

12) Jeannette E. Meredith: She has more than 15 years of experience in local government, including six years on the School Committee, where she served for four years as chair. She supports Saugus’ current form of government. She participated in the Oct. 17 Charter Commission forum, which can be viewed on Vimeo Saugus TV.

13) Lawrence Anthony Mingolelli: a newcomer to Saugus politics who has been linked to Moving Saugus Forward and supports the campaign for a Charter Commission. He participated in the Oct. 17 Charter Commission forum, which can be viewed on Vimeo Saugus TV.

14) Julie Ann Mitchell: a former Town Meeting member who also served on the Board of Selectmen who has been linked to Moving Saugus Forward. She did not participate in any of the Charter Commission forums.

15) John J. O’Brien: the Planning Board Chair who has been a vocal opponent of the Charter Commission. He participated in the Oct. 17 Charter Commission forum, which can be viewed on Vimeo Saugus TV.

16) Sue Palomba: is also running for reelection to her Town Meeting seat in Precinct 2. She plans to vote “No” on Question 1. She participated in the Oct. 17 Charter Commission forum, which can be viewed on Vimeo Saugus TV.

17) Debra Carol Panetta: the vice chair of the Board of Selectmen, who is also running for reelection to the seat she’s held for 12 years. She has spent more than three decades in Saugus local government and was elected to the last Charter Commission (2007-2009). She served for a decade previously as a Town Meeting member representing Precinct 5. She participated in the Oct. 17 Charter Commission forum, which can be viewed on Vimeo Saugus TV

18) Matthew David Parlante: a newcomer to Saugus politics, he is also a candidate for Town Meeting in Precinct 2. He participated in the Oct. 17 Charter Commission forum, which can be viewed on Vimeo Saugus TV.

19) Peter A. Rossetti, Jr.: is also seeking another two-year term as a Town Meeting member in Precinct 2, where he has served for more than 25 years. His past involvement in Saugus town government also includes a decade on the Planning Board. He’s currently a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals. He has been linked to Moving Saugus Forward. He participated in the Oct.18 Charter Commission forum, which can be viewed on Vimeo Saugus TV

20) Michael J. Serino: is running for another term on the Saugus Board of Selectmen; his involvement in local government dates back to 1975, when he was first elected to Town Meeting. Over a span of nearly five decades, he has served for a total of 14 years as a selectman. He opposes creation of a Charter Commission. He participated in the Oct. 18 Charter Commission forum, which can be viewed on Vimeo Saugus TV

21) Vincent A. Serino: Chair of the School Committee and is seeking reelection to another two-year term. He participated in the Oct. 18 Charter Commission forum, which can be viewed on Vimeo Saugus TV.

22) Anthony D. Speziale: a treasurer of the Moving Saugus Forward Committee; he has no past involvement in Saugus local government. He participated in the Oct. 18 Charter Commission forum, which can be viewed on Vimeo Saugus TV.

23) Christopher M. Tarantino: a nonpolitician who has been linked to Moving Saugus Forward. He did not participate in any of the Charter Commission forums.

24) Richard Edward Thompson: a Town Meeting member in Precinct 3 seeking reelection, where he has served for eight years. The parent of a student at Saugus High, he has also served on the Planning Board. He’s been a member of the Saugus Cemetery Commission since 2017 and has served as its chair since 2019. He did not participate in any of the Charter Commission forums.

25) Thomas E. Traverse: a Town Meeting member seeking another term in Precinct 8. He’s had extensive involvement in Saugus government. He currently chairs the Zoning Board of Appeals, serves on the Commission on Disabilities, the Town Manager’s Economic Development Committee and the Saugus Affordable Housing Trust. He is also a member of the Moving Saugus Forward Committee. He participated in the Oct. 18 Charter Commission forum, which can be viewed on Vimeo Saugus TV.

26) Joseph John Vecchione IV: a Precinct 2 Town Meeting member who is not running for reelection, so he can devote his time on the Charter Commission – if elected. At 32, he’s the youngest candidate in the 27-candidate race. He has been busy since getting elected to Town Meeting in 2019. He served on the Planning Board and the Economic Development Committee. He also served as chair of the Cliftondale Revitalization Committee and was a member of the Sidewalk Committee.

27) Judith A. Worthley: is also running for reelection to her Town Meeting seat in Precinct 9. She’s also been a member of the Council on Aging’s Board of Directors and served previously on the Saugus Cultural Council. She has been linked to the Moving Saugus Forward Committee. She participated in the Oct. 18 Charter Commission forum, which can be viewed on Vimeo Saugus TV.