Town Meeting 2026 – First-year members played a significant role in this year’s proceedings. They had their biggest impact in lobbying for a budget that made improving Saugus Public Schools a top priority

By Mark E. Vogler

Back in early April, Precinct 7 Town Meeting Member Phillip T. Gil was excited and spoke optimistically as he prepared for his first Annual Town Meeting session. “There is a great wave of new TMM [Town Meeting members] who are eager to help Saugus grow to its full potential,” Gil wrote in his response to a questionnaire from The Saugus Advocate about his expectations for the upcoming session. “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.”

Gil is one of 15 first-time Town Meeting members in the 50-member legislative branch of Saugus town government. Collectively as a group, the newcomers had perfect attendance during the four nights of this year’s Annual Town Meeting. They also drew the attention and respect of longtime members.

“A lot of the newcomers are stepping up,” Town Moderator Stephen Doherty said this week, reflecting on their level of involvement at Town Meeting this year.

“I haven’t seen a new group as active and as enthused as this one,” said Doherty, who recently finished presiding over his 13th Annual Town Meeting.

Doherty said the new members have expressed an eagerness to serve on several newly created Town Meeting committees. The moderator was scheduled to meet yesterday (Thursday, June 18) with the Town Clerk’s Office for a lottery to fill three vacancies on three new committees: the Vacant School Assessment Committee, the Town Charter Review Committee and the By-Law Review Committee.

The newest Town Meeting members had their biggest impact in lobbying for a budget that made improving Saugus Public Schools a top priority. Since last fall’s town elections, there’s been a public campaign involving parents, schoolteachers and a group of new Town Meeting members to increase educational spending this year. Those efforts succeeded, as Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree in late April announced his decision to increase his initial budget recommendation for Saugus Public Schools by $1.8-million. He decided to support the request of Schools Superintendent Michael Hashem to increase current school spending by $2.8-million. The Finance Committee voted to recommend the full amount.

First-time Town Meeting members were also active participants who played a significant role in helping to set the agenda by crafting several warrant articles that were passed this year.

• Precinct 6 Town Meeting Member Elizabeth A. Marchese, a former two-term School Committee member who is a newcomer on Town Meeting, authored several articles on this year’s warrant – the most important one being a new section in the town’s Bylaws regulating the operation of electric bicycles and motorized devices. Town Meeting members in interviews prior to the Annual Town Meeting had cited citizen concerns about the safety of unregulated e-bikes as a major concern. Members approved Marchese’s article on a unanimous voice vote. The new regulations – which are designed to promote public safety and protect pedestrians from unsafe e-bike operators – need approval from the state Attorney General’s Office before they take effect.
• Marchese also authored a resolution to encourage town officials to improve compliance with the state Public Records Law.
• Precinct 10 Town Meeting Member Jenna Rose Nuzzo, a Saugus High School teacher who is serving her first term on Town Meeting, received unanimous support on her article creating a Vacant School Facilities Assessment Committee to evaluate vacant school buildings owned by the town. This list includes the former Lynnhurst, Waybright, Oaklandvale, Ballard and Roby Schools and any other vacant school properties. Town Meeting members have expressed concerns about these properties for several years. This committee will provide town officials with information necessary to consider the future use of the properties.

Nuzzo’s detailed presentation advocating for in-depth study of former school properties drew high praise from longtime Precinct 10 Town Meeting Member Peter Manoogian. “How can you say ‘no’ to the enthusiasm? I’m supporting this,” Manoogian told his colleagues during discussion of Nuzzo’s article.

“The type of enthusiasm I hear will carry it forward. I’m looking forward to the work being done,” he said.