Bisignani ruffled over truck request

SAUGUS – Emergency Management Director Paul Penachio is looking for a truck, but Town Manager Andrew Bisgnani didn’t approve of the avenue Penachio took to get it Tuesday.Penachio asked Selectmen Tuesday to accept an article for the warrant for spring’s annual Town Meeting, “to see if the town can come up with available funds to replace a very old, rotted, out of date truck that we’re keeping together with baling wire and bubblegum.”Bisignani, however, said the article shouldn’t have come before the board.”I believe the request should come through the budget process,” he said. “Why we would need a separate article escapes me.”Bisignani said the proper way to handle the request would be for Penachio to ask for the truck in his budget, which would then be analyzed and debated at the Finance Committee budget hearings.Selectman Stephen Horlick said that Town Meeting just approved the purchase of a new SUV rolling command center for the Police Department.”If that’s the case, all police vehicles should go through the budget process too,” he said.Bisignani agreed, but said that particular request came after the budget had already been established.When Horlick asked Bisignani if the town would have the money to finance the truck Bisignani said that would have to be determined. With a $650,000 deficit hanging over Kasabuski Arena and a $500,000 and climbing snow and ice deficit, Penachio’s chances are not overly favorable.However, Emergency Management, which is staffed by volunteers trained in everything from CPR and first aid to crisis management and some hazardous waste scenarios, operates with nothing but cast off vehicles that are in more than one case decades old.Selectman Peter Rossetti asked Penachio if he had looked into obtaining a surplus vehicle.”I have tried that avenue with no luck whatsoever for the last five years,” he said.When Rossetti asked if Penachio would know what to do with a new vehicle, Penachio laughed.”Yes, I’d know what to do with it,” he said. “The one we have we’ve been using for 40 years, so if we were to get a new one it should last a good 40 years anyway.”Penachio said he had no problem inserting the truck into his budget and discussing it with Bisignani.”If there is a problem down the road, you can come back and we can do a separate article,” Rossetti said.