Freedom of speech issue inflames passions in Saugus

SAUGUS – Words were tossed like arrows during Tuesday’s Board of Selectmen meeting when a discussion of Citizen’s Forum became heated.Apple Lane resident John Truesdale once again asked the board to reinstate the citizen’s forum portion of the meeting and went so far as to essentially make the motion for them.When it failed 3-2 after much debate – some of it angry – Truesdale held Chairman Donald Wong personally responsible.Truesdale said when he last spoke to the board about reinstating citizen’s forum it declined to take a vote because there was not a full board. However Truesdale said following the meeting Wong essentially promised him that he would reverse his vote. Truesdale pressured Wong by announcing he believed Wong wanted to do what was right.”It’s almost like you’re afraid someone will come up and clobber,” he said. “What are they going to say that you can’t handle?”Selectman Stephen Horlick also put the pressure on his colleague to change his vote and reinstate the forum. With an article on the issue set to go to Town Meeting Horlick argued that meeting members had more important things to debate than citizen’s forum.”As chairman of this board and a leader of the community I would ask you to support this,” he said.Selectman Stephen Castinetti, however, pointed out that not all the feedback on the change in the forum has been negative.Selectman Michael Kelleher countered that there was no down side to having the forum so the board should simply vote to reinstate it and move forward.Castinetti said the board should have the courage of its convictions and stand by its vote rather than allow one or two disgruntled residents to sway its opinion things got heated.Kelleher reminded Castinetti that when the board made its decision to revoke citizen’s forum he was not at the meeting.”The board didn’t even afford me the courtesy of taking a vote,” he all but shouted. “This is where I sit, this is where I stand and what we did here is absolutely ridiculous. Let’s just restore it and be done.”Just prior to the vote Truesdale said, “You know what Mr. Wong, I’m putting the heat right squarely on you, you have the ability tonight to change this and you told me you would.”In the end however he did not.Wong said he wanted to take Truesdale’s alternative, to continue to ask people to issue requests to appear on the agenda but to add the citizen’s forum at the end of the meeting for any late issues that arise, under advisement.After the motion to reinstate failed 3-2 with Wong, Rossetti and Castinetti voting it down Horlick apologized for the board, which set Rossetti’s teeth on edge.”I apologize to everyone at home for the board’s vote,” Horlick said.”I take offense at that,” Rossetti shot back. “I take offense with a board member who apologizes for the way I vote. It’s my decision.”