Saugus charter board members to present ideas for change

SAUGUS – Charter Commission members will put their cards on the table Thursday when they spell out their individual ideas for a new charter.Commission Chairman Peter Manoogian said nothing will be set in stone but this is the meeting where it all comes out.”This is what everyone’s been waiting for,” Manoogian said. “We’ve been holding our cards close to the vest.”The commission has been meeting for nearly one year collecting information on what residents would like to see in the way of local government and exploring different types of local governments.Throughout that process Manoogian said each of the nine commissioners, himself included, have been forming their own ideas. Those ideas will be roughly sketched out Thursday for colleagues and the public at large. They will also be put in writing for each of their colleagues to consider.There are some ground rules, however, and to keep things on an even keel the meeting will have a facilitator.To make commissioners feel less threatened and to keep what could be a lengthy meeting flowing Manoogian said he has enlisted General Electric Engineer William Hayes to help out.Manoogian said he learned of Hayes, who has facilitated meetings at GE through former Town Meeting member Dennis Gould.Each commissioner will have 20 minutes to speak and can present as many models as they want but they can’t speak any longer than 15 on one model.”It’s sort of like a candidates night,” Manoogian said. “It’s not a selling job though. We’re just sharing what we have in mind and where our thinking has migrated.”Manoogian admits his thoughts regarding changes to the government have changed as the year has played out.Using rough drafts, Manoogian said, is so commissioners won’t feel pressured to have detail worked out. That, he said, is not the idea of this exercise.”We might have one say they want a mayor or maybe no one will say that,” Manoogian said. “It will still be an indication of the direction we’re going in.”He also said there would be no criticism and no questions. Once each commissioner has made their presentation they will go their separate ways to study each proposal and reconvene at a later date.”There will also be Citizen’s forum so the public can comment,” Manoogian added. “There will be three minutes in the beginning and time at the end.”The meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall and is open to the public.