Saugus charter board hires professional for guidance

SAUGUS – The Charter Commission has narrowed possible charter change proposals from 16 to 12 and now has a professional on board to help whittle the pitches down to one.Commission Chairman Peter Manoogian said members have been meeting to review the proposals and have discarded four off the top.”We had re-presented last week and (Thursday) we’ll view the remaining four,” he said. The commission will next meet on Sept. 11 where Manoogian said they would debate personal preferences and hopefully narrow the field even further.Helping them along will be Attorney Michael Curran who, according to Manoogian, has helped author 60 charter proposals.”He will be at all the meetings,” Manoogian said. “He’ll be the principle author of the finished document, our wordsmith, our technician.”Town Meeting voted to give the commission $25,000 to hire a consultant. Manoogian said then he thought they could hire one for closer to $20,000 and, after going out to bid, did in fact hire Curran for $19,250.Manoogian credited Assistant Purchasing Agent Michele Wendell and Town Manager Andrew Bisignani with helping them secure Curran through the bidding process.With a consultant on board, Manoogian said Curran can give the commission his perspective on issues and ideas on tackling certain problems.For example, Manoogian said several plans suggest having a selectman or councilor as a seventh member of the School Committee.”(Curran) said just because it’s never been done doesn’t mean we can’t do it,” he said, adding that Curran won’t tell the commission what to do.Manoogian said Curran’s job is to draw on his considerable experience in guiding the commission on how to do things, but not what it should do. All decisions are left to the commission and ultimately the voters.Manoogian said according to the commission’s timeline, there should be a final proposal on the table by March. The final pitch will be sent to the Attorney General’s office for approval, subject to a public hearing in town. Copies will also be sent to the Board of Selectmen, who will be charged with getting a copy to every household in town.”Then it goes on the ballot in November of ’09,” Manoogian said.Manoogian said not everything has been going as neat and clean as it appears, but the commission is on track and Curran should help keep it there.The commission will meet tonight in Town Hall auditorium at 7:30 p.m. and the public is invited to stop by, watch the meeting and meet Curran.