Saugus erases Kasabuski rink deficit

SAUGUS – After three Requests for Proposals, two sets of bids and one set of dashed hopes the Kasabuski Arena deficit is no more.Town Meeting members voted to take $800,000 from Group Health Insurance and use it to eliminate the rink’s deficit.The vote went against the recommendation of the Finance Committee, which wanted to put it off to the next special Town Meeting. The result, however, is the town has once and for all rid itself of the $800,000 monkey that’s been on its back for nearly a year.Not everyone was pleased with the vote. Town Meeting member Peter Manoogian felt the town should follow the request of the Finance Committee to put it off to the next special Town Meeting to give the public a chance to weigh in on the plan.Finance Committee Chairman Ken DePato said the reason the committee recommended the wait was so that Town Manager Andrew Bisignani could rewrite the article making it clearer.Town Meeting member Sean Maltais took care of that with an amendment, which was approved. The amendment specified where the money was coming from and where it was going.DePato also reminded meeting members that of all the articles before the body, only two absolutely needed action, the article on the rink and another that would fund the vocational school tuition.”They are liabilities that need to be funded,” he said. “Just keep in mind if this deficit is not taken care of the DOR (Department of Revenue) will not let us set the tax rate.”Town Meeting member Maureen Dever argued that there were too many questions surrounding the issue and that the deficit had never actually been explained fully. She also said it was unfair to ask Town Meeting to spend money when state aid was already in jeopardy.Town Manager Andrew Bisignani, who professed to be weary of explaining the issue, said the town had no choice but to pay the deficit.Bisignani has been working on eradicating the deficit for more than a year. He pointed out that last month the town finally relinquished control when he literally handed the keys to the rink over to a sub lessee.”The DOR is skeptical the town has the political will to raise this money,” he said. “I don’t believe there is any reason to wait and antagonize the DOR anymore.”Bisignani said he has been in touch with the director of the DOR who likes to remind him the town won’t be able to set a tax rate if the deficit isn’t raised.”I would ask you don’t wait any longer to do this,” he said. “I would like to try and restore some of our credibility with the DOR by showing we have the political will to pass this article.”Which Town Meeting then did, passing the article 36-8.