Saugus charter ready for public

SAUGUS – After hundreds of hours of meeting, dozens of interviews and what it terms as extensive public outreach, the Charter Commission has signed, sealed and delivered its preliminary report.Charter Commission Chairman Peter Manoogian, along with Vice-Chairman Debra Panetta, dropped printed copies of the commission’s draft proposal off at Town Hall early Tuesday.Manoogian said 4,500 copies of the proposal have been printed and will go out to the public at large by Thursday.”We put it out there to alert the public here’s what we’ve come up with,” Manoogian said.Though the proposal is printed Manoogian said it has hardly been set in stone. There will be public hearing in March where residents will have a chance to comment, offer changes and give feedback in general on the proposal.In fact, some residents already have. Manoogian said some feedback, including a suggestion to move the proposed spring elections to the third week in April, which would coincide with spring vacation week, is already being incorporated into what will be the final proposal.”This is very much a draft and subject to change,” Manoogian said.When the final proposal is put together Manoogian said it will be mailed to every voter household in town. For residents who can’t make it to Town Hall to read the draft copy, however, Manoogian said there are copies of the proposal available for perusal at the Public Library, the Senior Center and on the town’s Web site, www.saugus-ma.gov.”The public hearing will be Thursday, March 12 at 7:30 p.m. at the Town Hall auditorium,” he added. “By having the draft available now residents and taxpayers will have at least three weeks to examine the proposal.”When asked if he was relieved to get to this point Manoogian said definitely.”The biggest relief is we’re speaking with one voice,” he said regarding his eight colleagues. “It’s nice to know everyone is happy with the final product – they’re even defending the proposal.”