Saugus Town Meeting passes 8.6-percent water rate hike

SAUGUS – The fourth session of the annual Town Meeting passed an 8.6-percent increase in town water rates on Monday night.The vote passed by a margin of 25-17. Town Meeting also voted to appropriate $5.47 million to the water enterprise fund.Article 23 originally called for a 5-percent increase, but Town Meeting member Jeffrey Moses put forth a substitute motion for 8.6 percent at the last Town Meeting two weeks ago, which was then supported by the Finance Committee.?There?s five men in the department and they?re repairing over 120 miles of water lines for this town,” said Moses. “They just put a new water main by me and the work that they do is great. The question between 8.6 and 5 percent, the difference is, worst case scenario, maybe there?s a little surplus in the budget and that can carry over to next year.”Town Meeting member Robert Cox voiced some concern about potential over-inflation of expenses in the water budget, but Town Manager Andrew Bisignani insisted the proposed budget was concrete and done by the books.?There is no padding of this budget,” said Bisignani. “This is a very realistic budget. Every dollar that?s recommended is money that?s needed. We?re following all of the guidelines. We?re doing everything by the book according to state regulations.”Town Meeting member Janet Leuci said she had “grave concerns” about an increase in water rates, especially after the passing of the one-time tax assessment earlier in the month.?I went around dropping fliers for the one-time special assessment and I listened to a lot of my neighbors and constituents in Precinct 4,” said Leuci. “I wonder had they known they were going to face an 8.6 water increase, whether they would have voted for that one-time special assessment. I feel like I?m betraying the trust of the people who voted for the one-time special assessment. I don?t think this is fair and I think we need to look other places. I don?t think we can continually pass these expenses on to the rate-payers.”But Town Meeting member Stephen Sweezey expressed exactly the opposite sentiment, saying he felt the town voted for the assessment because it kept the town going, just like voting for a water-rate increase would.?When a bill comes through in my house I know whether it?s needed or not, and whether I use the services,” said “I believe the vote for the (special assessment) was the right vote for the town and I believe this is the right decision.”Town Meeting also voted unanimously for a $25.7 million allocation for the school budget, an increase of $700,000 after additional funds from the one-time assessment were approved by the Finance Committee last week.