Saugus board candidates differ on multiple issues

SAUGUS – Board of Selectmen candidate Sean Maltais said he will not renew Town Manager Andrew Bisignani?s contract if he is elected.?It?s nothing personal,” said Maltais. “We need to go to a new direction. I don?t think the Red Sox will never win a World Series without Tito Francona or Theo Epstein. The Red Sox needed a new voice and Saugus needs a new voice.”Maltais, who is a three-term Town Meeting member, said he has no hard feelings toward Bisignani, he just thinks it?s time for a change.?Andy is a good guy,” said Maltais. “Of course he?s qualified. It?s just we need to go in a new direction. I think it starts from the top and we?re not going in the right direction.”Many of the 11 candidates vying for one of five Board of Selectmen seats up for grabs on Tuesday offered their views on Bisignani during a series of recent interviews.The list of candidates includes incumbents Michael Serino, Scott Crabtree and Stephen Horlick, along with newcomers Maltais, Debra Panetta, Julie Ann Mitchell, George DeDomenico, Robert Cox, Matthew Canterbury, Michael Downing and Stephen Castinetti.Bisignani?s contract has been one of the main issues in the race so far, and Canterbury said he would be in favor of renewing Bisignani?s contract, but with conditions.?If he were to have his contract extended, I?d do it for the least amount of time possible,” said Canterbury. “That way we have a chance to evaluate him. Sometimes it seems as if the town manager has free reign. Not to say he should be shackled or impeded, but he needs to be given guidance by his chief policy-makers. I feel sometimes they?re not working in partnership.”DeDomenico said he would take a “wait-and-see” approach if elected, but he supports what Bisignani has done in the past.?My experience is that perhaps there are things that people disagree with but, on the whole, when you look at all of his performance, I think he did a very good job,” said DeDomenico. “We got back our bond rating, we managed to avoid trouble with the (state) Department of Revenue. If you look at the whole story, the successes out-weigh any of the perceived failures.”DeDomenico was referring to Moody?s Investor Services bumping Saugus? bond rating up from BAA1 to A1 in April of 2010 and actions taken by Bisignani when the town was on the verge of state intervention due to its shaky financial situation several years ago.Mike Downing, who hosts a show on Saugus Community Television, is running for the first time and pointed out some of the positive achievements from Bisignani.?Now?s not the time to try someone new,” said Downing. “We?ve been well-guided by our town manager through these difficult economic times and we shouldn?t change now.”But, with Bisignani making the short list for the Winchester Town Manager position, current selectmen Serino and Horlick both said they think it?s evident he wants to move on.?The town manager has not officially asked for a contract renewal,” said Serino. “I think it?s quite clear now that he wants to leave. That?s the first thing the board will have to deal with. There?s a type of level of professionalism and a working relationship that I have to have with him and I think until the board as a whole sits down with him, I?d certainly let people know my opinion about it.”Horlick expressed a similar sentiment, citing Bisignani?s active search for other town manager positions.?The town manager has never notified the board he was actively looking for jobs and never come up to us to discuss any type of extension on his contract,” said Horlick. “I think the manager has made the decision on his own that he is actively looking not to be in Saugus.”Looking at the possibility that Bisignani may accept a job elsewhere, Castinetti said a strong board will be needed to find a replacement.?We cannot afford to make the wrong choice,” said Castinetti. “As I have stated before, this is not the time for amateurs. A strong body of proven team-builders and players will be best suited for this