Man with past record put in SCTV slot

SAUGUS – Scott Crabtree, the chairman of the Saugus Board of Selectman, said he didn’t know that the board’s newest appointee to the Saugus Community Television Board of Directors has a criminal record.Selectmen voted unanimously to appoint former Saugus police officer Christopher Peatridge to the SCTV board at its Dec. 13 meeting.”The board did not have any documentation regarding criminal records on any of the residents that were interviewed for this volunteer position,” said Crabtree in an e-mail. “The board followed the same town procedures as with all applicants expressing an interest in any volunteer board and commissions. The town has never had a policy regarding residents volunteering for these unpaid positions. SCTV is a separate entity from the Town of Saugus.”Peatridge pleaded guilty on Dec. 31, 2009 to two counts of presentation of false claims and two counts of larceny over $250 after an investigation by the District Attorney’s office showed he and two other men falsified time sheets while working for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.The Daily Item reported in January 2010 that investigators discovered Peatridge’s MBTA time sheets showed him working and getting paid by the MBTA when he actually worked little or no hours. Investigators determined that Peatridge operated his own security business at the same time.Peatridge was paid by the MBTA for many days when he was actually working for his own business, earning him tens of thousands of dollars.Peatridge was sentenced in Suffolk Superior Court to two-and-a-half years in the House of Correction, one year to serve and is still on probation, according to Coria Holland of the state Department of Probation,Selectmen chose Peatridge from a group of five applicants, three of whom submitted identical letters of interest for the position and were not chosen.Crabtree didn’t comment on whether or not he would have changed his vote had he known about Peatridge’s record.Peatridge declined to comment Thursday.Selectmen Steve Castinetti and Stephen Horlick both declined to comment and referred questions to Crabtree.Selectman Debra Panetta, who used to serve on the SCTV board, said Peatridge’s conviction didn’t come up during the interview process, but said she’s sure he’ll do a “fine job” on the board.”He seemed very knowledgeable on the workings of SCTV, so he was the one who was nominated. The vote was unanimous. There have been hundreds of appointments and re-appointments to citizen boards and commissions over the last several years. I am not aware that any volunteer position has a background check.”Panetta said when she served as treasurer on the board, she implemented a new checks and balances system for SCTV finances.”As treasurer of SCTV, I signed the checks along with the SCTV President and reviewed invoices,” said Panetta. “In 2011, we put a lot of checks and balances in place. When I was treasurer, I never touched money. In fact, no member of the SCTV handles or processes money. Before a capital expenditure occurs, it must be voted on by the entire board at a scheduled SCTV Board meeting.”Rich Garabedian, the executive director for SCTV, said he has no say in who is named to the board of directors but, he noted, he doesn’t have a problem with Peatridge’s recent appointment.”Are you guilty forever?” said Garabedian. “Didn’t he do his time? If he’s done his time, he’s a citizen like everyone else. I know he’s a smart man and he was on the Saugus Police force for a while. I don’t have any issues. I just want to get some knowledgeable, level-headed people on the board.”The SCTV board is made of up seven members, two appointed by the Board of Selectmen, two chosen by SCTV members and three chosen by the board of directors.Three spots recently opened up after former SCTV board members Nathaniel Marsella, Mike Downing and Greg Nickolas resigned.SCTV board member Peter Rossetti acknowledged Peatridge had some “issues,” and acknowledged he was surprised that the