Candidates for Saugus Library slots face panel

SAUGUS – The Saugus Board of Selectmen will be interviewing candidates for the Library Board of Trustees tonight, and Town Meeting member Paul Allan will be one of them.?I?m not nervous at all,” said Allan, who has been serving as a temporary trustee. “There?s no need to be nervous for something like that. We?re just trying to do a public service and do what?s right for the town.”The Board of Selectmen removed the previous trustees in January for lack of oversight, a month after former administrative assistant Linda Duffy was arrested and charged with stealing more than $800,000 from the library over seven years.Allan, Town Treasurer/Collector Wendy Hatch and Assistant Town Accountant Joanne Gayron were appointed shortly after on a temporary basis.Allan, who works as a general manager for Staples, said he?s confident he would be a good fit for the position, and noted he wants to be a part of a “great cause overall.”?After talking with the director and everything, you can see what she?s trying to do,” said Allan. “There are a lot of good things going on. I got my hands on the manual and I?ve been trying to learn as much as I can about it. If I do get appointed I?ll be ready to move forward. Obviously what we have to do is build the rapport back up with the library and get that trust back. I think it?s doable and once we get a full Board of Trustees on we?ll be able to move forward and get things going.”Selectman Stephen Horlick said there may be a some added pressure on a new board in light of the recent theft at the library, but said anyone who is appointed will know what to expect.?I think applicants that apply know what the issues have been with the library and what?s been going on the last several months,” said Horlick. “If you get the right people in there, they?ll know that they have to do to take care of business.”Library Director Diane Wallace said having a new full-time board in place will be a big factor in helping the library move on.?We have to work together for a long time and it will be nice to be able to form a team,” said Wallace. “I hope we get a good range of people.”Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].