Saugus Town Meeting OKs spending article

SAUGUS – Town Meeting voted 38-1 to pass Article 25 Monday night, which would require any recommendation to spend money by a town body be given to Town Meeting members 48 hours in advance.According to the article, which was written by Town Meeting member Peter Manoogian, any recommendation for expenditure of money by the town must be provided to Town Meeting, either by mail, email, the town website or picked up in person, 48 hours in advance of Town Meeting. The article also provides the option to waive the requirement by a two-thirds vote.”I would suggest this has an impact on confidence of your constituents on how this body does its business,” said Manoogian. “The article did receive more then 150 signatures. I believe the bylaw is in the best interest of Saugus ?”Manoogian said the bylaw would not pertain to the town’s current financial situation, where the budget will likely be voted on last minute, because it would first have to be approved by the Attorney General and would not go into effect until the fall.Monday night was Town Meeting’s fourth session of the summer.Town Meeting also unanimously passed Article 36, a new bylaw that regulates the security and maintenance of vacant and dilapidated buildings.The bylaw would require owners of vacant and dilapidated homes to register their property with Inspectional Services for a fee of $250 for less than one year, $500 for up to two years and $1,000 for two years or more. The bylaw would also require that properties be locked and adequately secured and maintained, and stipulates a $300 per month fine for each month the property is not adequately maintained.The article was written by the Affordable Housing Trust and a Board of Health bylaw subcommittee.Town Meeting passed Article 18, which appropriates $100,000 from retained earnings to sewer usage charges and voted to indefinitely postpone Article 14, which seeks to raise a sum of money for the participation in Help for Abused Women and Children.Finance Committee Vice-chairman Kenneth DePatto said the Finance Committee recommended postponing article 14 because a representative from HAWC never provided any information to the committee.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].