Saugus Firefighters picket Town Meeting

SAUGUS – Close to 30 off-duty Saugus firefighters descended on Town Hall and Saugus Center Monday tonight to picket the town budget that proposes cutting $450,000 from the overtime account.Bill Cross, president of the Firefighter?s Local 1003, said the firefighters were there to “get the word out to Town Meeting.”?We need money in our overtime budget,” said Cross. “We?d love to get the whole $450,000, but we?re asking to give us money to get us halfway through the year at least. They fully-funded the police, they?re level-funding the schools. They should at least level-fund us. We want Town Meeting to do the job that the manager and the Board of Selectmen should already have done.”Cutting the $450,000 will eliminate the overtime budget and will cause the Essex Street Fire Station to be open sporadically, according to Fire Chief James Blanchard.Firefighters lined both sides of the entrance to Town Hall and gathered on street corners around the Saugus Center rotary with signs that said, “Support Firefighters” in big red and white lettering.The sound of honking car horns blasting could be heard for more than an hour as many drivers showed their support for the firefighters.Cross said he thinks there?s a “disconnect” with average residents not involved in Town Hall.?Unless you?re the 10 percent of people involved in town politics following this, the other 90 percent, they?re going to work, they come home from work, they go to their kids games ? they eat supper, balance their check book and go to bed,” said Cross. “They?re thinking Essex Street is OK and everything is fine. We have to get the word out to them. I?m hoping Town Meeting will represent those people. Next Monday is make it or break it.”Town Meeting will vote on the town budget next Monday.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].