Saugus Town Meeting transfers $100G from schools into general budget

SAUGUS – Town Meeting voted 27-21 Monday night to reject an article seeking to take $85,000 from the town?s stabilization fund to pay for the Saugus Police Superior Officer?s Union arbitration award.Saugus Police Lt. Tom Coogan, President of the Superior Officer?s Union, said the last time superior officers had a raise was in 2004. However, he said he understood the position the town was in and said he “respected” the outcome, even though it means negotiations go back to square one.?We need to contact our attorney and it?s right back to legal fees,” said Coogan after the vote.Town Counsel John Vasapolli said unless Town Meeting voted to appropriate the award, it has to go back to the bargaining table and noted that to indefinitely postpone or refer to the next Annual Town Meeting would not be a vote to appropriate.Bill Cross, President of the Firefighter?s Union, said union officials had no problem with putting the article off until next year and urged Town Meeting not to reject it.?Two years negotiating this contract with a previous administration that wouldn?t negotiate with us,” said Cross. “We were forced to go to Joint Labor. When you take these jobs you know you?re not going to get rich, but you hope to get a cost of living raise. A year from now you don?t have to fund it either. But keep it alive. A lot of work went into this.”Town Meeting member Peter Vadala referred to the arbitration award as “coercion” and said it was “unacceptable” to have contractual costs in the budget.?Every time you see the word contractual, it?s a loss,” said Vadala. “We?re being coerced. I don?t believe union coercion is needed.”Close to 300 people crammed into the Town Hall auditorium, many there in support of the various departments being cut.Outside, more than 100 firefighters from across the commonwealth, including Lynn, Revere, Weymouth and Brockton, held signs in support of the Saugus firefighters.Town Meeting also voted 44-3 to approve the general government budget of $36.7 million, which includes $100,000 from the school budget and $35,000 from the police overtime budget transferred into the Fire Department overtime budget.The transfer leaves the school budget at $25.6 million, which Town Meeting approved 42-5.Finance Committee member Louis Rossi said he chose to take $100,000 from the schools based on a “lack of confidence” in the budget presentation made by Superintendent Richard Langlois and Director of Finance Sam Rippin.As Rossi spoke, Rippin blurted out, “Based on what,” as he sat in the crowd.?You?re challenging my integrity, sir,” said Rippin from the audience.School Committee member Frederick Doucette noted the school department is already down 14 positions from the current tiered reductions.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].