Saugus board calls for special Town Meeting to adjust budget

SAUGUS – Saugus selectmen called a Special Town Meeting Tuesday to make close to $350,000 in adjustments to the 2013 budget.The Special Town Meeting will be held on Nov. 19.Town Manager Scott Crabtree said $346,000 in sustainable revenues will be used to pay for a range of costs from additional police officers and firefighters to a new reverse 911 service.”This may be somewhat new to the board because it’s not really a practice that has happened in the past,” said Crabtree.While Crabtree said state aid is down $75,000, he noted local receipts are up $124,000.Among the warrant articles that will go before Town Meeting are $43,000 to hire two police officers for six months, $44,000 for two additional firefighters for six months, $130,000 for firefighter overtime, $18,500 for a reverse 911 service, $7,600 for veterans services salaries and $47,000 for auditing services.”The goals and priorities we’ve set is public safety and this goes toward realizing that,” said Crabtree. “No matter what we do going into the next budget season (we must) prioritize the budget to sustain having these officers and firefighters.”The warrant also includes a $3,000 increase in salary for the Finance Committee clerk for an increase in meetings, $11,500 for a landfill monitoring contract and $35,000 for Economic Development Coordinator/Grant Writer for six months”The planning department in Melrose has three full-time staff and we haven’t had one person in years,” said Crabtree.Town Meeting will also vote to authorize the Town Treasurer to borrow up to $1.2 million for the Lincoln Avenue reconstruction project to redo concrete and granite sidewalks in Cliftondale Square into Revere.”That’s long overdue,” said Selectmen Chairman Michael Serino. “It’s the gateway to our town.”Police Lt. Ronald Giorgetti submitted an article to the warrant in response to Saugus’ ongoing parks problems. The article will seek a bylaw change to change park closing times from 10 p.m. to sunset and to add language that includes the new Bike to the Sea rail trail.Town Meeting member Peter Manoogian also submitted an article looking to turn a wall in Town Hall into a memorial for Isabelle Hallin, a Saugus teacher accused of serving alcohol to students in 1937 who was later exonerated.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].