SCTS directors scrub 5-day rule on commentary

SAUGUS – The controversial five-day notice provision in the Saugus Cable Television Station’s rules and regulations handbook is no more.The SCTS Board of Directors voted 3-0 Tuesday night to accept the new rules without a provision that would have required a person making derogatory remarks on the station to give five days notice before making those remarks.Chairman Christopher Peatridge said the board decided to take out the provision of section eight after the “brouhaha” at the last selectmen’s meeting, where several residents spoke out against it.”Every provision talked about at the Board of Selectmen meeting approximately a month ago has been deleted,” said Peatridge.However, Peatridge maintained that he didn’t think there were any First Amendment issues with the original provision, noting he didn’t have any “heartache” over it.”The lawyer does advise the board that there were no First Amendment violations and there was nothing anywhere close,” said Peatridge. “But those provisions that had certain people up in the air about, have been deleted ? I don’t understand why it was, but in the interest of appeasing people and moving forward ? we have to go with the mandate from the Board of Selectmen.”Peatridge said even though the board voted on the handbook anyone can still challenge it “in the courts.””Unless Jesus Christ comes down and argues the case, it’s pretty much bulletproof,” said Peatridge. “This thing has been beat up for months now. I think personally we have a working document. This board is going forward on good legal evidence with valid backup. If anybody is still tipped over about this, please feel free to take whatever action you deem necessary.”Peatridge said the Board of Directors is also open to any comments or suggestions residents may have.Board member James Ravagno helped re-write the section and said he likes it while fellow board member Janice Jarosz said she thinks it “covers everything.”In other business, the board posted a job for a part-time clerk to fill a position that was vacated in July.After the meeting, Peatridge would not provide copies of the re-written section to members of the media. Peatridge said he will make the entire handbook available as soon as possible and didn’t want to release it “piecemeal.”Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].