Wong, Crabtree play political ping-pong in Saugus

SAUGUS – State Rep. Donald Wong (R-Saugus) has apologized for showing his anger during last week’s Special Town Meeting, but said he raced to Town Hall to speak so he could “defend my integrity.””When I felt that someone had challenged that integrity, I had no choice but to speak out,” said Wong. “During the meeting (Nov. 19) I felt the Town Manager (Scott Crabtree) inaccurately stated things I had said and at the time I happened to be watching it on cable when he said, ‘I wish the state rep could be here,’ and I took that as an invitation.”Wong came to speak after an article seeking $1.2 million to reconstruct Lincoln Avenue came up for a vote. Town Meeting member Ellen Faiella asked why Crabtree didn’t use more state money for the project when it was allegedly offered.”When the state offered to help to go out and advocate for the citizens of Saugus, that help was not something that was embraced,” said Faiella at the meeting.Crabtree replied that a conversation he had with Wong had nothing to do with roadways, noting he gave Wong a “verbal list of grants” and sent a letter of grants the town applied for that were a priority.”Unfortunately he wasn’t able to fulfill any of those needs of the priorities for the town at the time,” said Crabtree during Town Meeting.On Tuesday, Wong said he met with Crabtree in May to see what streets in town needed paving “above and beyond” the town’s allotment of state highway money because there was a surplus.”I’m really mad that we’re using our tax dollars instead of having the state helping us,” said Wong. “But I’m more mad that he lied about me. It’s about him and his credibility with me from now on. I have asked for a priority list of the needs of the town and, to this day, I have not gotten a list from the Town Manager. He stated he didn’t need (the money) because he was working on a 10-year plan.”In a phone interview on Tuesday, Crabtree said Wong “never had that conversation with me,” and noted he would hope any member of the state delegation would seek additional money for the town.”I said at Town Meeting that we had a conversation, and I sent a letter that outlined a need for that accounting system and we submitted a grant,” said Crabtree. “We were looking for an accounting system for $600,000 and we had to borrow, which is OK. This article was supported when he was chairman of the Board of Selectmen a year ago.”Wong said that since he never heard from Crabtree regarding town priorities, he went to individual departments to see what was needed.”As your state rep, I am appalled that my town has chosen not to work with your state rep and decided to use taxpayer money instead of state money,” said Wong. ” He’s not working with the state reps. I hope this is not a move to ask for a 21/2 override in the spring. That would be an injustice to the town.””I’m not here to start a war or anything else,” added Wong. “I’m just offended that he lied about me. Why would I stop helping Saugus once I got into office? I asked the town manager for a priority list many times and never got one.”State Rep. Kathi-Anne Reinstein (D-Revere) also said Tuesday she hasn’t heard from Crabtree regarding town priorities.”When Scott Crabtree first came in there was an issue with the funding for the water project on Route 1, and he called us and he came in and met with us and any time he’s called us we’ve all met,” said Reinstein.The last time she saw him, she said, was at Founders Day in September.Reinstein, who represents Revere and portions of Chelsea and Saugus, said her office contacted all three communities requesting budget priorities but didn’t hear back from Saugus”We heard back immediately from Jay Ash in Chelsea and Dan Rizzo in Revere and we did never hear from Saugus,” she said. “I have to be honest. I haven’t had much contact with Town Manager Crabtree’s office. I would say it’s unusual. I only have three precincts in Chelsea and we’re constantly engaged. That’s not to take shot at him, that’s just a fact