No renewal for Crabtree

SAUGUS – A vote to renew Town Manager Scott Crabtree?s contract to 2016 failed 3-2 at Tuesday night?s selectmen meeting, so the board voted instead to draft an article for Town Meeting seeking to reduce the number of votes needed from four to three.?I think it?s pretty sad that when you don?t get your way you change the rules,” said Vice Chairman Steve Castinetti, who voted against a contract extension. “To do something like that is absolutely disingenuous and a slap in the face for anyone in this town who abides by this charter. I?m just disappointed in this board.”Selectmen Chairman Michael Serino and selectmen Debra Panetta and Stephen Horlick voted in favor of an extension, while selectmen Julie Mitchell and Castinetti voted against. Four votes are needed to extend the contract.After Panetta?s motion to extend the contract failed, Horlick made a motion to have Town Counsel draft an article for Town Meeting to reduce the number of votes needed from four to three.Serino, Panetta and Horlick voted in favor of that motion.?This is one of the few towns where the manager needs four votes,” said Serino. “I?ve been a strong supporter for many years to change it back to three. I think it was changed in the 1980s ? In this form of government in the United States of America, majority rules.”Horlick and Castinetti then got into an argument where Horlick cited a letter from Crabtree accusing Castinetti of “trying to obtain personal information” from Town Hall, to which Castinetti said that was “another attempt by the administration to intimidate and control this board.”Serino then slammed his gavel to bring the meeting back to order.Horlick and Castinetti continued to argue after the meeting was adjourned.Crabtree left the meeting for a family emergency before contract talks came up and did not return.In other business the board voted to ban heavy trucking on Bristow Street.Serino said trucks use the street as a cut through and noted signs used to be up in the area but were taken down because there was never a public hearing to put the signs up.Resident Sebastian DiModica lives on Bristow Street and parks trucks for his tree cutting company on Bristow Street as well. He opposed the measure and said speeding is the biggest problem, not heavy trucking.?Not only will Saugus businesses be losing out on this, but me as a resident. Am I not allowed to go home and have lunch because I?m in my work truck?” he asked. “I find it necessary that commercial vehicles that have a purpose on that street should be allowed on that street.”Saugus Police Sgt. Paul VanSteensburg said the ban wouldn?t apply to trucks making deliveries in the area.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].