Saugus split on charter proposal to change town manager vote

SAUGUS – Saugus Town Meeting members gave mixed views on a potential charter change vote to allow three votes to extend the town manager?s contract instead of four.Precinct 9 Town Meeting member Edward Boesel said he hasn?t made up his mind if he would support such an article, but noted he likes the charter the way it is.?I will listen to arguments at Town Meeting, but right now I would vote for leaving it the way it is,” he said. “I suspect it?s happening for short-term reasons as opposed to long-term reasons.”After a vote to extend Town Manager Scott Crabtree?s contract to 2016 failed to net the required four-fifths vote at last week?s selectmen meeting, selectman Stephen Horlick moved to have Town Counsel draft an article for Town Meeting to change the vote requirement to three.Horlick, Selectmen Chairman Michael Serino and selectman Debra Panetta, who voted to extend Crabtree?s contract, voted in favor of that motion. Selectmen Vice Chairman Steve Castinetti and selectman Julie Mitchell voted against both.Precinct 1 Town Meeting member Wayne Brooks said Monday he?s “absolutely in favor” of the changing the charter.?If they put through an article I?d vote yes,” said Brooks. “You?ve got two people holding the town hostage. It wasn?t a question of, ?Maybe one more year.? It was a question of absolutely, ?No.?”Precinct 4 Town Meeting member Patricia McLaughlin said she wants to see Crabtree?s contract extended, but doesn?t like the idea of changing the rules.?I don?t really like when that happens,” she said. ” To me it?s not playing fair. If it was a separate issue and they wanted to change it to 3-2, I think they would be fine. But I don?t like the two issues tied together.”McLaughlin said she hasn?t made up her mind on how she would vote and still has to speak to her constituents to see what they want.Precinct 3 Town Meeting member William Stewart said he wouldn?t support a charter change.?I think four votes is a good deal,” said Stewart. “I?ll vote against it when it comes up.”Jon Gillis, a Town Meeting member from Precinct 10, said he would support the article.?I think it?s unfair that we could get stuck with the Town Manager that?s not doing a good job by one vote,” said Gillis. “It used to be 3-2 and they did away with that and made it 4-1. As a result we were stuck with the last Town Manager.”With the board divided over the issue, and some selectmen trading jabs, Gillis said “it?s always politics” in Saugus.?It?s definitely a split board,” he said. “I?ve been on Town Meting before and have seen a lot of Town Managers come and go. It?s always politics. It doesn?t matter if a guy is doing a good job or not, if your man isn?t there, they?re going to put the guy that?s doing the job down.”As a past member of the Charter Commission, Panetta said she has always supported a charter that allow three votes.?The question before Saugus over the coming months will be whether a minority faction can successfully block positive, progressive change,” said Panetta.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].