SAUGUS – Saugus Treasurer/Collector Wendy Hatch told the Finance Committee Wednesday night that the town has spent $580,000 on snow and ice removal this season, with still more invoices to be filed.Town Manager Scott Crabtree said previously he wants to boost the snow and ice budgets and create a stabilization fund, while on Wednesday Crabtree said he plans to increase rates for contractors to attract “bigger trucks.”?We?re not able to attract those bigger sanders ? because we charge much less,” said Crabtree.Crabtree updated the committee on the status of the audit into the high school and middle school student activity accounts too, and said the audit is still not finished.?I don?t want to speculate, but because of the issues surrounding it, it?s become more complex,” said Crabtree. “I don?t have that information. All I can do is call them and ask where is the report and it?s coming soon. There are attorneys involved which make things more complex. But that?s speculation.”Finance Committee Chairman Robert Palleschi asked how much the town has spent on forensic audits, to which Hatch said $85,000 has been spent, which includes the current school audit.Crabtree also said that bids from contractors for the Route 1 Walmart contract came in too high.?The report to me is that the original bid came out very high when they put it out to the contractors ? so they re-put that out to bid again,” said Crabtree. “I was told we would hear something by April. I can check on it this week.”Palleschi asked Crabtree about the status of the open positions in Town Hall, to which Crabtree said, “Something will be public shortly.?”In other business, Finance Committee member Maureen Dever commended Interim Department of Public Works Director James Waugh on his work and on his annual report.?It gives an idea of what you?re working with with so few people,” she said. “You?re working with seven men doing all the things you do in town. You?re a seven-man department trying to do everything.”Dever said she “struggles” with the fact that there are only seven people in the department, to which Waugh said he does too.The committee thanked Waugh, and Vice-Chairman Kenneth DePatto said he was doing a “great job.”Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].