Saugus officials wary of bitter battle brewing

SAUGUS – Town Meeting member Wayne Brooks said selectmen and the Town Manager are “engaged in a witch hunt” after Vice Chairman Steve Castinetti said Monday he is being investigated by the town.?It looks to me like it may be that both sides are engaged in a witch hunt now,” said Brooks. “?He did this and the other one did that.? I?m at a loss on this to really know what to think. It does seem like an out and out witch hunt and neither one is going to give up until somebody is put down really hard.”Brooks said he?s “never seen this kind of thing” between sitting elected officials.?I think (Castinetti) just has a very personal dislike of Crabtree and it?s a damn shame because I think Crabtree is a good person ?” said Brooks. “We could get so much more done if those two could just get along.”Castinetti said Monday that the town hired a law firm to investigate him selling ads for a website to local businesses.Town Moderator Robert Long wanted to know why it had to “come down to this?”?The current board has served with (Castinetti) for a year and a half ?” said Long on Tuesday. “Crabtree, who is now the manager, was with him on the board and everything seemed to go OK ? until a year ago ? What the heck has happened in the meantime? Now you?re getting animosity with three members against the other two. All this is over what? This is a contract that can be extended at any time between now and next year.”Long said the situation is “extremely distasteful” and also noted that he?s never seen anything like it before.?If it?s illegal, then it?s a police issue, if it?s conflict of interest issue, it?s a state ethics issue,” said Long. “I?ve never seen selectmen using town funds to hire any kind of investigatory personnel to look into another selectman. I?ve never seen that in 30 years since I?ve been here. This is really foolish to go into an area like that. The contract is certainly going to be seen as the heart of this issue.”Long said he heard about the investigation last week, and spoke to Selectmen Chairman Michael Serino and Town Counsel John Vasapolli about it.?Not much was said but they didn?t deny what was going on,” said Long. “It?s a scary situation, not for the people now, but for the future of the town. This is a whole new avenue that?s opened up if it?s true. What kind of candidates will we get for any board or commission if this is the avenue we?re going? The manager is the only one who can commit the town to a contract, so even if selectmen want to investigate a selectman, it comes down to the manager.”The Daily Item has been unable to reach Crabtree, both in person and by phone, for comment about the issue since last week.Town Meeting member Al DiNardo said he?s still waiting to hear why Castinetti didn?t support Crabtree?s contract last month.?The people want to know what the reasons are,” said DiNardo. “What is this secret that Castinetti has? This group of people that are going after Scott supported (former Town Manager) Andy (Bisignani) and don?t think he did anything wrong. Castinetti gave him an 18-month extension a year and a half before his contract was up.”DiNardo said he?s concerned about keeping Crabtree as Town Manager and is focusing on the upcoming Town Meeting vote to change the vote requirements for extending the manager?s contract.?Scott?s never been given the chance to manage,” said DiNardo. “I think we?ve accomplished more in nine months than in nine years with Andy Bisignani.”Long said while he?s wondering “where everybody?s brains are,” he still thinks there?s an opportunity to “make it a workable situation.”?This wouldn?t be the first time we didn?t have a manager?s contract extended,” said Long. “In the years I?ve been involved I think it?s been five or six managers who didn?t have contracts extended ? Let?s get some cooler heads in here and see if they can come to a working resolution between them. It?s become so personal.”Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].