Saugus passes Town Manager contract extension vote change

SAUGUS – Town Manager Scott Crabtree may yet see his two-year contract extended after Monday night?s special Town Meeting vote.Article 5, which sought to change the vote requirement from four to three to extend the Town Manager?s contract, passed 29-11 with two abstentions.The measure must now be approved by the state legislature.In an unusual move, Town Moderator Bob Long requested another Town Meeting member take his place as moderator for discussions on the article so he could speak on it. Brenton Spencer volunteered.?I am embarrassed by it,” said Long. “We?re opening up something here ? that we shouldn?t be doing.”After Town Meeting member Maureen Dever made a motion to refer the article back to selectmen (which failed 31-11), selectmen Chairman Michael Serino spoke in support of the article and emphasized it would still remain four votes to hire and fire a manager.?We don?t only think Scott is doing a good job in town but we?re looking at the long term stability of town government and we think this will give stability to the town ?” he said. “We want to see an up and down vote tonight.”Serino added that Crabtree is “being removed by two members of the board who don?t support him.”Town Meeting member Ellen Faiella said she thinks the issue is an “embarrassment in the community.”?Never have I seen such an issue brought before us,” she said. “It?s (the selectmen?s) responsibility to address this issue ? Renewal is a form of re-hire and therefore should require the same four-fifths vote ? Any change in our charter is a very significant undertaking and should never be done in an arbitrary and capricious manner.”Faiella also mentioned a letter signed by Serino and selectmen Debra Panetta and Stephen Horlick that urges Town Meeting to pass the article, and asked Serino if the letter was discussed during an open meeting.?A vote was taken by selectmen to draft a letter and I sent that letter,” said Serino.Town Meeting member Al DiNardo said Crabtree has yet to have his “season of managing,” noting the town is in a stalemate and needs a manager.DiNardo credited Crabtree with keeping the library open 49 hours a week, keeping the Essex Street Fire Station open and starting street sweeping in town, while Panetta said the town is better off now than a year ago.?I?m going to support this tonight and let what he does in the next year be the judge, not two people,” said DiNardo.Dever said she could sense the level of discomfort in the auditorium and noted the issue has “become personalized.”?What this really is is a contract dispute,” said Dever, who urged selectmen to come to a compromise and conduct a performance evaluation.Town Meeting member Jeffrey Moses said while he?s “not saying the manager has done a bad job,” putting the decision to Town Meeting is wrong.Town Meeting members Peter Manoogian and William Jones spoke in favor of the article, while Peter Rossetti said he likes Crabtree and wants to see him stay on, but doesn?t agree with changing the charter.In other business, Town Meeting unanimously passed article 3, which requests $351,000 for seven new police cruisers, article 4, which requests $22,500 to hire two new staff in the Town Clerk?s office, and article 2, which transfers $200,000 to the town?s stabilization account.Monday?s proceedings started with the customary Pledge of Allegiance, which was followed by moment of silence for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].