Saugus selectmen offer mixed feelings on charter change vote

SAUGUS – Selectmen Chairman Michael Serino said he was happy with Monday night’s Town Meeting decision that changes the vote requirement to extend the Town Manager’s contract from four votes to three.”I think it went well,” he said. “I think it’s the best thing for the town, stability-wise.”Serino said the next step will be for the article to be sent to the state delegation to be approved.”It’s pretty fast,” said Serino. “If I remember from the charter changes that we did about four years ago, I think it passed the Legislature within a few months.”Article 5 passed 29-11 Monday with two abstentions.View each town meeting member’s voteSelectmen Vice Chairman Steve Castinetti, who voted against a renewal for current Town Manager Scott Crabtree, said he was surprised by the “overwhelming vote” and was disappointed.”I felt it was more of a referendum on the manager’s contract,” he said. “The motive behind it was not to change the charter, it was to extend the manager’s contract. But if that’s what people want, that’s what they want.Town Meeting member Al DiNardo asked Monday night why some selectmen haven’t said why they don’t support Crabtree. Castinetti said while he doesn’t think it’s been “all bad” there are “other things the public really isn’t aware of.””I’m looking at the total performance as a manager,” he said. “Someone that manages people and resources. I think we could have done better. I’m not going to get into the details yet.”Castinetti said he will be putting together a “package” of reasons why he doesn’t support Crabtree, but declined to say when.”I really don’t want it to be embarrassing, but if I’m going to be pushed into my reasons why I don’t support the manager then I will absolutely come out with a list of things I find positive and negative ?” he said. “I really don’t want it to look like this is in retaliation for the vote because it’s not. I don’t want to embarrass him. People are saying I hate Scott and I don’t. There’s nothing personal there whatsoever.”Crabtree could not be reached Tuesday.Castinetti also criticized Chairman Michael Serino, saying he has never made any attempt to “unify this board.””The chairman of this board should be bringing us together and not driving us apart,” he said. “When Crabtree was chairman, I told him several times he did an outstanding job of bringing this board together ? (Serino) has successfully made this a board of three. I’ve heard nothing from him between meetings and I don’t think there is any intention to bring this board together.”Serino said even though votes are sometimes split 3-2, he “respects everybody’s vote.””You try and do the best you can,” said Serino. “They have to vote how they feel and I certainly expect that. We get along and talk. We might disagree politically, but we talk.”Article 6 also passed Monday night by a vote of 36-3. This article calls for yearly staggered elections for selectmen and School Committee. Saugus residents will vote on this at the next town election in November.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].