Saugus school articles still await finance board vote

SAUGUS – The Saugus Finance Committee voted to recommend the water and sewer accounts Wednesday night, but put off votes on the school budget again and delayed voting on any other financial articles because it just received the town budget that night.Articles 21, 22 and 23 seek money for several upgrades around the district. Article 21 requests $300,000 to buy new textbooks and laptop computers while article 22 seeks money for a master plan to evaluate and recommend future capital planning, and article 23 seeks money to address handicap accessibility at Saugus High School and the Ballard Early Childhood Center.School Committee Chairman Wendy Reed said she had a meeting scheduled with Town Manager Scott Crabtree to discuss the articles, but he had to cancel because he was stuck in Boston. Reed said they haven?t rescheduled yet, but Crabtree noted he?s waiting to hear back from the school.?I?d love to try and figure something out but it will be challenging at this late stage to figure this out,” said Crabtree. “I think we?re running into roadblocks for borrowing even in terms of the Chromebooks. We?re using a large amount of the free cash that?s left, some $700,000, so we can balance the budget.”At the last meeting, Reed and Superintendent Richard Langlois discussed bonding to buy the new textbooks, but according to Finance Committee member Dave Castellarin, Gerry Perry of the Department of Revenue told him that the school cannot bond to buy new textbooks.The committee also discussed an article that seeks to establish rent control for Saugus? mobile home parks.?What is the upside to it?” asked Finance Committee member Carl Mirabello. “I just don?t see it.”Town Meeting member Wayne Brooks wrote the article and he?s looking to make sure he and his fellow park residents on Route 1 can?t be driven out by rent increases and noted it?s not punitive against park owners.?There?s absolutely no risk for the town,” said Brooks. “What?s in it for the town is a stable part of the community. We have motels up on Route 1 ? We don?t put any burdens, we don?t need snow plowing or trash pickup ? It?s a safety net.”The Finance Committee asked Crabtree to have Town Counsel John Vasapolli look at the article.In other business, Crabtree said the cemetery office has been repaired after a tree fell on it during Hurricane Sandy.The committee also approved articles 6 8 9, which fund the Senior Center and recreational programs.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].