Staggered elections question reaches Saugus fall ballot

SAUGUS – Gov. Deval Patrick has signed legislation that will put the question of whether the community should switch to staggered elections or if voters prefer to elect their leaders in one fell swoop on the ballot in November.”This will allow the voters of Saugus to decide if they want staggered elections,” said Town Meeting member Peter Manoogian, a staunch supporter of the plan. “This would be binding if the voters adopt it.”Town Meeting members were overwhelmingly in favor of the proposal to change the election pattern and send the question to the state legislature for permission to amend the Town Charter. Patrick signed the bill Thursday.According to Manoogian, Saugus is the only town in the commonwealth that does not have staggered elections.If approved the town would hold elections in April on the first Wednesday following the third Monday or after Patriots Day, rather than the traditional first Tuesday in November. The new measure would also go into effect immediately, so whoever comes in fifth in the School Committee and the Board of Selectmen races would be up for re-election in April 2014.”It’s a waste of time and money and all it will give us is extra elections,” said Town Moderator Robert Long. “If it passes, and I’m hoping the voters are smart enough to see the problem, the vote will take place during spring vacation.”Town Meeting member Peter Rossetti said the argument in favor of having the vote during spring break is that students won’t be in the building during the election. He served on the committee that brought the proposal to Town Meeting but he said he is not a fan.”I’m not opposed to staggered elections,” Rossetti said. “I’m not a fan of what the committee came up with.”Aside from voting during vacation week, when many people might be out of town, Rossetti said he doesn’t like the spring elections for budgetary reasons. By the election date Town Meeting is only a few weeks away, which means the town’s budget is essentially in place so whoever is elected is forced to spend the first year with a budget they had no input on, Rossetti said.”If you have a fall election, at least they have a hand in the budget process,” he said.Long agreed. Manoogian said the staggered elections bring continuity but Long said the real question is, does the town want that kind of continuity?He noted that the group Saugus Concerned Citizens successfully launched a petition drive to get a non-binding referendum question on the ballot after the Board of Selectmen declined its request to put it on the ballot.”Does that show the people are happy with the current situation?” he said. “Do you want to wait three years to vote someone out?”In 1987 four members of the five-member Board of Selectmen were voted out and Manoogian, along with Florence Chandler, Richard Barry and Long, were voted in.”(Manoogian) has been a beneficiary of the situation of the situation that currently exists,” Long said.Manoogian said the change is a long time coming.”It was recommended by the Department of Revenue in 2002 or 2003 because of the issue of continuity,” he said.The question, with the explanation of what a yes vote and a no vote would mean, will be on the ballot for the Nov. 5 election.