Grease causing friction in Saugus

SAUGUS – Two potential restaurant owners were dealt a significant setback when selectmen declined to waive the requirement for either that calls for them to install an external grease trap.And discussion regarding the requirement set off a row between a board member and Town Manager Scott Crabtree.Joseph Ananian, speaking on behalf of Adalberto Gimenes, asked to board to consider waiving the need for an external grease trap because Gimenes is taking over an existing business.”Everything is the same,” he said. “The only thing that is different is he won’t be opening on Sundays because he’s an ordained minister and on Sundays he has a higher calling.”Gimenes’ son told the board the previous owner had received a waiver and since they had made no changes he didn’t understand why they wouldn’t receive one, particularly when no one, including town inspectors, told them when they bought the restaurant that it was a requirement.When Ananian tried to argue that the request would be so costly it would effectively put the family out of business, selectmen chairman Michael Serino cut him off.”You’re arguing a case where the board can’t make a decision,” he said. “Personally you’re wasting our time talking about the ins and outs when we can’t make a decision.”Laurie Cunha did not fare much better when she requested a waiver for The Tumble Inn Diner. Cunha was back for a second time, and although her business partner, Rick Scirocco, made a plea regarding past practice and hardship costs she too was denied.Attorney Manuel F. Rabbitt, speaking on their behalf, called installing an external grease trap a herculean cost and one that would likely require blasting. He asked the board to continue the hearing one more time so they could explore alternatives.”There is no way a small business like this makes the kind of money that it can afford $15,000 to $40,000, as many of you can see banks aren’t willing to loan that kind of money,” he said.Serino essentially told Cunha she needed to take the issue up with the property owner and the board declined to issue a waiver 4-0 with Selectman Steve Castinetti abstaining.The bylaw that requires restaurants to install an external grease trap is a long simmering one heightened in recent years by a Department of Environmental Protection mandate requiring the town to clean up its sewer system. Serino, along with his colleague Debra Panetta, mentioned that the project is costing taxpayers $27 million, which is why they are sticklers regarding the need for the external grease traps.Castinetti said he would like to bring the plumbing inspector in to discuss the issue.”We can’t paint the town with one brush because not all businesses are the same,” he said. “I would like to put all things on hold until we meet with the plumbing inspector.”Crabtree said the board didn’t need to speak with the plumbing inspector because it could offer a waiver if it wanted but the policy is that every restaurant needs an external grease trap.”It’s up to the businesses to figure out how to do it,” he said.When Castinetti said he thought the plumbing inspector might have knowledge about the issue neither he nor Crabtree had, Crabtree said, “I don’t think he does have the current knowledge.””Then why is he the plumbing inspector?” Castinetti said raising his voice. “I don’t see why we can’t ask him questions. We bring the police in when we have a police question, we bring the Fire Department in for fire questions.”Crabtree essentially told Castinetti he could not bring the plumbing inspector in to solve a problem that should be handled by a contractor and Castinetti told him to back off.”We’re the Board of Selectmen and you are not the boss, you work for us,” Castinetti said.He said he was not championing the idea of grease trap waivers, he simply wanted to treat businesses fairly, he said.As the debate between Crabtree and Castinetti grew to a crescendo Serino cut them off. He also cut off Scirocco, when he attempted to get a time line