Tempers flare at Saugus meeting

SAUGUS – A discussion of the town?s new ambulance provider got heated this week between Selectman Steve Castinetti and Town Manager Scott Crabtree on the state of the contract.During selectmen?s time, Castinetti told Crabtree that he was confused why the board had not seen the new ambulance provider?s contract two days before they are expected to start in town.In his response to Castinetti, Crabtree said according to typical municipal process, the contract had been awarded to American Ambulance Services, and he was waiting on Saugus Police Chief Dominic DiMella for the final paperwork.Castinetti repeated his comment that he didn?t know why two days before the date American Ambulance was scheduled to take over as the town?s new provider no official contract had come before the board.?Let me try to explain it – I?ll go slow,” Crabtree said to Castinetti.?No, I don?t need you to go slow,” said Castinetti. “If there?s something binding, I want to see it.”Crabtree told Castinetti he expected to meet with DiMella Wednesday.Selectman Maureen Dever progressed the conversation when she asked what would become of Emergency Management Services, who vacated the Hamilton Street fire station in preparation for American Ambulance moving into the building.Crabtree answered that there was a discussion among the police and fire departments to move three emergency/public safety officers into the Public Safety Building housing police and fire on Hamilton Street. “It will be more consistent and better on a professional level to be under the same roof,” said Crabtree.Crabtree told Dever that the emergency vehicles that were in the old fire station have been moved to the cemetery garage, which he said “wasn?t being utilized.”According to Cemetery Commission Director Dennis Gould, the cemetery equipment, including lawnmowers and trucks, is now out in the open, waiting for “temporary storage.”?It sounds permanent,” said Gould in a phone interview last week. “I didn?t authorize this, nor were we consulted. We didn?t know about it until it happened.”During Tuesday?s meeting, Crabtree brought up the possibility of town vehicles and equipment being stored in a new building, which would be a capital item for the future. As far as repairs to the old fire station, Crabtree said American Ambulance would provide improvements to the building as part of their contract, at no cost to the town.