Former Saugus cable board to appeal judicial decision

SAUGUS – The battle for the Saugus cable station isn?t over for the former board of directors.The group, comprised of Jim Ravagno, David Cottam, Janice Jaroz and Tom Lucey, released a statement Wednesday that said they would be appealing a judge?s decision last week to deny them a hearing in which they would seek to prove they had merit in suing the Saugus Board of Selectmen for disbanding them in April.?SCTV will continue to pursue its claims as long as necessary to protect its civil rights and the rights of all of its residents from interference, threat or coercion,” read the statement.The group said that the non-evidentiary hearing that took place May 1 did not address their claim but instead focused on whether selectmen have the power to disband the Saugus Community Television Board of Directors.?While SCTV argues that the Board of Selectmen does not have that power, for purposes of the Motion for Preliminary Injunction, the issue is why the Board of Selectmen removed SCTV as the designee regardless of whether they actually had the power,” read the statement.The former board argued that the selectmen?s attorney, Ira Zaleznik, provided a written opposition “only minutes before the hearing.”The group issued a reply following the May 1 hearing, but the reply was not considered by the court because it coincided with the judge?s decision from the hearing. Now the group is requesting a reconsideration.The group said even if the judge denied the request for reconsideration, “that does not end this lawsuit.”?The lawsuit alleges that SCTV and its Board of Directors? constitutional rights have been violated and if not reappointed as the designee of the PEG station, SCTV and its Board of Directors are entitled to monetary damages,” read the statement.Zaleznik said Wednesday he had not received any papers notifying him of reconsideration, but he said the former SCTV board?s attorney, Jeffrey Mazer, had indicated it would happen after the hearing.Ravagno, the former chairman, would not comment further on the statement Wednesday.