Saugus selectmen detail grievances against town manager

SAUGUS – A frustrated Board of Selectmen took a vote at its meeting Tuesday to upgrade all requests to Town Manager Scott Crabtree to be known as “directives” with attached due dates.The motion was put forward by Selectman Steve Castinetti. “Items we?ve been requesting in almost every meeting in many cases are ignored, postponed, stalled, interfered with and are causing us to not get things done on the board in a timely fashion,” he said.Castinetti said the behavior was “not the exception, but the rule for this administration.”Other members of the board agreed, citing their slow progression addressing both the grease trap regulation and the concerns of Eustis Street neighbors with the former Weylu property when the board asked Crabtree for assistance. Selectman Maureen Dever said she had to create a spreadsheet of the “pages and pages of outstanding issues because they don?t take priority.”Chairman Ellen Faiella said Crabtree had often told her he couldn?t produce a document she requested because “it didn?t format that way.”?We?re not doing our jobs unless we insist people do theirs,” said Faiella. “I would certainly hope it?s not deliberate ? but I find it hard to believe folks cannot produce documentation in a timely fashion.”Faiella recalled the May 14 meeting of the Finance Committee where Chairman Robert Palleschi told the board in response to its complaints about the manager, “It?s your problem.”Castinetti responded,?It?s our problem, and I to expect to fix that problem quickly.” Castinetti added that Crabtree was willing to work with the former board when he was appointed two years ago, but he had not expressed the same desire to work with the current board.Faiella said Crabtree?s unwillingness to follow through on the board?s requests to be copied on emails, among other faulty communication, was “difficult and insulting.”Crabtree was not present at the meeting because he was not feeling well earlier in the day, according to the board. Selectman Debra Panetta said she didn?t feel comfortable having the discussion without Crabtree present. “It?s unfortunate,” she said. “I would have liked to have given him the courtesy to respond back.”Faiella said she also would have preferred to have Crabtree present but pointed out to Panetta the agenda had been posted with the item on it.Panetta said she didn?t share the problems with Crabtree that the others did. “I know the town manager is busy, and none of us want to micromanage the manager,” she said.Dever said to Panetta that she was “very fortunate to enjoy relationship you do with town manager.” Panetta responded that Crabtree “always treated me respectfully and answered my questions,” and Panetta asked Dever if she had ever picked up the phone to call him.?I do not,” said Dever. “I believe strongly that conversations should take place at a public meeting so residents can hear the responses.”The board passed Castinetti?s motion with a unanimous 5-0 vote.