Developer responds to resident concerns in Saugus subdivision

SAUGUS – Backed by the Board of Selectmen, the disgruntled residents of Bellevue Heights had the opportunity Saturday to get developer Jack Mallon to agree to address their construction and safety concerns by Nov. 7.”What is your plan? What is your goal?” asked Selectman Chairman Ellen Faiella.Started in 2001, the subdivision has remained unfinished with seven lots still open.”I don’t want to keep making excuses for myself,” Mallon said. “I was always willing to complete this.”Mallon said he would move his hydraulic excavator, have the curbing redone and make a concerted effort to clean up the piles of disregarded construction material. “You are promising all these people that you are going to address their concerns in three weeks,” said Faiella.Residents remained skeptical as to whether Mallon will follow through.”I’m sick and tired of you blowing smoke,” said Joanne Romeo of Hitching Hill Road. Her husband, Ferruccio, initially brought the neighborhood’s concerns before the Board of Selectmen on Oct. 7. She explained that she had fallen on ice last winter, as Mallon did not put down sand or salt.”Someone is going to get hurt, and maybe it’s not going to be me. Maybe it will be someone who will come after you,” Joanne Romeo said.Ferruccio Romeo said that in addition to unfinished construction, Bellevue Heights has become a place for drug activity. He added that a bag of needles had been found across the street from his home.”We’re not going to stand by and watch this happen,” he said, adding that residents should not have to constantly be calling for help.”We can’t overburden the police over this,” he said.Joanne Romeo recalled an instance in which she called the police only to receive a caustic response from the officer.Police Chief Domenic DiMella assured her that such behavior is completely unacceptable and to email him immediately should it happen again.”That will be corrected,” he said.Mallon also told residents that snow removal will not be a problem this year, despite forgetting the name of his current snow-removal contractor.”I’ll buy a plow, put it on my truck this year, and I’ll finish after they’re done,” he said. “I didn’t know there was an issue with the plowing.”Selectmen Vice Chair Maureen Dever reminded Mallon that residents depend on him and his contractor for snow removal, as the town cannot send its plows to a private development.”Some of these folks are in a catch 22,” she said.However, Public Works Director Brendan O’Regan still asked that Mallon keep him updated as winter approaches.”We would like to know what the arrangement is,” said O’Regan.Regarding the retaining wall that was damaged during a rainstorm in 2008, Kevin Procopio, owner of Procopio Construction, said he plans to reuse the fill that is already there rather than trucking in new material. “Our plan is to recycle it on site,” he said, adding that his workers will also attach anchor footings to the bedrock under the wall to prevent another collapse. It could take 12-18 months to complete the repairs.”The wall is a mammoth project,” said Procopio.In addition to a second site visit on Nov. 8, Faiella said that progress at Bellevue Heights will be on the agenda at the next board meeting.