SAUGUS – Town Meeting members voted Monday to allocate $65,000 to begin the design phase of repairing and replacing the town’s wastewater pumping stations.Town Meeting member Peter Manoogian, author of Article 6, said the project is expected to last 10 years and will cost “north of $4 million.”Although all the money is not in place, Manoogian said it would be wise to act now as the town’s wastewater system is in poor condition and vulnerable to “eleventh-hour emergencies.””Tonight there is a unique opportunity to begin the process,” he said at the Special Town Meeting at Town Hall.Citing the results of an evaluation conducted in September by Weston and Sampson environmental consultants, Manoogian said that the Morris Street pumping station is in the worst condition, closely followed by the stations on Bristow and Floyd streets. He said Weston and Sampson also identified two stations “west of Route 1” that need attention.In addition to fencing needed at the Bristow Street station, Manoogian said there is a potential for “wastewater to escape” from the Morris Street station and spill into the Saugus River.However, Town Meeting member Eugene Decareau questioned why the project would begin with only $65,0000 in place.”What are we doing?” he asked. “We’re putting a Band Aid on the problem.”Decareau was also concerned about the way the article was worded, saying that there was no mention of a design phase.”I don’t want to vote for one thing and have you do something else,” he said.”Look, we have a process in Saugus,” said Manoogian, adding that any project would need to be designed on paper before going forward.However, the article was amended to include “any associated design reports.”Finance Committee Chairman Kenneth DePatto said the $65,000 is only intended to cover that preliminary phase.”This would not result in shovels in the ground,” said Public Works Director Brendan O’Regan. He said the design process will help determine whether or not a larger station will be needed, which would require an easement, as well as what type of pump should be installed.Temporary Town Manager Robert Palleschi urged Town Meeting members to act sooner than later. “If it’s not voted, we’re going to waste the entire winter,” he said.Palleschi said that according to O’Regan, the pumping stations would create an “ecological disaster” if the problem went unattended.Article 7 passed, opposing additional solid waste combustion, and supporting “existing dates and height limitations for ash landfill closure established by the Commonwealth,” according to the warrant.Joanne Vannah, chairman of the Saugus Alternative Energy Committee, was successful in having the name of her board changed to the Saugus Energy Research Committee. Vannah said the committee was initially established for “exploratory” purposes in 2007. However, she said that circumstances have changed and now call for a committee that will cover a broader range of issues including energy grants.