Crabtree in, Fitzgerald out in Saugus

SAUGUS – The Saugus Board of Selectmen Tuesday voided the contract of newly sworn in Sean Fitzgerald as town manager and reappointed Scott Crabtree – who was fired last October by the previous board.The move came exactly one week after the town overwhelmingly voted to recall the four selectmen who voted to remove Crabtree.John Vasapolli, the town counsel, said the selectmen never should have chosen anyone to replace Crabtree until after the recall. As it was, Fitzgerald, who was chosen by the selectmen late last month, was sworn in one day before the special election.?No reasonable person should have signed that document,” Vasapolli said. “It was the intention to obviously mess up the recall.”Fitzgerald, who was previously the town manager in Plaistow, N.H., had just given his notice to the town. Crabtree, who did not attend Tuesday?s meeting, will resume his duties March 30, according to the board.?I?d hoped I would have had a chance to meet with the new board,” Fitzgerald said, “but they?ve already decided to act at this point.”At a regularly scheduled meeting, the board entertained a motion by selectman Mark Mitchell, seconded by chair Debra Panetta, to revisit the contract Fitzgerald signed with the town on Friday, March 13. The selectmen then went into executive session to further discuss the issue.?The board has given an awful lot of thought to do what?s best for Saugus,” Panetta said.Fellow selectman Jeffrey Cicolini echoed Panetta.?(Our) decision is not to be taken lightly,” he said. “This was taken very seriously on behalf of the residents of the community.”The previous board entered into a void contract, Cicolini said, and did not negotiate in good faith on behalf of the town.?(The previous board) did not have the town?s best interests at heart.”Said Fitzgerald, “I interviewed with the public selection process. The numerous interviews were all in good faith.?I?ve always tried to convey that I would like to help the 26,000 citizens of Saugus,” he said. “I wasn?t concerned about the town?s politics. But I realize Saugus has these groups in the community, and they decided to take action.”Shortly after Crabtree was fired last October, a movement began to recall the four selectmen – Ellen Faiella, Stephen Castinetti, Paul Allan and Maureen Dever – who had voted to oust him. Panetta was also on that board, but was spared the recall effort because she voted against removing Crabtree.