Saugus Town Meeting set for second round

SAUGUS – Saugus will hold the second session of its annual Town Meeting Monday at 7:30 p.m. in Town Hall Auditorium.The meeting, continued from May 4, will take up two articles recommended by the Finance Committee: the high school feasibility study (Article 17) and the town?s playgrounds (Article 1).Under Article 17, the town would have to decide whether to appropriate, borrow or transfer funds of up to $1.85 million for a feasibility study for a new high school. The study, directed by the Saugus High School Project Building Committee, is part of the requirements set forth by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) for the awarding of a grant to be put toward the new school.According to School Committee member Arthur Grabowski, who attended Wednesday night?s Finance Committee meeting, this should be an easy vote.?We encourage them to vote for it,” Grabowski said. “If they don?t vote for it, they?re dead in the water. There?s plenty of support out there. I don?t think there?ll be any opposition to it. Last year, Town Meeting voted a resolution that passed unanimously supporting the process of building of a new high school for the town, and I think it?ll be an easy vote to take on Monday night.”Grabowski said although the overwhelming majority of the town favors building a new high school, that?s not set in stone.?Right now, it?s a thought process with a lot of different ideas,” Grabowski said. “It?s not guaranteed. The MSBA will either partner to build a new school; renovate/repair the existing school; or neither one of those. It?s a long process, not a short process. The goal is for a new school, but that?s up to MSBA. Hopefully, they?ll see the need for a brand new school.”Finance Committee Chairman Kenneth DePatto, along with other committee members, are part of that majority.?The Finance Committee is excited that the funding of this article, if approved by Town Meeting, will move the community another step closer to the construction of a new Saugus High School that will be an asset and of great benefit to the students, teachers and residents of Saugus,” DePatto said.Town Meeting member Bob Long, Precinct 9, said Saugus pays twice as much for Northeast Regional Vocational Technical School as Revere and four times as much as Chelsea, per community assessment. Northeast is also building a new school, and Saugus is involved in that debt exclusion, he said.?We?re married to that, whether we like it or not, adding to our financial responsibilities,” Long said.Article 1 asks the town to appropriate funds for improvements of parks and playgrounds, and to determine whether borrowing is necessary.Board of Selectmen Chair Debra Panetta said she hopes both articles will pass Monday. Some of the selectmen attended a half hour of the Finance Committee meeting prior to their selectmen meeting Wednesday.?Having safe and modern recreational parks and playgrounds is a priority for this Board of Selectmen,” Panetta said.DePatto also approves of passing the article next week.?The funding of this article, if approved by Town Meeting, will provide much needed capital improvement, which include but are not limited to: safety and (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance issues, as well as a very detailed plan on a recommended course of action of addressing these areas throughout the town of Saugus,” DePatto said.But Long, who was also present Wednesday, isn?t so sure.?I?m not sure what will happen,” Long said. “I?m in favor of good modern playgrounds for kids, but I can?t see myself supporting it. There was a 1.5 million figure thrown out there, but where is that figure coming from? Why not $5,000? Two bucks? I asked at the meeting, and there was no back-up.”