Saugus Town Meeting wraps up business quickly

SAUGUS – Saugus Town Meeting wrapped up its business Monday after referring a recommendation by the Ambulance Study Committee for a town-run ambulance service back to the board for further review.The remaining articles on the budget, including a request by Town Manager Scott Crabtree for an additional $300,000 in the school budget, passed without discussion.After member Phillip Rando, who was on the Ambulance Study Committee, moved that the articles – 22 through 25 – pertaining to the issue be addressed first, out of order, the four items were brought to the table.Peter Rossetti, also a member of the ambulance committee, moved to refer the matter back to his committee, according to Town Moderator Steve Doherty. There was no further discussion.After the meeting, Jeff Moses, of the Saugus Fire Department, who is injured on the job, said the Finance Commitee voted to postpone the articles indefinitely.?I thought we had a good case, but when FinCom looked at it, they raised some concerns regarding the numbers,” said Moses, who is chairman of the study committee. “Since we needed a two-thirds vote, we referred it back to our committee to study it and see if we can address the concerns FinCom made.”Moses said the concerns will be re-evaluated “sooner rather than later.” The proposed ambulance and required equipment would cost less than $300,000 and fund eight firefighters? salaries, Moses said.?They?re funded as part of this grant,” Moses said. “If it doesn?t pass it?ll be difficult for them to retain their jobs.”Chief Don McQuaid and civilian Jim Smith also serve on the Ambulance Study Committee.Doherty said he was surprised there wasn?t debate.?I thought people would go back and forth and eventually come to a vote, but the Ambulance Study Committee thought it was wiser to reorganize it and bring it back at later date,” Doherty said.Under Article 22, the Ambulance Study Committee seeks a basic life-support ambulance, operated and managed by the Saugus Fire Department, in conjunction with an existing privately contracted ambulance service. Article 23 specifies the amount of money to fund the proposed ambulance; 24 establishes a new enterprise account for financial activities concerning the ambulance; and 25 deals with buying the prospective ambulance and required equipment, which would cost less than $300,000.Article 1, the general Fiscal Year 2016 operating budget for the town and schools, had the most opposition. Eight were opposed and 38 voted in favor.It was also the only article that prompted discussion. The other articles were carried by roll call votes.