SAUGUS — The town hired an engineer to study and analyze the town’s infrastructure.
Todd Baldwin has been appointed town engineer, a position created in 2018 to work with the Department of Public Works and Planning Department to coordinate projects and look at plans submitted by prospective developers to streamline the process.
Town Meeting approved $80,000 to fund the salary of a town engineer in 2018, but Baldwin is the first to be hired in the role. His contract was not immediately made available to The Item.
Other communities sometimes have multiple engineers, and given the amount of recent development in the town, Saugus should have at least one, said Town Manager Scott Crabtree.
“We’re in a position now where we have one part-time person and we have all this development going on,” Crabtree said last year. “There’s such a need to have this resource and expertise.”
As Town Engineer, Baldwin is responsible for performing various types of labor related to the study, analysis, and engineering of the town’s infrastructure and equipment and undertaking a variety of activities pertaining to public works.
He will work to improve the town geographic information system (GIS) and bring it into the 21st century, said Crabtree.
Baldwin will also maintain equipment, records and information for the department and work as a liaison to town boards and commissions by providing necessary technical advice.
“Todd holds an excellent skillset for this strategic role,” said Crabtree. “I am confident that his extensive experience and knowledge of engineering will make him an asset to the town.”
The professional engineer previously served as the Senior Civil Engineer for the town of Wakefield for 13 years. Prior to that, he worked as an Assistant Town Engineer in Wilmington.
Baldwin has already been busy working on improvements to Saugus’ parks and playgrounds, street opening permits, and sidewalks inspections and improvements, said Crabtree.
“I’m happy to bring my past experience in both the public and private sector into practice here in Saugus to help continue to improve the town’s infrastructure,” said Baldwin.
