SAUGUS — After readjusting its usual Town Meeting format due to the COVID-19 virus, Saugus TM members began sifting through a 14-item warrant Monday night at Town Hall.
Before they could get to work on the warrant, however, members had to approve a motion to conduct business via Zoom, as opposed to in person — a proposal that passed overwhelmingly.
“Let’s hope,” said Town Moderator Steve Doherty, “that next year this pandemic is behind us, and that we can meet under more normal circumstances.
“I applaud the selectmen for putting the health of the people in the town ahead of finances,” he said, noting that as of Monday night, roughly two percent of the town’s population had been infected with the virus.
After a short report by the Finance Committee, Town Manager Scott Crabtree spoke via Zoom to the members.
“These are very challenging times for us, as a financial team, trying to predict, or trying to forecast, what our revenues are going to look like going into Fiscal 2021,” Crabtree said. “This is more challenging than it’s ever been.”
Crabtree said that there is no historical data to compare the circumstances behind the pandemic with, or to get any perspective on it.
“We’ve talked to the state, auditors and managers and administrators from other communities, and we’re trying to figure out how to navigate, moving forward,” he said.
Crabtree acknowledged that meeting in an online forum didn’t make the circumstances any easier.
“I’d rather be meeting in person,” he said.
Crabtree said that his priority would be to take care of some of the issues surrounding the current budget and then delve into Fiscal 2021.
“We have similar issues (as other towns) in not being able to clearly predict what our revenues will be coming into the next year.”
Crabtree said the town was “fortunate” to have a $9 million stabilization fund “but I’d caution that figure allows us to have a Double-A-Plus bond rating.
“We have to have a plan to replenish moneys that may be taken out.”
He also said that there is still much work to be done before the town can set a tax rate.
“I think we’re going to have to move cautiously,” he said. “We are certainly concerned from the point of view of finances and revenues.”
For more on Monday night’ Town Meeting, see Wednesday’s Item and visit itemlive.com