Relations between Wheelabrator Saugus and the town are looking up in the wake of the new Wheelabrator subcommittee’s first meeting Wednesday.
Formed by the Board of Health earlier this month, chair William Heffernan said this week’s meeting, which was primarily used as a chance to lay the subcommittee’s groundwork moving forward, was productive and will ideally lead to a more transparent line of communication between the incinerator plant and Saugus residents.
“I think overall it was good. It’s been a long time coming,” Heffernan said. “There’s been quite a contentious relationship between Wheelabrator and the town for some time now.”
Following several months of discussion, the board voted 3-0 this November to approve the new subcommittee, which includes Board of Health members Heffernan and Shawn Ayube, former members Dianne Serino and Joe Vinard, Selectman Anthony Cogliano and Selectwoman Corinne Riley, Town Manager Scott Crabtree, resident Christopher Williams, Town Meeting member Peter Delios, and environmental advocate Jackie Mercurio, who is a member of both Saugus Action Volunteers for the Environment and the Alliance for Health and Environment.
Heffernan, along with Board of Selectmen chair Anthony Cogliano, were voted the subcommittee’s co-chairs, and both have expressed hope the meetings will be helpful for all parties involved.
“I think this will allow us to deep-dive a lot of the issues the facility has been seeing lately, whether it’s noise issues or smoke,” Heffernan said. “I don’t want this to turn into a screaming match like it did at a Board of Health meeting a few years ago. This needs to lean towards constructive criticism when needed and allow Wheelabrator the chance to address (issues) instead of allowing people to come in and point fingers.
“If there are any issues with the facility, let’s sit down and talk about it.”
Subcommittee goals proposed by Cogliano included a potential host community agreement and the elimination of pending litigation between the town and the plant, which referred to the town’s appeal of a valley fill permit issued to Wheelabrator by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP).
When asked about the new subcommittee earlier this month, Wheelabrator’s Vice President of Environmental Compliance, James Connolly, said the plant was fully on board with the idea.
“We welcome the creation of the committee and look forward to the discussion about how Wheelabrator Saugus can best continue to provide economic and environmental value to Saugus and the region,” Connolly said. “We appreciate town leaders for creating this opportunity for cooperative and productive dialogue.”
Subcommittee meetings will take place on the third Wednesday of every month and will end with an open comment period in which the public is welcome to take part.
Representatives from the plant will now be in attendance at both Wheelabrator subcommittee meetings and the town’s monthly Board of Health general meetings.
Agendas for all meetings will be posted ahead of time on the town’s website.
“Speaking with Wheelabrator leadership, they were excited about the subcommittee, and I know people in the town are excited about it,” Heffernan said. “I think it’ll lend itself to more of a partnership between Wheelabrator and the town.”
