SAUGUS — The town of Saugus is inviting residents to attend an open meeting to discuss its Hazard Mitigation Plan and Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) project, both of which aim to reduce the town’s vulnerability to natural hazards.
Town Manager Scott Crabtree, Director of Planning and Economic Development Chris Riley, and Saugus’ MAPC consultant will be present at the virtual meeting next Thursday to talk about the town’s weaknesses when it comes to flooding, hurricanes, and blizzards, as well as explore solutions to increase the community’s resilience to the impacts of climate change.
“The main purpose of this meeting is to be an introduction to the plan and inform the community about what it is, the type of feedback we’re looking for, and how they can get involved,” said Senior Town Planner Alexander Mello. “It’s really just introductory.”
The MVP Planning Grant program is funded through the state Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA) and provides support for Massachusetts cities and towns to begin the process of planning for climate change resilience and implementing priority projects.
In 2019, Saugus was awarded $33,000 by the state to put toward mitigating future flooding impacts on residents and the town’s infrastructure, as well as to update the town’s Hazard Mitigation Plan, which was first drafted in 2014.
Last December, the town of Saugus held a virtual public feedback session and workshop regarding its MVP Project, which was planned and facilitated by a team of local officials, residents, and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC).
“The more we are able to learn about the community’s needs, the better this project will be for residents and the town for future planning,” said Crabtree.
A draft of the plan will be presented at a later meeting that has yet to be scheduled, Mello said.
For more information and for access to the Zoom link, residents can contact Mello at the town’s Planning and Economic Development Department at (781) 231-4045, or by sending an email to [email protected].
Elyse Carmosino can be reached at [email protected].
