SAUGUS — Town Meeting members passed, near-unanimously, 13 articles on the special meeting warrant Monday night at Town Hall.
Only one of the 13 articles did not pass unanimously — one that called for the town to appropriate a half-million dollars to be put into a fund to help defray costs of assessments for Saugus’ share of the Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational High School (Northeast Metro Tech).
Earlier, member Peter Manoogian recommended that the town set up a $1.5 million debt exclusion to protect the town if there are any more such assessments.
Town Manager Scott Crabtree said the money, like much of the funds the town allocated to different projects, come from free cash. Both Manoogian’s amendment and the article passed.
Beyond the Voke issue, the biggest topic — though by no means acrimonious — involved the town purchasing the former North Shore Bank loan building next to the principal bank building at 481-483 Lincoln Ave. for future use as part of the Cliftondale Square revitalization project.
Earlier in the evening, member Joseph Vecchione gave a detailed summation of the Cliftondale Square committee that has been coming up with a plan to revitalize the square that was unanimously accepted by the Town Meeting members.
Among the possible uses for the property, parking was mentioned in the article. Though not everyone who spoke agreed that parking was the primary issue in Cliftondale Square, all recommended the article — and another one recommending that the town spend $775,000 to purchase the property — be accepted.
“When I was younger, Cliftondale Square was hopping,” said Selectwoman Corinne Riley, who spoke on behalf of the article. “Now, there’s nothing there. Now, we can’t have Cliftondale Square be tired and old.”
“We have a unique opportunity for the town,” said Selectwoman Debra Panetta. “I hope you’ll support this article.”
“Parking is not the biggest problem in the square,” said member Chris Riley, “but it is a problem.”
Likewise, member Peter Rossetti, whose family’s insurance company has been on Lincoln Avenue for more than 70 years, said he wasn’t necessarily sure that the land’s best use would be parking, “but it’s a start.”
Crabtree said the building and adjacent land would create 25 new spaces. There are also spaces from the now-vacated bank building next to the property as well.
The Voke and Lincoln Avenue bills comprised four of the 13 articles, not including the committee readings such as Vecchione’s.
Members also approved money for new equipment for various town departments, including four police cruisers; a new ladder truck and a new pumper engine for the Fire Department; and public-safety radio infrastructure upgrades.
Also approved was funding to match a Green Communities grant; to improve, remodel or repair town-owned buildings and facilities and purchase equipment; repair and/or replace the overhead doors at the Hamilton Street fire station; and keep contributing to a fund that, as of now, has $1.4 million, for post-employment benefits.
The 38-article annual Town Meeting warrant will be taken up beginning next Monday at 7:30 p.m. in the Town Hall auditorium.
