SAUGUS — Board of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano has found himself in hot water for the second time in as many months.
This time the controversy surrounding Cogliano comes from comments he made on Facebook in response to criticism from Eliot Evan Smith, of Lynn, an opponent of the proposed expansion of WIN Waste Innovations’ ash landfill. In public comments and private messages, Cogliano claimed Smith was not a real person. Among other things, Cogliano told him to “shove your comments up your [expletive].”
“But with everything you shove up there, there might not be room … I know who you are Mr. Blessed Sacrament,” Cogliano added.
In a separate private message, Cogliano wrote, “I’d say [expletive] me… but I know that’s your thing so I’ll pass.”
Cogliano has said he believes a former town official created a Facebook account using the name “Eliot Evan Smith.” Al DiNardo — who is openly gay — served as a Town Meeting member for 35 years before moving out of town three years ago. Smith said Cogliano’s remarks are a reference to DiNardo’s sexuality.
DiNardo said he thinks Cogliano was frustrated with him for helping lead the recall of four members of the Board of Selectmen in 2015 following the firing of Town Manager Scott Crabtree. DiNardo claimed the former board had promised the position to Cogliano before being recalled.
Screenshots of the comments were emailed to several media outlets, including The Daily Item, as well as members of the Board of Selectmen. In a reply, Cogliano said he was referencing a crucifix in the messages.
Through a statement, Cogliano said that he was frustrated with harassment on social media.
“The comments go all day long, every day of the week on my messenger account and now they include my family,” Cogliano said. “That I will not tolerate.”
Cogliano told The Item he does not regret the comments, and added that they have “nothing to do with gays.”
“Anyone that knows me knows I could care less about sexual preference,” he said. “To each his or her or their own.”
He emphasized his belief that he was being harassed on social media by a former town official.
“I think he’s a jerk no matter what his sexual preference is,” Cogliano said.
Cogliano now faces calls from some to resign, and will likely be asked to do so during Tuesday evening’s Board of Selectmen meeting. He said he has no plans to do so, writing in a statement that he earned his seat as chairman.
“I have the support of the Saugus people,” he said. “To those of you that I’ve helped through the years, I’d welcome you to attend Tuesday’s meeting.”
Smith explained that the spat began when he questioned Cogliano’s time in law school. In a deposition, Cogliano said he spent two years in law school but Smith indicated he believes it was just one semester. In response to questioning from Smith, Cogliano “would not give a straight answer” and “instead made homophobic comments and veiled threats,” Smith said.
“He said he was going to ‘stop by my house’ and to ‘look out the door,’” Smith wrote in a statement.
“As an elected official, Cogliano should expect criticism,” he added.
DiNardo, reached by phone Monday, said “all this Facebook stuff has got to come to an end.”
“The town’s got to concentrate on deeper issues,” he said.
He added that the comments made by Cogliano show he is unfit to lead the board.
“It’s not right or becoming of the chairperson,” he said. “I’m not suggesting we have another recall, but the citizens of Saugus are pretty smart.”
Cogliano faced criticism from fellow members of the board for his comments, but three members who responded to requests for comments said they would not vote to remove him as chairman.
Vice Chair Debra Panetta said she believes elected officials in Saugus should hold themselves to a higher standard and that Cogliano’s remarks don’t represent the views of the Board.
“We must move our town forward in a positive manner, always in the best interest of our residents,” she wrote in a statement. “Although I am disturbed by the Facebook posts and his following email response, I have no intention of voting to remove Anthony as Chairman [Tuesday] evening.”
Board member Jeff Cicolini said he felt the comments were out of character for Cogliano, adding that he believed Cogliano had no malicious intent.
“I have made it clear to him that this matter must cease in order for the town and our constituents to move forward,” Cicolini said. “I do not condone this type of behavior … that being said, I have no plans to take a vote to remove Anthony as Chairman at Tuesday’s meeting.”
“I feel as though Anthony understands the importance of this matter coming to an end and I have made it clear to him that if this situation continues into the foreseeable future, I will have no choice but to reassess my position at that time,” he added.
Corinne Riley — likely Cogliano’s closest ally on the Board — said she has known Cogliano long enough to know that he is not a person “that has any hatred in him for any group of people.”
“Let me be clear, the comments that were posted on social media were unnecessary, and I don’t condone any derogatory remarks against any group regardless of religion, sexual orientation or any other circumstance that may offend anyone’s belief or freedoms of the way people choose to live their lives,” she wrote. “I urge all involved to act more civilly toward one another, act like adults, and for the Board of Selectmen to focus on the work at hand to address the many issues facing Saugus.”
The social-media remarks come just weeks after Cogliano came under scrutiny for gathering signatures on behalf of WIN Waste Innovations after the company was sued by residents living near its waste-to-energy facility. In doing so, he signed declarations on behalf of a number of residents before hastily getting residents’ actual signatures after he notified the company of his actions.
He faced widespread criticism on social media for doing so, and was contacted by the state ethics commission.
Cogliano’s two-year term on the Board is set to expire in November.
