SAUGUS — The race for Board of Selectmen this fall features seven candidates running for five seats on the board — including all five incumbent members.
Chairman Anthony Cogliano, Vice Chairman Debra Panetta, and Selectmen Jeff Cicolini, Corinne Riley, and Michael Serino are all seeking additional two-year terms on the board. Should they emerge as the top vote-getters this fall, Saugus would see no change come to the town’s chief executive board for the second election in a row. But, the incumbent members are facing a pair of challengers in Sebastian DiModica and Sandro Pansini Souza.
Neither DiModica nor Souza has held public office in town previously.
Panetta is the longest continuously serving selectman of the incumbents, having joined the board in 2011. Cicolini was elected to the board in 2015 and has served as a member ever since.
Cogliano, Riley, and Serino all joined the board in 2019 — though both Cogliano and Serino had previously served as selectmen. Cogliano was first elected to the board in 1991 and served until 1999 before being reelected two years later in 2001. He was again voted off the board in 2003 and did not return until 2019.
Serino, too, has served multiple terms. He first joined the board in 1999 before losing his seat in 2001. He rejoined the board in 2003 and served until 2007, before being reelected in 2009. Serino again lost his seat in 2013, before rejoining the board in 2019.
Riley first ran for a seat in 2017, finishing sixth, before joining the board in 2019.
With the election set for Nov. 7, The Item asked candidates to submit responses to a trio of questions, capped at approximately 50 words. In their responses, candidates identified a wide range of issues facing the town ranging from the impending vote this November on whether or not to form a Charter Commission to the impacts of the statewide migrant influx on the town.
Jeff Cicolini
(Q) What is your top priority should you be elected to the board?
(A) See through with our updated master plan, including moving the process forward for a third fire station and beginning the process to determine the uses for the many vacant schools that are offline and how they fit into the successful execution of the items listed in the master plan.
(Q) What do you feel is your biggest accomplishment as a selectman?
(A) In my almost nine years on the board, I have seen the town’s finances do a complete 180 to the point where we have the highest bond rating in our town’s history. This rating saved the taxpayers over $8 million in borrowing costs associated with the new school alone. We have also completed numerous upgrades to our parks and playgrounds, including making them inclusive.
(Q) In your opinion, what is the biggest issue facing the town?
(A) Slowing the rate of new housing development on Route 1. We need another hard pause so we can assess our current infrastructure’s capacity. The growing number of migrants in our hotels on Route 1 is also alarming as it puts a strain on town resources. The impact of the incinerator on our residents requires ongoing follow-up and follow-through by our Board of Health.
Anthony Cogliano
(Q) What is your top priority should you be elected to the board?
(A) My top priority will be to continue to lead Saugus forward by delivering a west side fire station. Next on my agenda will be to engage more residents on how our town operates and redefine it promoting accountability, community, and transparency.
(Q) What do you feel is your biggest accomplishment as a selectman?
(A) My biggest accomplishment has been without question initiating the Host Community Agreement with WIN Waste Innovations, which will not only bring millions of dollars to our town, it will also bring lower emissions, NOx level monitors, a new silencer, and necessary upgrades to the aesthetics of the facility. Knowing that the facility is here to stay, having a direct line of communication with the company has been a major step in the right direction.
(Q) In your opinion, what is the biggest issue facing the town?
(A) The biggest issues we face today in Saugus are traffic and congestion along our roadways, and the migrant surge. I also worry about our vacant school buildings as our governor has made it quite clear that she is looking for any vacant properties to help alleviate the ongoing crisis in our state. Not meeting our 10% quota for affordable housing, learning to work with developers instead of against them will be paramount in bringing the necessary projects we need in our town.
Sebastian DiModica
(Q) What is your top priority should you be elected to the board?
(A) If I should be selected by the community to represent them as a selectman, top priority would be accountability and transparency. I believe this town to be a great town with a lot of challenges that can’t be accomplished because of the excuses and the blame that is being put in front of the issues, so my top priority would be to remove the cover and expose the issues head-on.
(Q) Why should voters choose you over an incumbent candidate?
(A) I’m sure there are some quality people running for the Board of Selectmen, but why I think voters should choose me is over the last 30 years of my life, I’ve run my own business, and I’ve been able to succeed because of my ability to bring opposing sides together to come up with the best solution for the challenges that we face. I make things happen!
(Q) In your opinion, what is the biggest issue facing the town?
(A) The biggest challenge to this town in my opinion has been the lack of accountability and transparency. The only true way to solve any issues is to peel away the excuses and blame and take on these challenges head on. I’m the type of person to get things done.
Debra Panetta
(Q) What is your top priority should you be elected to the board?
(A) My main priority is to maintain and sustain good financial practices, where Saugus is in the best financial position it’s ever been. Initiation and completion of planned capital projects is my second priority, which includes completing the feasibility study for the west side fire station, the town-wide public safety fiber-optics communication system infrastructure upgrade project, and the water-meter replacement project.
(Q) What do you feel is your biggest accomplishment as a selectman?
(A) When I was first elected in 2011, our town was in financial ruin. Saugus now boasts an AA+ rating with S&P, saving taxpayers millions of dollars. Because of our high rating, we pay less for borrowing, allowing more money towards projects that benefit residents. The completion of the Middle/High School along with the consolidation and multi-million-dollar renovation of the Belmonte STEAM Academy and Veterans Early Learning Center was a significant accomplishment.
(Q) In your opinion, what is the biggest issue facing the town?
(A) After listening to residents, the biggest issues include the number of apartments being built in town, traffic, managing the migrant situation, WIN Waste concerns, affordable-housing options for seniors and veterans, and the fate of the offline schools. I believe the biggest issue is whether our town becomes a city, which I’m not in favor of. Town government is the closest to the people with more resident participation.
Sandro Pansini Souza
(Q) What is your top priority should you be elected to the board?
(A) My top priority is preserving Saugus’s rich history and unique identity while simultaneously fostering modernization and growth that benefits every resident. I’m committed to enhancing the amenities of our town, from our beloved Breakheart Reservation to the quality of our local schools. It’s paramount to strike a balance between development that brings economic benefits and ensuring we don’t compromise on the character that makes Saugus special.
(Q) Why should voters choose you over an incumbent candidate?
(A) I bring a fresh perspective to the board, combining respect for Saugus’s long-standing traditions with a keen understanding of our new challenges and opportunities in this era. While experience is invaluable, it is equally important to have members on the board who resonate with the evolving needs of our town’s diverse population. My dedication, energy, and commitment to community engagement ensure I will always be in tune with Saugonians’ wants and needs.
(Q) In your opinion, what is the biggest issue facing the town?
(A) One of the most pressing challenges for Saugus is managing growth and development in a sustainable and community-friendly manner. Our proximity to Boston and rich history make us an attractive spot for businesses and new residents. However, we must be careful that we do not lose the essence of what makes Saugus unique in our bid to progress.
Corinne Riley
(Q) What is your top priority should you be elected to the board?
(A) For me, the top priority is always public safety, which is a common thread among all of my top priorities for the next two years. Priority one is the west side fire station. Another priority is the completion and rollout of an SMS-compatible communication service for residents, so that timely updates on emergency situations and other updates can get pushed to residents’ smartphones in a timely manner.
(Q) What do you feel is your biggest accomplishment as a selectman?
(A) Improved accountability and communication with the town manager. Support for alternative funding sources like marijuana shops and the WIN Host Community agreement with improved emissions. Supported remediation of toxic dump with a new UPS facility. Secured state funding for flashing crosswalk signs. I established the Saugus Relief Fund, COVID-19 Vigil, and Saugus 411.
(Q) In your opinion, what is the biggest issue facing the town?
(A) I believe the migrant issue is a serious one facing our town. We need to keep vigilant through the town manager, health director, and superintendent to work closely with our state delegation to be sure funding and resources are available. The humanitarian effort to aid people in need is important, but it comes with a cost that shouldn’t take away from the health, education, and safety of our residents.
Michael Serino
(Q) What is your top priority should you be elected to the board?
(A) The revitalization of Cliftondale Square, without apartment buildings. Residents completed two surveys opposing apartments. The Urban Land Institute completed a revitalization report regarding Cliftondale, which I support. Recommendations included improving the roadway system, creating open space, new sidewalks, and specialty lighting. All would help create a neighborhood identity.
(Q) What do you feel is your biggest accomplishment as a selectman?
(A) I believe my biggest accomplishment as a selectman was the creation of our rail trail. As chairman of the board in 2012, my colleagues and I executed a 99-year lease agreement with the MBTA, which owns the railway. I oversaw the daily removal of the railroad tracks and the installation of the original gravel walking path, which was recently paved.
(Q) In your opinion, what is the biggest issue facing the town?
(A) The biggest issue facing Saugus is the move to change our town to a city. Town government allows more residents to be involved in the decision-making process. Charter changes can be made without a Charter Commission. Please join me in voting no on Question 1.
