SAUGUS — It was on Jan. 6, 2023 that The Daily Item reported that “Board of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano believes it’s time for the town to amend its charter and become a city.” He also indicated that upon such happening, he would be a candidate for said office of Saugus mayor.
Upon receiving negative feedback on this idea, he has walked back his call for a “city” with a “mayor” and put forth the unusual and nowhere-found example of having an “elected” town manager. As William Shakespeare wrote, “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” meaning things are what they are no matter what you call them.
As the months progressed, Cogliano recruited individuals, some of whom are aggrieved office or job seekers, zoning-change seekers, or people who have a general dislike for Town Manager Scott Crabtree to run alongside Cogliano to form a nine-member commission. Cogliano has been vocal about his frustration with Crabtree not acting quickly enough to recommend marijuana locations and approve a WIN host community agreement that would extend and double the height of the unlined lead-laced ash landfill on Route 107 from 50 feet to 100 feet. To Crabtree’s credit, he has not agreed to this deal because current state regulations do not allow the landfill to exceed 50’.
Mr. Cogliano also created a ballot-question committee to promote a yes vote using the address of a home he owns and thus far has spent hundreds of dollars on newspaper ads and political signs. His group promoting these changes uses slogans and generalities claiming they are all for “transparency” and “accountability” but thus far are unwilling, when asked, to indicate where their contributions are coming from. Why?
Concurrent to this effort, WIN Waste is currently doing extensive polling in Saugus designed to gauge the popularity of Crabtree, Cogliano, and Select Board Vice Chairman Debra Panetta. Cogliano has stated that he is “looking forward to seeing the results.”
With more than $14 million in reserves, Saugus is in the best financial condition it has ever been. An elected mayor or town manager would be beholden to those that contributed to their campaign, such as special interests, corporations, or the myriad of developers seeking to build more apartments along Route 1 and in Cliftondale.
With voter engagement at an all-time low in Saugus coupled with the loss of print media and the rise of social media, it is not difficult for a well-financed group or corporation to shape public opinion on a particular issue or cause.
If the voters decide they want a Charter Commission and elect me, Precinct 10 Town Meeting member Peter Manoogian, as one of the nine members, I will commit to a process that is inclusive and thorough. I pledge to be probative and to respectfully challenge dogmatic assumptions and claims.
I also realize that at the end of the process, minority views must be included in the final written report to the citizens of Saugus.
