SAUGUS — As the race for Charter Commission heats up, so has what seems to be a town-wide competition to put as many lawn signs up as possible.
A particular strain of sign — calling on voters to vote one way or another on the ballot question concerning the formation of a commission — has garnered extra attention lately. Signs declaring in bold letters “yes” and “no” have cropped up around town. Although the town will not vote on any proposed charter changes on Nov. 7, many residents disagree about whether a commission should be formed at all, with some opposing it out of concern that Saugus could potentially become a city as a result.
Already, a ballot-question committee, Moving Saugus Forward, has been formed to lobby residents for the passage of Question 1. That committee is chaired by Lori Gallivan, a candidate for Charter Commission, and Tony Speziale, another candidate, is the committee’s treasurer.
Board of Selectmen Chairman Anthony Cogliano said between himself and the committee, more than 500 signs were put up around town, with “yes” in big, bold red letters on one side and a candidate’s name on the other. As of Tuesday afternoon, Cogliano said he had another 100 signs to put up.
But, more and more in recent days, signs asking residents to vote no and keep Saugus a town have cropped up as well.
It’s unclear exactly where the signs are coming from, but if social media is any indication, demand is high.
A post in the “Anything in our town of Saugus, Mass” Facebook group in which a group member asked where she could acquire one of the “no” signs garnered 22 reactions and a whopping 133 comments. In the comments, debate erupted over the intentions of those in the race for Charter Commission, showing how divisive the election is becoming.
Many of those seeking “no” signs expressed opposition to the idea of Saugus becoming a city, which was floated by Cogliano in January when he first began publicly discussing the idea of charter change. In the months since, Cogliano has backed away from that talk, instead lobbying for an elected town manager, which he says is more popular among residents.
Despite that, the signs suggest many residents are still wary that the formation of a Charter Commission could lead to Saugus becoming a city.
Cogliano, Speziale, and Gallivan are among the 27 candidates running for nine seats on the commission. Should Question 1 pass, nine members would be elected. They would then have to undertake a long process requiring numerous public hearings throughout the course of 18 to 24 months.
There are no guarantees about what, if any, changes such a commission would propose. Any proposal would also require approval by the attorney general and a majority of voters in town during a subsequent election.
A pair of previous charter proposals failed when put before voters.
