SAUGUS — The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday is set to visit 344 Central St. as part of an ongoing review of two applications submitted by two companies seeking to park their trucks on the site. The board will likely vote on both applications later that day, with a meeting slated for 7 p.m.
Both Gill Oil Company and MassJunk are seeking approval from the board to park at the Central Street property. The property is owned by Arthur Sordello, who operates Dynasty Auto Tops & Upholstery on the site. While both companies seek approval for the same thing, they may face differing outcomes when the board finally votes on the S-2 permit applications.
The proposal from Gill Oil Company to store a truck and a trailer on the property — as it has done since 2018 — received little negative feedback from board members, particularly once company owner Kevin Gill explained that he does not store more than 30-50 gallons of oil in the trucks overnight. According to Gill, the truck departs from Saugus in the morning — typically around 8:30 a.m. — and returns by 4 p.m.
When the companies appeared before the board last month, then-Chairman Anthony Cogliano read from a letter submitted by residents of the area expressing concerns with the company and its operations on the site. In the letter, residents alleged the truck idled on the site, creating fumes, and said they were concerned about the use of the trailer and what it may haul.
Gill credited Sordello with cleaning the area and removing a landscaping company both men blamed for many of the previous issues on the site. He also attempted to head off concerns about flooding, noting that the truck is parked 8 to 10 feet from the flooded area and that the massive vehicle would have little trouble getting through any areas with large pools of water.
Selectman Jeff Cicolini said he sees little difference between a truck parking at the site while Dynasty works on it and a truck with a parking permit.
“The owner of the property is a Saugus resident,” Cicolini said. “He’s not going to do intentional harm to the community.”
Lauren Green, who lives on Webb Place directly abutting the property, spoke in opposition to the proposal during the hearing, giving voice to many of the concerns expressed in the letter. Cicolini did note that neither the fire department nor the conservation officer submitted any objection to the proposal from Gill’s company.
MassJunk owner Francis William Neavitt, though, faced stiffer opposition from the board — and Cicolini in particular.
Neavitt explained that his company hauls primarily furniture and household items, taking them from a residence to a dump. But, he said, dumps across the state often fill up and close early, leaving the company forced to store items in trucks overnight. Though the trucks are covered, Cicolini noted objections from both the fire department and the town’s conversation agent. Neavitt applied to park six trucks at 344 Central St.
As a result of the objections from town departments, Cicolini said he couldn’t support the proposal.
“Trucks coming back with junk in them is a deal breaker for me,” he said.
Green again spoke in opposition during the second hearing, alleging the company conducts work in the parking lot “going truck to truck with the trash.”
“They’re there all the time,” she said.
For his part, Neavitt seemed confused by her concerns. He said his company has not parked any trucks on the site since receiving a cease-and-desist letter from the town.
“We can’t park there, we don’t park there,” he said.
It remains to be seen whether the site visit, which board members invited both conservation and the fire department to attend, may quell concerns about the proposals. But, without Cicolini’s vote, MassJunk will need support from all four remaining Selectmen to secure an S-2 permit.
The board continued both hearings and will resume Tuesday evening.
