SAUGUS — Town Meeting Members are preparing to discuss and vote on a number of articles, with Town Meeting occurring Monday at Town Hall.
One of the articles being discussed is Article 11: an article that would increase the water rates in town. The receipts would be held in the Water Enterprise Fund and used only for water expenses, water maintenance, water debt and interest and water improvement programs, or other necessary actions.
The town is also putting a focus on sidewalks, with Article 12 meant to appropriate a sum of money for the construction and reconstruction of various streets and sidewalks. Over the past few months, residents have posted complaints about sidewalks having roots pushing through them and dangerous cracks, making this article seemingly important to quite a few Saugonians.
One of the more interesting articles is Article 16: a vote that could raise and appropriate or transfer available funds in the sum of $10,000 to the Historical Commission for the purpose of hiring a historic preservation consultant to prepare nominations for placing the Roby School, the Center School (Town Hall Annex) and the Old Town Hall (Procopio-American Legion Building), with the possible addition of the Revolutionary War Cemetery and the Soldiers and Sailors Monument as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places.
Saugus is a town bursting with history and one that takes pride in its roots. The register includes a list of places that are deemed worthy of preservation. One property already included on the list from Saugus is Breakheart Reservation. Other notable ones from Massachusetts, specifically in Essex County, are Salem’s City Hall and the Lynn Public Library.
Article 17 is a vote of a sum of money, $250,000 for enrichment programming at the Belmonte STEAM Academy from the Supplemental Student Support Reserve Fund. The school has come to multiple School Committee meetings to discuss the programs and students have also spoken about how they’ve enjoyed the enrichment programs. Article 20 is similar with a sum of $75,000 for enrichment programs at the Veterans Early Learning Center.
Article 28 is a Home Rule Petition that would grant enhanced disability pension benefits to retired police officer Christopher Taylor. Taylor was permanently injured in the line of duty on Aug. 6, 2020, and the proposal would provide him with a tax-exempt pension equal to his full salary until he reaches mandatory retirement age. After that, he would receive 80% of that salary for life. The petition also includes lifetime medical coverage for his service-related injuries, a survivor benefit for his spouse and continued support for dependent children. If approved by Town Meeting, the measure would be submitted to the Massachusetts Legislature for final authorization.
These are just a handful of the articles that Town Meeting members have mulled over. There will also be other articles discussed during the Special Town Meetings. Topics include the third EMS/safety building, parks and playgrounds, MBTA Communities Multi-family Overlay District and a vote to amend the Town’s General Bylaws, replacing the current provisions regulating the management and collection of solid waste, trash and recycling with the new bylaw: Solid Waste, Trash, and Recycling Modernization Bylaw.
