SAUGUS — It wasn’t under optimal circumstances, but the annual Town Meeting of Saugus proceeded smoothly over two nights despite the Zoom format that, at times, slowed things down.
All but two of the 14 articles on the warrant were passed. The other two were postponed indefinitely because there wasn’t enough information for the members to take a vote.
“I’d say all things considered it went well,” said Town Manager Scott Crabtree. “Obviously you’d like to be doing some of these things face to face.
“I’m a people person,” he said. “I like people, and like to be around people.
“Obviously we cannot do that now, at this point, based on guidance by the (Centers for Disease Control), the governor, state and local health officials. But I think the Zoom was very effective. It was different. Some things were effective, and some were not.”
Most of the issues that tied down the meeting at some points were in people who either couldn’t be heard or couldn’t stay logged in. Crabtree gave particular credit to town clerk Ellen Schena and town moderator Steve Doherty.
“Steve’s as straight as an arrow,” Crabtree said. “He’s very matter-of-fact, and he keeps things moving. He does a great job as moderator.”
Schena, Crabtree said, “really did a good job in keeping things organized” and in helping members navigate the sometimes-pesky ins and outs of the Zoom program.
“There were also more people there this year, doing it this way, than have been there in past meetings,” Crabtree said. “And more people asked questions.”
The meeting got off to a slow start Monday night with only two of the town’s 14-item warrant addressed, and passed. The members either passed or postponed the next three items on the warrant, all of them dealing with the transfer of money from last year to this year to keep the town functioning. However, the town’s attempt to do that with the water and sewer budget ran into a delay when member Peter Manoogian proposed an amendment to cut some $465,000 from the proposed cash transfer. After considerable discussion, the amendment was defeated and the original article ended up passing.
The article, recommended by the Finance Committee, moved to appropriate $7,454,392 for the water enterprise fund. Of that money, $360,947 would cover salaries, $6,308,235 expenses, $90,000 for capital outlay, $654,440 for indirect costs and $40,770 for transfer costs.
Most of that money would come from the Water Enterprise Fund revenue, and none from retained earnings, Crabtree said.
Crabtree Wednesday wasn’t prepared to say for sure whether there would be an increase in water costs per customer, or what it would be.
“We are in the midst of doing an analysis to determine what, if any, increase would be recommended. If there is, it would be recommended by the outside consultants who are doing the analysis.
“Then,” he said, “we would have a full hearing, for public consumption, which is what we do every year.”