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E-mail Address:
Precinct: 3
Current Positions Held / Political Experience
- Current town meeting member.
- Saugus American Little League Vice-President of Major League.
Current Occupation / Work Experience
Senior Engineering of a Major Semiconductor Company
Degrees Held / Education
Associate's Degree Bachelor's Degree
Currently A Member Of...
- Saugus American Little League
- Odd Fellows
- Catechist for Blessed Sacrament Chucrch
Why are you running for office?
Accountability... We need to have a plan in place that will give this Town the focus it needs to create a community that has satified the needs of it's residents. Schools need to be updated. Fire, Police and DPW all have needs that must be addressed. Contracts are up for everyone - Teachers, Police, DPW and Fire - deal with them and stop putting them off. Make some type of "reasonable" offer and go from there.
What do you think will be the single most pressing problem facing the Town of Saugus in the next two years?
Developments... We have very little free space left in this town and we need to stop developing what little land we have left. It is putting a strain on the infrastructure of the town. Schools, police, fire and road services.
Do you have any ideas about how to reduce traffic, congestion, and overcrowded schools?
Traffic will always be there... Schools are a big issue. How can we close two elementary schools and not think there will be a problem? We need to open the Evans school back up - it will cost us $$ but we'll be able to reduce class room size throughout the elementary level. We need a plan to build a new High School and Middle School. Other communities in the area are able to do so - why not us? We need direction!
Do you think the town government can do a better job of communicating with that there is better communication?
Quarterly news letters. We do not have to mail them out - just leave them at the local banks and stores. Updating everyone as to the goals of the town.
What else do you think is important?
We need to stop brushing off the needs of the children of Saugus. We need to focus on the ability to educate and care for the youth of the community. New Schools need to be built. Technology needs to happen for them at the school age level if we are to survive and grow as a community.
Submitted: 2005/10/27
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It is with sadness that we must report that Ms. Shaughnessy has passed away.
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E-mail Address:
Precinct: 5
Current Positions Held / Political Experience
- Town Meeting Member (8 years)
- Board of Directors, Saugus River Watershed Council
- Past President, Saugus Action Volunteers for the Environment
- Community Vision and Scope Committee
- President, Toastmasters (CTM designation)
- United Way Chairperson
Current Occupation / Work Experience
- Currently the Manager of Expense Pricing, Tufts Health Plans
- Co-owner of U.S. Realty Development, LLC.
- Liberty Mutual, Consultant
- UNICARE: Director of Financial Planning & Analysis, 6 years
- John Hancock: Senior Financial Officer, 10 years
Degrees Held / Education
- Northeastern University, MBA
- Suffolk University, BSBA, Accounting
- American Real Estate Academy, Broker's license
- Life Management Institute, ACS designation
Currently A Member Of...
- Sunday School Teacher, Blessed Sacrament
- Tree Committee
- Friends of Breakheart Reservation
- Friends of Saugus Library
- Lynnhurst PTO
- Affordable Housing Committee, Secretary
- Saugus Historical Society
- Beta Gamma Sigma
- North Shore Health Coalition
Why are you running for office?
Being a parent of two elementary school children, I am very concerned about the state of the Saugus Public Schools. Seeing my children come home from school with discarded books from other communities is upsetting, not only as a parent, but also as a taxpayer. Many parents are frustrated, and putting their children in private schools. We need to focus on student achievement and excellence in our schools. I believe that my strong financial and accounting background will prove to be valuable as a School Committee member. I care about our children and our community.
What do you think will be the single most pressing problem facing the Town of Saugus in the next two years?
We need to establish credibility and trust in the decision making process within the Saugus Schools. My three goals to solve this problem are: 1. The entire community needs to be involved in defining Student Achievement. Once student achievement is defined, clear, measurable goals can be established. 2. Student achievement goals need to be embedded in the School Improvement Plans. The School Committee must ensure that these Plans make reference to student achievement. 3. The school budget needs to link directly to the School Improvement Plans. By linking the budget to these Plans and student achievement, credibility will return.
Do you have any ideas about how to reduce traffic, congestion, and overcrowded schools?
Regarding the over-crowded schools, an early childhood center at the Evans should be researched. The School Building Assistance moratorium for state aid will be lifted July 2007, and Saugus needs to have plans ready to go. I support the local hotel room tax revenue being used to purchase open space. Let's discuss the Community Preservation Act where a small percentage of tax money goes to purchase open space. After working with neighborhoods trying to stop large developments, I've realized that we need help from our police, fire, DPW and others to explain that Saugus' infrastructure cannot continue to support over-development.
Do you think the town government can do a better job of communicating with that there is better communication?
Yes, I think the government can do a better job with communication in town. I was pleased that the Town Meeting article regarding notifying the public when raw sewage flows into the Saugus River passed. However, the article requesting quarterly budget reviews failed. It's a shame that we have to put articles in front of Town Meeting to ensure that the public is properly notified on important matters. Notices on cable, in our water bills, or postings in public building (e.g., library) are necessary to keep everyone notified. Open forum hosted by the Town Manager is also a solution.
What else do you think is important?
- Schools
- Improve Student Achievement
- School conditions
- Extra-curricular activities without fees
- Over-crowded elementary classes
- Improvement in MCAS scores
- Ventilation system and mold problems
- Library conditions
- Contract negotiations
- Need books and materials
- After-school programs
- Drug education
- Health & Safety
- No Third Burner at RESCO, toxic ash landfill closure
- I&I sewer problem
- Town Infrastructure (roads, sidewalks, water and sewer system)
- West-Side Fire Station
- Obtaining grant money
- Correct town census
- Government accountability
- Open Space
- Over-Development, 40-B issues
- Increase Recycling
- Taxes
Submitted: 2005/10/25
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E-mail Address:
Precinct: 6
Current Occupation / Work Experience
Director of Simulcast Operations at Suffolk Downs.
Degrees Held / Education
Associates in Criminal Justice.
Why are you running for office?
Town Meeting needs someone who will get involved and stay involved. When citizens are standing before the selectman voicing their opinion regarding issues that affect them, you rarely see Town Meeting members who represent these residents, voicing their opinion too. My philosophy is, Town Meeting Members are elected to do a job, to listen to the people they represent and encourage citizen involvement. This can't get accomplished if Town Meeting isn't involved themselves. Town Meeting needs a fresh voice and some new leadership and this is why I'm running.
What do you think will be the single most pressing problem facing the Town of Saugus in the next two years?
What else, schools. Overcrowding, teacher's contract, Evans reopening, fees, reinstating buses, more crossing guards. We need to get creative and prioritize when it comes to our school system. These problems cannot get fixed within two years. We need to look into state and federal grants or selling the abandoned Cliftondale School and the Ballard. Desperate times call for desperate measures; we could use the money from the proceeds of these sales and put it solely toward our school system.
Do you have any ideas about how to reduce traffic, congestion, and overcrowded schools?
Too many commercial vehicles are using Saugus as a short cut. We need to restrict commercial vehicles, which have no local deliveries from driving on certain streets. A weight limit on these streets is also a possibility. If it can get done on the Fellsway it can get done elsewhere. We appointed a traffic study committee that told the town what needed to get done to reduce congestion, now they need to inform us on how. These oversized vehicles are causing too much wear and tear on our roads. We need to keep them on state maintained roads.
Do you think the town government can do a better job of communicating with that there is better communication?
We need more information available at our fintertips, on the Internet. The town does a great job of informing us via the newspaper. It's not enough and we deserve more. How about paying your excise bill online at your convenience? Or maybe printing a buiding permit application without leaving the comfort of your home? This could reduce traffic to and from town hall and reduce the workload at an understaffed town hall. Local merchants could advertise on the site and create some revenue earmarked for the upkeep of the site.
What else do you think is important?
Making sure Town Meeting is responsible with our tax dollars and remaining accessible to not only the residents of Precinct 6, but also the entire town. Insuring all decisions made by Town Meeting is in the best interest of you, the citizens of Saugus. That all proposed developments are voted upon with due diligence, 40b included. Along with the town coming together as a whole, these are just a few things I feel are important to this town as a potential Precinct 6 Town Meeting member.
Submitted: 2005/10/25
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E-mail Address:
Precinct: 9
Current Positions Held / Political Experience
Seventeen years on the Town Meeting, four years on the town buildings committee, seven years on the planning board (two as vice chairman), and chairman of the Vinegar Hill Committee.
Current Occupation / Work Experience
Systems analyst in very large financial systems for thirty-eight years.
Degrees Held / Education
BS Engineering from Boston University.
Currently A Member Of...
Blessed Sacrament church and the men's B1 tennis team at the colonial club.
Why are you running for office?
I understand that life has been good to me, and as such I have a debt to the world around me. I think it is important to have town meeting members who care about the town as a whole, and not one tight segment of it.
What do you think will be the single most pressing problem facing the Town of Saugus in the next two years?
No attention has been paid to the towns aging infrastructure (roads, sewers, storm drains and water supply), as seen with the sewer problems last year, these things will kill us if we don't keep up with them. A very large portion of the town budget is consumed first by entitlements (pension, health benefits, and debt service) and then by the three sacred cows of town government, police, fire and schools. The tax base has increased significantly in the last few years, with the rise in housing prices, if the housing price bubble bursts, the town will face terrible decisions.
Do you have any ideas about how to reduce traffic, congestion, and overcrowded schools?
Yes, turn the clock back 30 years. The times have changed.
Do you think the town government can do a better job of communicating with that there is better communication?
The town could do a much better job of communicating with the residents. I would mail a news letter out with the tax and water bills, as well as having the town Manager appear on a local TV show on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.
What else do you think is important?
It is important to keep life in perspective, and remember that every service and improvement we want comes with a price, even when it is paid by someone else.
Submitted: 2005/10/24
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E-mail Address:
Precinct: 10
Current Positions Held / Political Experience
I have serve in Town Meeting from 1985-1987, 1993-1997, 2003-2005, as a Selectman from 1987-1993, as a member of the Finance Committee from 1998-2001 (Chairman 2000-2001)
Current Occupation / Work Experience
I have three children who all graduated the Saugus Public Schools. My oldest son Peter just graduated R.P.I. in N.Y. My son Alex is a sophomore at Bentley College. My daughter Julianne is a freshman at Providence College.
Degrees Held / Education
BA History - Salem State College, Masters in Public Administration - Suffolk University, Masters in Educational Leadership - Salem State College.
Currently A Member Of...
Saugus Town Meeting, SAVE, MASS Tec.
Why are you running for office?
I have high standards and high expectations for my community and its institutions. I believe that Saugus can and must do better with the resorces it has and the opportunities before it. We are truly a rich community and I remain hopeful that someday most of us will recognize that.
What do you think will be the single most pressing problem facing the Town of Saugus in the next two years?
The disconnect between the government and the citizenry. The government feels the public is not sensitive to the need of government to have more resources to fund rising health care costs for employees and the need for new schools and the public feels the government is insensitive to their concerns about energy costs, tuition costs, and making ends meet. Saugus government can and must do better with the resources provided rather than constantly bemoaning public unwillingness to vote themselves a tax increase. Some people just can't afford it while others feel the money they give is often wasted.
Do you have any ideas about how to reduce traffic, congestion, and overcrowded schools?
The current Town Manager eliminated the position of Town Planner and used the funds to provide raises that he calls "stipends" to a select group of Town Hall employees. He then created a position of "recycling enforcement" officer. All of this was approved by the Selectmen. As a result any initiatives to encourage public transportation, obtain state grants, and look at the best possible use of land for affordable housing and other zoning initiatives has come to a halt. The funds are there to do responsive and proactive palnning. It's just not a priority.
Do you think the town government can do a better job of communicating with that there is better communication?
On www.saugussewer.com you will see that the current Town Manager was warned one year in advance of the $25,000 state fine about the pending sewer crisis. He failed to communicate that to the Selectmen as sewer commissioners so that appropriate action could be taken. The people we elect and the people they appoint should communicate with themselves first. Also, the Town of Saugus website could be used to post meeting agendas, minutes, citizen information and Town Meeting warrants.
What else do you think is important?
I believe that it is imporatnt for ALL people to vote and participate in their government. Ask questions, learn about issues, attend meetings and let your elected and appointed officials know your questions and concerns.
Submitted: 2005/10/25
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