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~ THE ADVOCATE ASKS ~

First-term Town Meeting Member Joe Vecchione shares his vision for improving the Business Highway Sustainable Development Zoning District

Editor’s Note: For this week’s paper, we interviewed Joseph John Vecchione IV, one of 20 new Town Meeting members elected last fall. The 50-member body, with fi ve members for each of the 10 precincts, usually convenes the fi rst Monday in the month of May. But no date has been set for this year’s session because of health concerns raised about assembling such a large gathering during the COVID-19 crisis.

Nevertheless, Joe recently submitted four Articles to be included in this year’s Warrant for the Annual Town Meeting. Three of the Articles he drafted are amendments he advocates for improving the Business Highway Sustainable Development Zoning District (BHSD). In an eff ort to practice social distancing, Joe agreed, via several emails and phone conversations, to answer questions about his motivations for getting involved in local government and his reasons for the Articles he researched and wrote.

Joe is a third-generation Saugonian – and fourth-generation Joe (IV). His great-grandfather – Giuseppe/Joe Sr. – emigrated from Italy to the USA. Joe IV is a 2009 Saugus High School graduate. After graduation, he attended Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture (2013) and a Master of Architecture degree (2014), He currently works at Bergmeyer Associates, a design collaborative located in Boston’s Seaport District, and he recently became a licensed architect in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Part I of our interview follows and Part II will run in next week’s edition, with Joe explaining the purpose for each of the three Town Meeting Articles he introduced related to improving the BHSD. Our interview with Joe Vecchione concludes next week.

Q: Please tell me a little bit about yourself.

A: As a lifelong Saugonian, I’ve always had an interest in town affairs, particularly in Saugus’ unique built environment. Wanting to give a voice to a younger generation of residents beginning to raise families in Saugus, I decided at the age of 28 to run for Town Meeting in Precinct 2 and was ultimately elected last November.

I grew up in the Cliftondale neighborhood and bought my first home with my wife, Katie, in 2015 on Baker Hill just above Cliftondale Square. I really drifted far! We welcomed our fi rst daughter, Amelia, just last month and have spent most of this quarantine learning how to be great parents and, of course, drafting the Articles I’m answering questions about today.

I’m the only Saugus High grad in my family (my brother went to Malden Catholic and my sister went to Nazareth Academy). I chose to stay in town to go to school with my friends and play hockey for my town in a program that had a great tradition. The education I received (at least from 2005- 2009) was high quality and helped me in gaining acceptance to Wentworth. My grandfather (Joe Jr.) did not graduate. My dad (Joe III) is a Voke grad (1976). My wife is a Pope John grad (2009).

Q: What motivated you to run for Town Meeting last fall? Was there a particular issue or several issues? Was it expertise you have from your professional occupation as an architect that you thought could help the town?

A: As I stated prior, I wanted to give a voice to a younger generation of residents: those who are beginning to raise families in Saugus and will be a big part of what we become as a town in the future. It’s a voice that I feel hadn’t been part of the civic discussion as of late.

I see endless potential in the town of Saugus, and while I certainly have seen some progress in the past few years, I thought we could still do quite a bit better in multiple facets. Without getting too in depth in the particular issues that frustrated me, I felt that instead of partaking in the banter on social media, I could get involved and actually do the work focused on progressing our town while off ering my insight and expertise on particular issues – the

A FOURTH-GENERATION JOE: Precinct 2 Town Meeting Member Joseph John Vecchione IV says he hopes to use his architect’s vision to improve development along the town’s Route 1

business corridor. (Courtesy Photo to The Saugus Advocate)

old “actions speak louder than words” adage. There are issues across the board that need to be addressed and the next few years are critical to determine our success years and even decades down the line.

While I’m of a younger generation than most elected and appointed offi cials in Saugus, the fi rst tenet I made for myself when I ran for this position was to listen to, work with and collaborate with anyone without prejudgment, no matter their political leanings (locally or nationally), age, agenda, longevity in town government, or background. I feel this principle could be viewed as an asset as I’ve since learned that it is not ASKS | SEE PAGE 5

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