News & Events

Saugus override committee beginning to gel

By Chris Stevens

Saugus - The largest problem town officials face with the Proposition 2 ½ override is making residents understand they are not crying wolf with the town’s much ballyhooed financial woes, some have said.

Fred Balboni of Balboni Communications Group has signed on to serve as chairman of a committee aimed at getting the message to residents that the town is not kidding this time.

“I think credibility is the issue,” Balboni said during a recent Override Committee meeting.

Balboni sits on the Board of Directors for the Chamber of Commerce and said his company specializes in crisis communications.

The problem, he said, is town officials have threatened severe cuts in services before.

“And in the past, a magical drawer appears in the 11th hour and the crisis is averted,” he said. “People are calloused over.”

Balboni said many people don’t believe the financial woes will lead to state intervention because they’ve heard threats of like that before. On the other hand, he added, some people think state intervention would be a radical and welcome idea.

“You need to bring credibility back,” he said.

Balboni said his challenge would be to put together a concise and well- crafted invitation of sorts to draw residents to a public forum on the issue. Balboni said he would then bring in a local newscaster such as Randy Price or Jack Williams, to moderate the forum between town officials and residents.

The town-wide meeting is tentatively scheduled for April 12.

Former Selectman Susan Raiche also stepped up to chair a “Vote Yes Committee.”

Michael Sullivan, director of the Office of Campaign and Political Finance urged the committee to form a private ballot committee because it would have more flexibility than a committee run by town officials or employees.

Sullivan and his colleague Dennis Kennedy reached out to Town Manager Andrew Bisignani after hearing the town would be holding an override election.

“It’s selfish on our part,” Sullivan said. “If you do something wrong we have to investigate it. I’m trying to keep you out of trouble.”

Rossetti said he found the meeting encouraging, especially since the number of attendees more than doubled from the first gathering.

Rossetti reminded those at the meeting, which included a significant number of town employees, that they had only six weeks to sell residents on the override.

“This is an uphill battle,” he said of getting the override passed. “I won’t kid you . . . If we lose this battle, I think people will realize and regret what they’ve lost.”

Communicators Day Proclaimed in Remembrance of Peter Jennings

Governors of Massachusetts and New York Declare Day to Honor Industry Professionals. In honor of the one-year anniversary of the passing of ABC-TV World News Tonight anchor Peter Jennings and the important role that communicators play on a daily basis, Governor Mitt A.Romey of Massachusetts and Governor George E. Pataki of New York have issued individual proclamations declaring August 7, 2006 (and every August 7th going forward) as "Communicators Day" in their respective states. These declarations represent the initial stages of a campaign to have the day commemorated nationwide.

In addition, the Massachusetts State Senate under the leadership of Senate President Robert E. Travaglini (D-East Boston) and the House of Representatives led by Speaker of the House Salvatore F. DiMasi (DNorth End) are sponsoring a joint resolution recognizing the day. New York State Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno (R-43rd District) has also written a letter of support and intends to bring up a resolution in January 2007 when the Senate is back in session.

Gina DeRossi has had a vision for Communicators Day since her days at Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. DeRossi currently works as executive vice
president and general manager of the New York Office for Balboni Communications Group, LLC
(BCGroup) and also as an account executive at Latham, N.Y.-based Masto Public Relations, Inc.
While there are days set aside for important professions like nurses, doctors, computer professionals and
days as trivial as Rubber Eraser Day and Towel Day, there is no day set aside to honor the substantial role
communicators, such as broadcasters, public relations practitioners, press officers, reporters, etc., play in
our everyday lives. The BCGroup believes that Peter Jennings was a true communicators-communicator
who exemplified the importance of this profession in keeping society informed and the dedication that
these individuals demonstrate everyday by reporting on many of the pivotal events that have shaped our
lives with clarity and trust. DeRossi feels that by commemorating the anniversary of his passing as
Communicators Day, it will keep his memory alive and honor the profession he served so enthusiastically
throughout his life.

DeRossi approached Frederick J. Balboni, Jr., president of the Balboni Communications Group, and the two worked together with the New York and Massachusetts governments to make this day a reality. The long-term vision is to have the day commemorated in the United States Senate and House of Representatives in 2007, so that it will become a recurring national day in memory of Peter Jennings and in celebration of the work that his.