Saugus Town Manager Scott Crabtree advocated for increased funding for the Department of Public Works’ Park Division to help with maintenance of the town’s parks, playgrounds, and fields at a recent Finance Committee meeting.

The committee met with Crabtree to discuss his proposal for the department’s budget, the latest in a series of meetings it has held to review different departments’ proposed fiscal year 2025 budgets.

Crabtree is recommending an allocation of $445,000 for the Park Division. His recommendation for the Department of Public Works as a whole is $5,312,650.

Crabtree noted during the meeting that the increase is necessary to provide the maintenance required at the town’s parks, playgrounds, and field. He said the town has heard many complaints about their conditions, especially on the warmer days of winter months.

“We’ll get calls, I’ll get calls every day,” Crabtree said. 

The additional funding for the Parks Division would ensure that the town’s fields and playgrounds are ready to go on the winter’s warmer days, Crabtree said.

He added that the rate at which the work is done is never “fast enough for everybody.” 

Crabtree said that the increased budget would allow for quicker repairs of swings, park benches, slides, and more. 

He added that the availability and readiness of funding for the proper and swift maintenance of these spaces has a direct effect on the town’s sports teams.

“It slows down the sports teams,” Crabtree said, “They want to go out on the field in the middle of March, and then, basically, the mud rips up the fields, and then they’re no good for the whole season.”