Town Manager of Saugus, Massachusetts

The Town Manager of Saugus, Massachusetts, is the chief administrative manager of Saugus, Massachusetts. Saugus has a Town Manager/Representative town meeting (Plan E) system of government. The Town Manager’s Office is located in Saugus Town Hall. Scott Crabtree has been town manager since March 30, 2015 and previously held the position from 2012 to 2014.

Saugus has had more instability with the Manager's position compared to other towns. This high rate of turnover has been used by some opponents of the Town Manager form of government as an example of why their community should not adopt it.

The Plan E form of government adopted following a referendum on June 2, 1947, in which the proposed form of government was supported 3,252 votes to 816. Saugus became the first town in Massachusetts to accept this form of government. The movement to adopt the Plan E form of government was led by Frederick Willis, Saugus' State Representative and the Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. C. F. Nelson Pratt led the opposition. The issue had been brought up two previous times. The first time it was approved by town meeting, but rejected by the voters. The second time it was approved by town meeting, but the vote was brought up for reconsideration and then blocked by parliamentary procedure.

In addition to creating the office of Town Manager, the Plan E form of government also expanded the Board of Selectmen from three members to five and changed the electoral system to Single transferable vote. Also, the offices of tax collector and tree warden switched from being elected positions to appointed positions. STV was abandoned after the 1950 election.

On February 15, 1948, the Board of Selectmen unanimously selected James Shurtleff, who had been recommended by the International City Managers Association, to serve as the first town manager of Saugus, Massachusetts. He took office on April 1. His salary was $8,000 a year.

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