At a time when many communities are trying to find ways to encourage civic engagement, the Saugus Board of Selectmen have taken an action that will have the effect of discouraging civic engagment.  (Civic engagement does not just mean running for office.  It also includes taking an interest in community issues and speaking out on them.) Many Boards of Selectmen schedule their public forum time at the beginning of their meetings because they recognize that, above all else, they serve the public.  The Saugus Board of Selectmen, however, has decided to not have a public forum at all.  Instead, anyone who wishes to address these elected representatives at their public meeting will have to send in a letter requesting to be put on the agenda.  This action will mean that less people will be willing to raise important issues.  Even if one person is discouraged from speaking out on an issue because they have to go through the extra step of writing it out, it will be a loss for Saugus.  The BOS should be trying to encourage more civic engagement, not discouraging it.  If the BOS's concern about the public forum segment of their meetings is with what it does to the length of their meetings, then they could limit the public forum to a specific time frame for each meeting, institute a sign-up sheet for people who wished to speak, and allow only 3 to 5 minutes for each speaker.    If the BOS's concern, however, is with the subject matter that might be raised by a member of the public, then maybe they should not be serving on a public board.  Having to deal with issues that might be raised by a member of the public is called being a public servant, which is what the members of the Board of Selectmen are.  I hope everyone who is concerned about this action is able to write to the BOS to be put on the agenda to speak to the Board about re-establishing the public forum.  A simple one line letter should suffice:  I wish to speak to the BOS about re-establishing the public forum at its next meeting.