Nahant selectman candidates gear up for vote

NAHANT – The race for selectman in the Oct. 19 special election is heating up as Jennifer McCarthy and Lainey Titus go head to head for the seat, which was left vacant when Robert Frary resigned earlier this year.Titus, who served as chief of staff to state Rep. Steve Walsh, D-Lynn for seven years, said her familiarity with the town and its residents would make her an asset to the Board of Selectmen.I believe in public service,” Titus said. “It’s something I’ve done for so long and I want to keep doing it. When this seat opened up I thought it would be a good way to utilize my talents for the good of the town ? “Titus, who is a Nahant native and a parishioner at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, does legislative work on the North Shore and in the Merrimack Valley Massachusetts Nurses Association. She has served on numerous committees in town, including the Nahant 150th Anniversary Committee, the Democratic Town Committee and Memorial Day Parade Committee.The Swampscott High School graduate received her Master’s degree in public affairs from the McCormack Institute at UMass Boston.Titus said the program taught her the basics of public-policy formation and public management, which included coursework on municipal government.Titus said if she is elected the first order of business would be to listen.”My style is to sit back and listen,” Titus said. “I want to ? get myself educated as to what is important to the town residents. I want to be in a position to make decisions that are balanced and educated.”Titus added if elected some of her priorities would be concerns residents have mentioned to her while she was out campaigning, including Doggie Beach, the algae on Short Beach and trash fees.McCarthy, who resides in town with her husband Scott and their daughter Rachel, is a school teacher in Lynn and has been active in the Nahant community for years.”I am so excited about the opportunity to represent the citizens of Nahant,” McCarthy said. “I feel very fortunate to have been able to live in Nahant for my whole life and now have the privilege to raise my family here. While my family has been serving Nahant for generations, I think my dedication speaks for itself. However, my family is not running for selectman. I am. I am asking you to look at my life-time dedication and investment to Nahant.”McCarthy has served on multiple town committees, including on the Recreation Commission for 17 years and the Fireworks Committee for 10 years.”In addition to my town responsibilities, I was named Volunteer of the Year for the Ocean Bay Girl Scout Council,” McCarthy said. “Being a Girl Scout leader is one of my favorite things. Not only does it allow me time to spend with my daughter, it allows me to teach young girls about the importance of community service and being involved in the town they live in.”After almost two decades of service to the town, McCarthy said serving as selectman would allow her an opportunity to do even more for the town.If elected, McCarthy said some of the issues she would like to tackle include trash fees, water bills, property taxes, Doggie Beach, parking and becoming a Green Community.”These are the topics that I am hearing the most about and would like to get answers about for you,” she said.Town Clerk Peggy Barile said the last day for residents to register to vote in the special election is Sept. 29. Town Hall will be open for voter registration from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. on that day.