Pair of Swampscott committees join forces

SWAMPSCOTT – Superintendent Lynne Celli, Town Administrator Thomas Younger, and Board of Selectmen Chairman Rich Malagrifa believe there?s no “I” in “team,” especially when it comes to two new Swampscott committees.The Beautification Committee and the Technology Committee will be joint committees working to serve both the school district and the town working on making the town a more attractive and progressive place.?It?s not ?one or the other,? it?s ?us.? It?s Swampscott,” said Celli. “We?re trying to work in partnerships as much as possible with the town.”The School Committee and the Board of Selectmen are selecting two to three representatives each for each committee and intend on choosing those who have expertise in those areas.?We are looking at ways that both the School Committee and general government can work together as far as determining what our technology needs, and the Beautification Committee is looking at how we can work on our many parks, school areas and government areas for improving those areas for visual and operational effect,” said Younger.School Committee member Rick Kraft said, “The intent of the Beautification Committee is to have visual aspects [of new buildings] considered. It?s to make sure the building looks nice and the town looks nice. All town property is part of it.”Kraft said those who are chosen for the Beautification Committee should have “expertise in building, with a focus on fine details and impact.”The Beautification Committee won?t have its first meeting until Aug. 28, so there are no projects planned yet, but Malagrifa said one of the projects may be deciding what to do with the bushes and shrubs left by the “Grown Ups 2” film production crew. He said the committee will most likely be assisting the Department of Public Works with landscaping lawns and gardening. Malagrifa said every year the committee may even be giving out awards for the best lawn in town. They may even be helping with renovation of buildings.Though the Technology Committee has no planned meetings on the calendar, Malagrifa said the purpose is to “try to tap into some of the experts in town to try to make [technology] better, just to get us up to speed with IT because we?re behind.”Kevin Kaczynski, management information system director for Swampscott Public Schools, said the high school is the only school building that has Wi-Fi.Celli said she is in “constant contact” with Younger and Malagrifa. Her goals is to “continue to move students into the 21st century with regard to technology integration into the curriculum.”Kaczynski said joining the school?s interest to the town?s with these two committees is going to save money and resources.?It?s all an ?us? from now on,” Celli said.Kait Taylor can be reached at [email protected].