SWAMPSCOTT — There are three candidates vying for two open seats on the Swampscott Select Board, and none are incumbents.
Thursday morning, candidates Stephen T. Williams; Neal Duffy; and David Grishman participated in a Zoom debate hosted by The Item and moderated by Carolina Trujillo.
The election will be held Tuesday, June 30.
Candidates were first given an opportunity to introduce themselves.
Williams grew up in Swampscott, and went to Swampscott schools, just like his children, and just like his grandchildren soon will, he said. He referred to himself as “the old guy” in the race. He has owned and operated a family equipment business for more than 40 years, is a Town Meeting member, real estate manager, and was a member of the Revere Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors for more than 10 years.
“I thought I could help out a little bit with communication through groups,” Williams said, mentioning “forgotten groups,” such as the lobstermen, police officers and firefighters, Department of Public Works staff, seniors, and veterans, whom he will represent and communicate with.
Duffy said he has lived in Swampscott for 16 years and is the father of two sons. He said he has been “actively involved” in town by coaching sports, as chairman of the Renewable Energy Committee, and as a Town Meeting member. He also helped develop the town’s Master Plan.
“I think I’ve proven over the last decade-plus I have the ability to roll up my sleeves and get the hard work done,” Duffy said. “I can’t promise I will agree with everybody, but I can promise I will tell the truth and get your questions answered.”
Grishman is a Swampscott resident whose sons both attend Clarke Elementary School, and who said he has “spearheaded” community events, such as the Bent Water Beach Party, and helped raise more than $500,000 for the Swampscott Fish House.
“I will be the independent voice,” Grishman said. “I’m not a political insider, and I’m not a townie.”
The candidates also answered a question about finances and using free cash to fund portions of the budget during financial troubles — Swampscott is currently expecting more than $1 million to be cut from its original budget due to revenue shortfalls related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The idea is that we will have one-time expenses we can address with free cash, but if you’re using it to address structural issues in your budget … that can snowball,” Duffy said.
Grishman said the town has “been preparing for a rainy day, and now it’s raining,” and free cash and stabilization funds should be used appropriately. He also said it’s hard for the town to plan financially because of uncertainty regarding funding from the state this year.
Williams said he was “a little uncomfortable there are contractual agreements for the police and fire departments, which they aren’t getting.”
The three candidates also spoke about racial equality and the current movement to end racial violence and police brutality. The question they answered came in the wake of controversy in which sitting Select Board member Don Hause was accused of calling the Black Lives Matter movement “liberal bull****” while out at dinner with friends.
“We need to take this conversation out of the shadows, away from the whispers, and shout it from the rooftops,” Grishman said. “We can sit down and do nothing, or we can fight. I know what I will do. Will you stand with me?”
Grishman said he supports both the Black Lives Matter movement and police officers, and that one doesn’t have to be against one because they support the other.
Williams said he attended racial violence protests in Swampscott, and that he has been around the fight for civil rights his whole life. He said he takes the issue “a little more personally than others” because he has a black daughter-in-law and three biracial grandchildren.
Duffy said he can’t “garner enough humility” talking about the subject as a white man. He said a good approach would be to organize community forums to identify problems and “measurable changes” that can be made in Swampscott to make the town more equitable for all.
“My concern in the town and beyond is people being on teams and people not giving space to make mistakes in this conversation,” Duffy said.
At the end of the debate, the candidates we’re able to exchange questions with each other. Williams said he is bothered that he rarely sees dissenting votes on the current Select Board, and Grishman agreed that the “board has been largely deferential to the chair. I will not be that person.”
Duffy also asked Williams a question about the Town Meeting article to remove the police and fire chiefs from “Civil Service,” to which Williams said he would like the article to be taken up at a later Town Meeting, when people have more of a chance to research the issue.
The two seats being contested on the five-seat Select Board are being vacated by sitting members Laura Spathanas and Naomi Dreeben, who have chosen not to run for reelection, as The Daily Item previously reported.
To watch the full debate, visit www.itemlive.com.
