NAHANT — Patrick O’Reilly and Rob Steinberg are the two candidates vying for an open seat on Nahant’s Planning Board Saturday, making the spot the only one to be contested in this year’s annual town election.
O’Reilly, the incumbent, is seeking re-election after he was appointed to the position in August following the departure of former Planning Board member Gene Canty.
A software development team manager at MIT, O’Reilly has lived in Nahant since 2002 and spends much of his time volunteering for the local community.
He co-founded Friends of Mary Cummings Park in Burlington and frequently volunteers with the Nahant Preservation Trust.
“I’m interested in maintaining the small-town character of the community,” O’Reilly said. “Given my background volunteering for parks and recreation, I’d like to collaborate with other town committees on improving pedestrian and bike connections to our open spaces.”
He added that his long-term goals include making sure the coastal town is prepared for the effects of global warming, particularly rising sea levels.
“It’s important to bring all the town committees (together) to continue planning for that,” he said.
Steinberg, a 14-year Nahant resident, previously worked as an environmental land use lawyer in Washington, D.C. before taking on his most recent position as CEO of a construction maintenance company.
“I’ve typically been community-oriented, and I have that background, which I think helps in terms of making a contribution to the Planning Board,” Steinberg said. “My goal is to look at issues from the standpoint of preserving environmental impunity in Nahant, and also making sure there aren’t adverse economic impacts by allowing certain projects to go forward.”
Board of Selectmen Chair Mark Cullinan is also seeking to keep his position after announcing in February that he had submitted the necessary signatures to run for re-election.
Cullinan was first elected to the board in January 2020 — in a landslide vote of 702 to 133 over competitor David Wilson — following the premature departure of former chair, Francis J. Barile in late 2019.
Because Barile left his seat before the end of his three-year term, Cullinan, who previously served as town administrator from 1995 to 2011, can only hold the position until this month, when the town must once again elect him to the board.
Cullinan has cited Nahant’s aging infrastructure, coastal flooding from climate change, Northeastern University’s expansion plans, and housing as among the town’s most pressing issues.
“A year in office is not enough time to accomplish all the things I set out to do, particularly in a year that has been dominated by the pandemic,” Cullinan said in March. “The town is facing several important issues, and I want to be at the table to advocate for the town, to problem-solve, and to continue working on behalf of Nahant’s residents with the goal of making Nahant a better place to live.”
This will be the town’s third election since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. As with the two previous elections, Town Clerk Diane Dunfee said residents will be required to wear masks and observe social distancing measures, regardless of vaccination status.
“We look forward to having a smooth and safe election. It is our third one (during a pandemic), so I think we have it down pat,” Dunfee said. “We look forward to people coming out to vote.”
Elyse Carmosino can be reached at [email protected].
