SWAMPSCOTT — There will be two seats up for grabs this year on the five-member Select Board at the April 26 town election.
Polly Titcomb, chair of the Select Board, is completing her three-year term this spring and is running for re-election. However, member Donald Hause has decided not to seek re-election after serving for six years on the board.
“Part of my decision is, it’s just time to move on,” said Hause. “It was a privilege and I really enjoy the work on the Select Board.”
After 11 years on the Zoning Board of Appeals and two terms on the Select Board, Hause said he wants to spend more time with his family.
“I feel I’m leaving the board in a great position to continue moving forward,” Hause said.
Over the last six years, the Select Board was able to improve the financial standing of the town, reduce the increase of the tax rate, build a new school and set aside money for water and sewer needs, he said.
However, Hause pointed to a lack of enthusiasm among residents about the town’s government and a sense of distrust.
“I think people today feel that we are really non-transparent,” he said. “I do think the public has to recognize that there are certain things that public officials just can’t comment on.”
Hause said that there is nothing going on behind the scenes that people are not aware of. The nature of the town administrator’s job and the Select Board members is such that some issues, such as employee matters, cannot be addressed publicly, he said. In addition, Hause said Zoom meetings cannot fully satisfy the functions of a public government body.
“I think that the town administrator is an easy scapegoat because the Select Board is fluid; people come and go every year,” Hause said.
At the same time, more communication and transparency always helps, he said, and the board should strive for a more open dialogue about what it is attempting to do, what it is working on and goals and objectives for the longer term.
“Communication has always been an issue,” said Hause, adding that sometimes the Select Board communicates very well but the public chooses not to take advantage of it.
Hause said he is disappointed that the town has changed in the last couple of years, with its residents becoming angrier and lashing out on social media.
“It kind of feels like Swampscott lost its soul to some extent,” Hause said, adding that the COVID-19 pandemic, the murder of George Floyd and protests in the town have probably played a role.
He said he hopes the Select Board can take a leadership role in improving that.
“While it is important that we focus on finances and the mechanics of running a town,” Hause said, “(it is) equally important in a town like this to realize that at our core we are a relatively small town of friendly, close-knit families.”
Hause is hoping that when new members join the Select Board, the board will regain a balance. He said he has a high regard for such candidates who pulled papers to run as Mary Ellen Fletcher, Kimberly Martin–Epstein and Mary Webster.
Anyone who is elected has to remember that they represent the individuals who put their trust in them, Hause said.
“Your role is not to simply get on the board and do what you want, but you have to do what is in the best interest of your constituents in the town,” Hause said.
He also believes that the level of stress in the town will go down once the many vacant positions in Town Hall are filled.
“People are under a lot of pressure and we have some people who are doing the work of two or three people and it’s stressful,” Hause said.
He encouraged people to bring issues to town officials instead of posting on Facebook, get involved, run for School Committee or the Select Board and volunteer for other committees.
“If we take a step back, we are still a very pleasant community with a stable base, and it is a nice place to live and the schools are good. So like I said, let’s create solutions for problems,” said Hause.
