SWAMPSCOTT — Neal Duffy has decided to not run for another term for Select Board. Duffy first ran in 2020 and was elected as chair.
“I plan to continue participating as a Town Meeting member, volunteer, and engaged citizen to help our community continue to move in a positive direction,” Duffy wrote in a statement to The Item.
The decision to step down came from Duffy because a new step in his professional career will require a lot of his focus and time, he said in an email interview. His new job is with the City of Salem as director of sustainability and resiliency.
“After several weeks of internal debate, contemplation, and reflection, I have decided that I cannot reasonably balance these responsibilities with those that come with serving on the Select Board,” Duffy wrote.
In Swampscott, terms for Select Board members last three years. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the 2020 election experienced delays, meaning he has served a little less than three years on the Select Board.
“I think about that a lot – when David Grishman and I were elected we were in the throws of a pandemic, our town was experiencing weekly, if not daily, protests, and chaos seemed to be the new norm,” Duffy wrote. “It is incredible to be a couple of years removed from that, and to reflect on how far we have come and what we have accomplished as a community since then. It has been a great lesson for me in patience and keeping things in perspective, always.”
During his time as chair, the most significant accomplishments that happened were land acquisitions, he wrote. These include the green space at the intersection of Foster Road and Archer Street, and purchase of the Hawthorne property.
“These will have a generational positive impact on Swampscott and they are the result of a lot of hard work by many people spanning over many years,” Duffy said.
For the next Select Board chair, the advice Duffy gave is to “keep calm and carry on.”
In the 2023 election on April 25, there are two open Select Board seats.
The other elected offices that will be on the ballot are one moderator, one Board of Accessor member, two School Committee members, one Trustee of the Public Library member, one Board of Health member, one Planning Board member, and one Housing Authority member.
Nomination papers or notes of reelection were due on March 7.
This article has been updated with more information since its original publication on March 9.
