SWAMPSCOTT — Doug Thompson has announced that he is running for a seat on the Select Board in April’s Town Election.
According to a press release from his campaign, he has experience working as a public policy innovator through managing large organizations. He wants to hear ideas from Swampscott residents as the town “enters an important chapter in its history.”
“I am running for Select Board to help bring people together and to build a common vision and plan for Swampscott,” Thompson said. “We have an exciting opportunity to build on our deep history and recent progress to form a strong community for generations to come. There are many opportunities coming to the Swampscott community over the next few years. We need to prepare for our future through an inclusive, equitable and fiscally sound planning process.”
Thompson said he has worked as a chief financial officer for large organizations. He wrote that he has been fiscally responsible in guiding them “through strategic improvement processes.”
“I have also served as the CEO of a business in the private sector that served senior residents here in Swampscott and across the greater Boston area,” Thompson said. “I would like to share these leadership and financial skills as a member of your Select Board.”
Currently, he is the vice chair of the town’s Climate Action Plan Committee.
“We have been meeting with people all over town to get input into how we can increase our coastal resilience and decrease our greenhouse gas emissions to make life here sustainable for many generations to come,” Thompson said. “I look forward to helping lead this effort as a member of the Select Board.”
In 2022, he ran for the Massachusetts State House and during that process visited with many Swampscott residents, according to the press release. He said that it gave him a deep understanding of “the concerns of Swampscott residents.”
“Affordability was a top concern. Addressing the local challenge of climate change was another top concern,” Thompson said. “We need to balance our needs for affordable housing for families, seniors and veterans; high quality education; economic development; and addressing climate change with prudent fiscal management. We can do this through a public process that shapes a vision and clear identity for Swampscott for the next few years — and the next generation.”
In Swampscott’s election on April 25, there will be two open Select Board seats. So far, incumbent David Grishman and Stefanie Neumann are also running for seats on the board.
The other elected offices that will be on the ballot are one moderator, one Board of Assessors 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.
