To the editor:
I am writing today to encourage Swampscott residents to vote for Liz Smith to fill one of the two Select Board vacancies. I want to share several reasons I feel Liz has the right combination of professional background, experience and personality to deserve your vote.
Liz has held executive positions with an international corporation leading teams based in seven countries. She also earned a Master’s Degree from MIT’s Sloan School of Management. I feel her private sector experience and business-related education will be invaluable as Swampscott balances its residential and commercial interests in the years ahead.
Liz Smith has demonstrated her commitment to our town by accepting the responsibility to serve as the first Chair of the relatively new Water and Sewer Infrastructure Advisory Committee. Liz provides overall direction and motivation to the Committee’s team of eight members and four alternates addressing water, sewer and storm water issues, often of a technical nature. Liz has insisted that the Committee’s meetings be fully open and transparent by recording all of them and ensuring that up-to-date minutes are available on the town website. I believe Liz will carry this commitment to transparency and productive teamwork to the Select Board if elected.
Liz is probably best known in town as an energetic, determined “clean beach advocate.” She sees the vital importance, as I do, of ridding Fisherman’s Beach and King’s Beach of the pollution that makes them often dangerous to swimmer’s health. It makes little sense to me to develop a boutique hotel at the Hadley School or a park at the Hawthorne property if our shoreline is posted with no swimming signs. As a Select Board member, I know Liz will continue to be a vocal advocate for our beaches.
Finally, it is no secret that lately there has been an unfortunate degree of conflict and lack of effective decision-making in the proceedings of the current Select Board. I know that Liz would bring with her a professional demeanor, a gift for analysis, and a penchant for civility In her relations with others to counter this negative trend.
I urge you to join me to support Liz Smith in the Swampscott Select Board election on April 29.
Jim Olivetti
Swampscott
