SWAMPSCOTT — Select Board candidate and current Vice Chair Katie Phelan spoke to community members at Coastal Collective on Sunday morning to hear their vision for Swampscott’s future.
Residents gathered at Coastal Collective on Humphrey Street to hear Phelan talk about her campaign for re-election at 9 a.m. sharp, where they got to voice their concerns and hopes for the town while enjoying coffee and snacks as they took in the artsy environment of Coastal Collective.
“I just think Katie’s done great things for Swampscott,” Katharine Ronck said. “As a fellow mother and a parent, I think she really looks out for our kids and our families, and I think for me that’s the most important thing about our town right now.”
Vice President of Cheryl Gale Public Relations Charlotte Daher de Garcia commented on the impact Phelan has made in town.
“I’ve had the privilege of knowing Katie for almost ten years now, and one of the things that draws me to Katie is her honesty and moral compass,” Daher de Garcia said. “I think that’s hard to come by in politics today… I think it’s one of the biggest assets you can have in a leader.”
She said Phelan is “always willing to listen to an open heart and do what’s right.”
“I think one of my favorite things about Katie (Phelan) is how approachable she is, and how I can ask her anything without fear, and know she’ll give me her honest opinion,” Save King’s Beach founder Andrea Amour said. “And if she doesn’t know yet, she’ll think about it and get back to me.”
Amour continued, “The main characteristic that makes me excited to vote for Katie is her humility. It’s rare to see leaders these days with the kind of humility that Katie has.” She emphasized that the town needs leaders who will listen, be strong, and be willing to change their minds.
“Humility needs to become normal in Swampscott politics again,” Amour said.
Kim Nothnagel spoke about how she feels events like these are important to increase outreach and communication within the community.
“I think events like this are so important because one of the biggest things that distinguishes Katie (Phelan) for a Select Board candidate, is that the conversations we have at events like this are the things she takes into those meetings at the Select Board,” Nothnagel said.
She continued, “We can’t all be on the Select Board, but we know that with someone like her, championing the causes that matter to us, our voices are always heard… There is no greater strength that a candidate can have than to be a champion for the things their constituents care about.”
Phelan said she’s very grateful for the way the community shows its support.
“When you first run, ‘what if they don’t like you?’, and it makes me feel honored that people see something in me that seems like they feel represented,” Phelan said. “I’ll continue to do my very best, win or lose, to help people feel represented in this town and make sure their voices are heard.”
