SWAMPSCOTT — Gino Cresta wears several hats around Town Hall: Director of the Department of Public Works, Tree Warden, and acting Town Administrator, with his last day in the position on Friday having marked the end of an 11-month term.
Nick Connors is slated to take over as Town Administrator on Oct. 6.
For Cresta, this is the second time he has stepped into the role to help the Town. When he took over for former Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald, he said one thing he was grateful for was a better understanding of the financial aspects of the town.
“It was very beneficial to me, being in this position to learn about the finances of the town and what the future might have in store for those finances for Swampscott going forward, to try and live within that 2% tax increase going forward,” he said.
He continued, explaining that he was surprised by the turnover of several town employees throughout the last 11 months, though he added that throughout that time, various positions had also been filled during his second time in the position.
Cresta reflected on the collaboration between the Town and the City of Lynn for the King’s Beach Ultraviolet (UV) Pilot Program as one of his top accomplishments during his time in the role.
“Another thing that I’m most proud of is the collaboration efforts by Lynn and the town for the UV Pilot program. In the past, there’ve been finger-pointing about who was contributing more to the pollution at King’s beach — but it’s not a Swampscott problem, it’s not a Lynn problem, it’s both of our problems — and the collaboration I had with Mayor Nicholson was phenomenal,” he recalled.
He also reflected on the trash strike between Republic Services and Teamsters Local 25, which went on for more than 80 days.
“The way the town, but also the way the DPW handled the trash strike was something that I’m also very proud of,” he said. “I was also proud of the fact that our town remained relatively clean during the strike. … I know it wasn’t an ideal situation, but it almost turned into a community event with the same people coming into the DPW yard to drop off trash and recycling.
“What I heard most from people was how friendly our staff was during that time, but the truth of the matter is that it was all reciprocal,” he said. “The people that came in had a great attitude, and it was great.”
Cresta elaborated on what he feels makes the town a special community to serve.
“The tightness of the community – it’s the residents. They’ve been appreciative of the level of services, and it was just nice to be supported by so many nice people over the last 11 months,” he said.
“I hope what people take away and remember from my time in the position was that I’m a hard worker, and treated everybody with respect. I always do what I believe is in the best interest of the town,” Cresta said.
When asked what he will miss most about his role as Acting Town Administrator, Cresta said “the interactions with the Select Board.”
Select Board Chair Katie Phelan said that Cresta “has always been a person Swampscott can count on, no matter the day or the hour.
“His leadership as interim town administrator reflects the same commitment and integrity he has brought to every role throughout his decades of service to Swampscott. We thank him for guiding us through this transition and look forward to his continued impact as our DPW director,” Phelan said.
