NAHANT — After six years on the Board of Selectmen in Nahant, Selectman Eugene Canty has announced his decision to step down, citing a desire to pass the torch and allow new leadership to guide the Town forward.
Canty emphasized that his decision was not driven by dissatisfaction, but rather by a sense of completion and timing.
“The reason for retirement was having spent six years pulling this all together. It kind of meant it’s time for somebody else to step in and take over and put some new energy into it. And that’s really the only reason,” he said.
Reflecting on his tenure, Canty expressed confidence in what has been accomplished and in those who will continue the work.
“I feel as though I’ve accomplished most of what I wanted. There’s some things that still hang out there, and I’m confident that the other people involved, including the candidate running for Selectmen in my place, will do the job,” he stated.
Canty described his experience on the Board as collaborative, highlighting the importance of Town staff and committees in shaping decisions.
He noted that much of the Board’s work is supported by others behind the scenes.
“Most of the success, at least as I see it, that this accomplishes with the people that were involved in it, the department heads, the town administrators… all that comes back to the Selectmen to make decisions on. And I have to be honest, most everything that does come back to us is in the positive. And so that’s our jobs… my job, a lot easier,” he said.
Looking ahead, Canty pointed to several ongoing challenges that will require continued attention from Town leadership. Chief among them are infrastructure, climate change, and housing.
“My concerns six years ago were and still are the infrastructure of the town,” he said, adding that “climate change is obviously a targeted approach to making that better with what’s happening with the tides.”
Housing, in particular, has been a significant focus in recent years. Canty referenced issues ranging from short-term rentals to major development initiatives, noting, “The housing has been a real issue… We’ve had one program after another get thrown at us.”
He stressed the importance of collaboration in addressing these challenges, saying the role of Selectmen is to ensure proposals are “approved and approached in the manner in which these people suggest.”
For his successor, Canty offered practical guidance rooted in his experience.
“You’re working with all these committees, and when you start talking about what we’ve been working on, it comes down again to climate change. It comes down to the infrastructure… and then there will be obvious additions to that as time goes on,” he shared.
As for the Town’s future, Canty expressed cautious optimism. He highlighted Nahant’s historically low tax rate as a point of pride.
“We’ve kept the tax rate, I think, the lowest in the Commonwealth for the last three or four or five years. And I would hope that we could continue to do that,” he said.
However, he acknowledged upcoming financial decisions, including a potential override, as well as ongoing concerns such as coastal resilience, flood control, and development projects.
Canty also praised the leadership he worked alongside, specifically noting former Town Administrator Tony Barletta and current Town Administrator Alison Nieto, whom he described as “just very smart… (and) does a great job.”
As he steps away from public office, Canty plans to focus on family, caring for his wife, spending time with grandchildren, and visiting his daughter in California.
Despite his retirement, Canty said he will miss the role and the people he worked with: “I can honestly say I enjoyed working with everybody and having the time to be productive. And I do think that we were productive and continue to be.”
With his departure, Canty leaves behind a record of steady leadership and a community facing both ongoing challenges and new opportunities.
