All four Select Board candidates said they would prioritize developing a clear plan for the Hawthorne-by-the-Sea property, especially when other developments in town seem to have a direct path forward.

The candidates – Charlie Patsios, Ted Dooley, Wayne Spritz and Wayne Godfrey – answered a question around town developments, submitted by the Swampscott Tides, during a debate on Tuesday held by the Daily Item. Swampscott’s local election will be held Tuesday, April 28. Residents will elect candidates to a variety of positions, from the Select Board and School Committee to Town Moderator and Town Meeting Members.

“We need to figure out what’s going on with the Hawthorne,” candidate Ted Dooley said. “Discussion is a great thing. We had a great discussion about the property at Town Meeting. We’ve had great discussions at Select Board meetings. We built a committee to help figure out what we’re going to do. That committee met for a long time and had a lot of discussions. Discussion is a means to a decision, not delay.”

Patsios spoke of the “debt service” the town is accountable for on that property and the need to look at a bigger picture.

“The town of Swampscott possesses many experts in the construction field, in engineering, in planning. We have a tremendous resource in our residents,” Patsios said. “Very rarely do we actually go out and tap or request those individuals…We can work together in the community to get projects done.”

Spritz noted that other projects like the Hadley Hotel, Vinnin Square and Veterans Place are “in the works.” For the Hawthorne, on the other hand, “we need to rebuild trust in the community that was broken at some point.”

“We need to review the data from the public, find out what the actual consensus is, build upon that and go out to RFI,” Spritz said. 

Godfrey called the space the “most expensive municipal parking lot in the history of municipal parking lots.”

“We’re about to make a generational error,” Godfrey said. “We do need to come to a consensus as a town…The priority would need to come to a consensus and develop an actual actionable plan so that we can move forward so that we don’t end up with another Glover sitting at the entrance of Swampscott.”

The group was also asked a question submitted by the Swampscott Tides on how they would approach decisions when there is strong disagreement in the community or among Select Board members. Each candidate spoke of recent Select Board meetings and the importance of truth telling and having respect for others. They noted the need to prioritize the community and that it’s called “public service for a reason.”

The candidates also answered questions around King’s Beach clean up, the Rail Trail, and Gen. John Glover’s house. 

Patsios shared his experiences on the Water and Sewer Advisory Committee, the Board of Assessors and the Housing Authority. He said he originally voted no on the UV pilot program not because he didn’t think it was needed but because there was no solidified future plan beyond the summer. For the Glover Farmhouse, Patsios emphasized how “that’s US history” and needs to be saved. 

“I understand our infrastructure, and I understand where our problems are coming from,” Patsios said. “We are not addressing our senior housing issues. We need to do that. I believe with my experience as a building developer I’m precisely able to do things in that area. I’m able to build a coalition, to build an understanding and to inform everybody here that wants to listen to a way forward out of this problem. We can do better in Swampscott.”

Dooley spoke of moving to Swampscott to start a family and finding a community. He has served on the Planning Board, and during discussions of the UV project he mentioned serving as the Essex County representative to the Massachusetts Department of Conservation Recreation. He said he is not going to get in the way of Town Meeting votes but instead find paths forward to “put our money where our mouth is.”

“The heritage of this town, the history of this town – we were the fishing capital of the North Shore up until a mere four or five decades ago – we have so much to be proud of,” Dooley said. “Most importantly one of the things I’m most proud of is that there are so many people here that care about this community. They care about our government. They care about our beaches. They care about our open space. They care about each other. That is the community that we have chosen to call home.”

Spritz said he will offer a different type of expertise to the board. Around the UV project, Spritz said he was the one who made the issue “front and center.” He spoke of agreeing with the concept of the Rail Trail, particularly with the approved Town Meeting money, as well as the fact the town “shouldn’t have gotten to this point” with the Glover Farmhouse.

“I’m someone who has a broad capacity to take any information and stratify it down into working parts to see the relationships between town management, town departments, our obligations and how all those operations affect the daily lives of each of our residents,” Spritz said. “Leadership is not just about making choices. It’s about asking the right questions and paving a direction forward. It takes experience and a problem solving mindset.”

Godfrey emphasized listening to the community and supporting the town. He said he would use his career advocacy skills in areas like working with state and federal officials with the UV project, financially understanding the Rail Trail and looking at if the “golf course paid its fair share we could actually divert those funds to the Glover.”

“I hear the concerns of our neighbors. They worry about our tax base. They worry they will be taxed out of our homes. I’m worried about that as well,” Godfrey said. “The promise of Swampscott is our beautiful coastline and welcoming vibrant community. We have that by providing space for our commercial ventures and supporting the government that shares interest with our senior population and their needs and our veterans and everyday folks who punch a clock and want to call Swampscott home.”

The Select Board candidates will meet again next week. The Swampscott Tides will host a debate on Tuesday, April 14 at 7 p.m. at the Swampscott High School in B129. Residents can attend in person or watch virtually on town sites.