Moran’s current and former students participate. || Courtesy Photo 
Diane Buonanduci was decked out ||. Monica Sager 
Children ran around looking for lucky rocks as part of a Recreation Department program. || Brendan Cassidy 
Program Manager Sonja Nathan and Francine Atoofi || Monica Sager 
It was a foggy, rainy week ||. Monica Sager The Chebacco by Ira Haskell ||. Courtesy Photo 
The Rail Trail is now set to be completed in 2029 || Courtesy Photo Residents had a lot of green to wear || Monica Sager Peter Franklin is retiring. || Sasha Shader 
A graph on voter turnout || Courtesy Photo Rep. Seth Moulton meets with constituents || Monica Sager The Todesco ship wreck || Courtesy Photo 
Swampscott School District is run by three female principals || Courtesy Photo
It was a busy political week for Swampscott.
Rep. Seth Moulton started off last weekend with an event in Salem, where he laid out his ideas for Senate. Moulton is challenging Sen. Ed Markey in the Democratic primary ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Moulton also told the Swampscott Tides about his vision for the MBTA station, one where “you stand there covered because we tell you to take the train and then you’re just there out in the rain, and you have a train every eight minutes to anywhere in eastern Massachusetts.”
Speaking of the MBTA, the authority has removed the dead trees at Swampscott’s commuter station, a representative told the Swampscott Tides. The MBTA does not currently have a timeline for replanting.
And similar in name, Swampscott’s Rail Trail project’s completion date has been pushed back to 2029 after the Metropolitan Planning Organization had concerns with project readiness.
You can read more about all of the town’s ongoing projects in the Swampscott Tides’ round up this week.
But – back to the representative – with Moulton running for Senate, he is leaving the 6th District Congressional seat open. State Auditor Diana DiZoglio endorsed Jamie Belsito in the race this week.
For the local election, the Town Election Review Committee told the Select Board that residents may have skipped voting in the past due to a lack of information about candidates and issues. Chair Marta Siorta said there needs to be more outreach over town dissemination channels, and she and Vice Chair Shayne Spaulding discussed other opportunities to get more people to the polls.
Also at the Select Board, members heard from the Historical Commission about preserving the Gen. John Glover Farmhouse and what the ongoing plans look like.
The Select Board looked at issues around the upcoming Town Meeting, such as the budget – which Town Administrator Nick Connors was able to shave $1 million off of – as well as the citizen petitions that will be voted on.
The town is also weighing in on revising its policy on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Police Department’s role in related actions.
In Town Hall, there’s some new artwork, as the staff is looking to hire a new assistant town accountant as well as receive input from residents on the 2035 Master Plan.
And local politics in Swampscott can potentially be affected by our neighbors. Marblehead is facing a budget crisis, which could force its library to close. Swampscott’s Public Library Director Jonathan Nichols told the Swampscott Tides the situation is “kind of bleak” but that he and Marblehead’s Director Kimberly Grad are “hopeful.”
In other news, read about student volunteers at Anchor Food Pantry, a beloved teacher’s retirement, First Congregational Church feeding the homeless, global warming effects, the town mental health forum, and the fact that for the first time there are three women at the helm of the Swampscott School District.
