Beverly Cahill/Ngotho Mayoral Debate A Contrast Of Experiences

BEVERLY, MA — A contrast of political experience and life experience was on display at the Cabot Street Cinema Theater Tuesday night as incumbent Beverly Mayor Mike Cahill and challenger Esther Ngotho met for their final debate before next week's citywide election.

While Cahill touted the progressive plans that have been put in place in the city over his four terms as mayor, Ngotho pointed to the life lessons she's accumulated that she said make her the candidate with the understanding and urgency to get bold things done more quickly.

"If a flower is not blooming you do not fix the flower," she said. "You fix the environment. If you have no faith in your local government, you have the power to change the local government."

Ngotho and Cahill repeatedly referenced their work together on the Beverly Human Rights Committee and their admiration for each other, with Ngotho saying at one point "since 2015 he's been preparing me to take over."

“We’ve got a friendship going back several years,” Cahill responded. “The only thing is that we’re running for the same office for the next week.”

While both candidates expressed support for similar ideals, Ngotho pressed for the immediacy of universal broadband service throughout the city, dramatic traffic mitigation measures — including possibly turning Cabot Street into a pedestrian way — and more concerted efforts to address racial diversity and inclusion issues facing the city.

Cahill said he agreed with many of Ngotho's ideals and said an additional term will allow him to accelerate the incremental advances toward them.

"Our priorities for the next couple of years, top of the list, are really making historic strides in equity and historic strides in fighting climate change," he said. "These are things that are front burner. We have worked on them. And I believe we've really made progress.

"We've done a lot of planning the last couple of years. … We recognize that in order to be a thriving small city — a world-class small city — we need to implement what we have spent so much time together putting in place."

Cahill indicated there is a balance between shooting for lofty goals and the practicality of running a city on a day-to-day basis.

"I believe that we are delivering the highest-quality services in this community," he said.

Ngotho said she is the candidate who can best relate to the widest range of Beverly residents and understands why some change can't wait.

"I am a Black woman living in Beverly," she said. "I am an immigrant living in the U.S. I am a military mom. I am a mom of a white police officer. I am a grandmother. I have worked a low-wage job. I have had the threat of homelessness hanging over my head. I have run a small cleaning business for six years from 2009 to 2015 in New Haven (Connecticut).

"I am you. I have done everything you have done. And so I will be able to advocate for those who are likely to slip through the cracks. Someone who has not worn your shoes should not tell you how to tie your shoelaces.

"Because they don’t know."

The citywide election is on Nov. 2.

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)