Transitional Time For Danvers Select Board As 2 New Members Sworn In

DANVERS, MA — Two new Danvers Select Board members were sworn into office on Thursday after a transformative election in which challengers Michael Bean and Dee Djoko successfully unseated a pair of incumbents amid a strong voter turnout for a local election.

Bean was the top vote-getter with 2,243 votes and Djoko was second with 2,206 in Tuesday's results, besting Gardner Trask (1,849) — who had served the town for the previous 18 years — and Matthew Duggan (1,116) following his first three-year term.

"I think it's going to be wonderful," Select Board member Maureen Bernard said during her remarks at Thursday's meeting. "I think it's going to be a breath of fresh air. Some good ideas moving forward. They both have some good experience."

Djoko, a native of Cameroon and a 13-year Danvers resident, used his time to thank Danvers residents for putting their trust in him to serve their interests on the Board for the next three years.

"I am humbled by the opportunity to serve as a member of this board," he said. "And I promise to uphold the values of civility and transparency. As I embark on this new chapter, I am committed to listening to the concerns of all Danvers residents. And working tirelessly to address them.

"Together, we will strive to ensure that our community remains vibrant, inclusive and affordable for generations to come."

Trask wished Bean and Djoko well after what he called "a fulfilling and rewarding experience as a volunteer citizen leader."

"I leave after 18 years with a complete sense of fulfillment and with absolutely no regrets about the decisions I made or actions I took," he posted on his campaign social media page. "I met and worked with many wonderful people, be they similar citizen volunteers or town employees and administration. I will miss working alongside them dearly.

"I look back on the accomplishments I participated in over the past 18 years with a genuine sense of pride and move forward, head held high, believing I will leave Danvers better for my participation."

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