Longtime Swampscott Volunteer Wayne Spritz Seeks Select Board Seat

SWAMPSCOTT, MA — Longtime Swampscott town board and committee member, and environmental advocate, Wayne Spritz is running for one of two Select Board seats up for grabs in the upcoming annual town election.

The annual town election is set for April 28.

• Swampscott Candidates Forum Set Ahead Of Annual Town Election

Spritz began his volunteerism in the town in 2007 when he became a member of the Renewable Energy Committee and has most recently served on the key Solid Waste and Advisory Committee.

He said he is running to continue the work to clean up King's Beach, build on coastal resiliency strategies, and to reform the appointment process of Swampscott's Finance and Capital Improvement Committees.

He said in a campaign announcement to Patch that he is concerned with the town charter allowance for the town moderator to appoint all 12 members of the critical committees.

"These committees are strategically positioned to serve as subject matter experts," Spritz told Patch. "They advise town meeting on nearly all financial matters of the community.

"In the spirit of good governance, it's time to rethink that appointment structure. The selection process should be transparent and competitive."

He cited his 30 years of hands-on mechanical engineering experience, focus on innovation, reliable processes and fiscal responsibility as strengths as a prospective Select Board member.

"My track record solving hard problems in the industrial world will translate as a fresh asset to the current challenges faced by the Select Board," he said. "I'm not a stranger to managing competing ideas, needs, and financial constraints."

A 26-year member of the community, he and his wife, Joie, moved to the Olmsted District, where they chose to raise their two children.

"We decided on Swampscott not just because we love the beach, but because of the town's warmth and character," he said. "Our neighbors quickly became more than friends – they're extended family."

Spritz's work for a dozen years helped Swampscott achieve Green Community status, which he said helped bring in more than a million dollars in state grant money for town building energy upgrades and repairs.

He said he was also a key advocate to create the town's first facilities director position to manage the complex mechanical systems in these buildings.

He has served on the Solid Waste Advisory Committee since 2021, and last year, he started Swampscott's first Environmental Roundtable, where eight committees met to informally discuss common issues.

Spritz also served for five years as chair of the Essex Tech High School program advisory committee, which helped develop its first engineering program.

He said he is committed to preserving Swampscott's S&P AAA rating, which keeps borrowing costs low.

He said he also supports making sure any trash, water and sewage delivery issues are addressed in a timely fashion to limit hidden expenditures, and sharing resources with regionally to reduce expenses.

Spritz said he believes coastal resiliency must rely on protection, not just climate change prevention.

"Like every coastal community, Swampscott does not have the option to simply retreat from rising tides and harsher storms," Spritz said. "We must continue to shield ourselves by committing to seawall repairs, prevention of flooding and erosion, and safeguarding infrastructure, including our sewer system.

"Swampscott has an incredible density of talent. I love to engage with important policy specialists who help this town daily. I thrive on understanding how the proverbial sausage is made. No one person can be an expert in everything. We need to build trust that's based upon facts, data, and accountability. That comes through active listening, learning, vision, and asking the right questions.

"However, the biggest messages are delivered at the ballot box."

More on the Spritz campaign can be found here or by emailing spritz4swampscott@gmail.com.