Swampscott Adds $94K To Proposed Town Budget Funding For Diversity Coordinator

SWAMPSCOTT, MA — A late inter-departmental shift in the proposed Swampscott town budget for Fiscal Year 2024 presented to the Select Board on Tuesday night included an increase of $94,000 dedicated to the hiring of a diversity coordinator in the town.

The position and its funding were approved at town meeting two years ago but it was never filled.

Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald had proposed $6,000 in next year's budget to continue to the work toward the diversity initiatives through an existing town staff member obtaining diversity equity and inclusivity certificate training but was pressed to re-examine that funding during an April 5 Select Board meeting as Board members said it should remain a budgeted priority in the town.

The $94,000 increase brings the line item for the position to $100,000.

"We, frankly, need it," Fitzgerald said during Tuesday's meeting. "I appreciate the Select Board's encouragement to put the full funding for it into the budget. This is a critically important position. It builds upon a lot of the important investments we're making in the community."

(Also on Patch: Swampscott Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Post Budget Hit Spurs Debate)

Fitzgerald said the funding for the position would come from a $10,000 reduction in the line item for the as-of-yet-unhired deputy police chief, a $20,000 reduction in the snow and ice budget, a $15,000 reduction for a firefighter fitness incentive — which Fitzgerald said will be funded through other means if those in the department qualified for the incentive — $29,000 in reductions to the group health insurance line item and $20,000 in salary reserves reductions.

"I discussed these adjustments with the departments (Tuesday) and I am proud to say that every single department head has supported these changes," Fitzgerald said. "Budgets are tight. But this is important."

Select Board member Katie Phelan, who championed the issue of the reduced DEI funding at the April 5 meeting, applauded the reallocations.

"This sends a message that we are committed to a lifestyle change," she said. "Not as an afterthought. We are committed, as a town, that diversity, equity and inclusion is a priority, and that we're going to budget it as a priority.

"I'm glad to see that commitment. But now I want to see it spent in a meaningful way so that we can see meaningful things from it."

Select Board member MaryEllen Fletcher said she did not agree with the change — not necessarily because she doesn't agree with the objectives, but because she said the town should spend American Rescue Plan Act funding to identify steps that should be taken and how best to take them before budgeting the director's position.

"This is a mistake adding a line item into the budget at this time for a staff person before we really know what our needs are," she said.

(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.)