Liz Smith for Select Board

My Background

Swampscott has been my home for ten years. My husband, Evan Katz, our daughter, and I moved here to be closer to my North Shore roots and the ocean I love. My parents moved here, too, so we could all be together.

After retiring from my career as an apparel industry executive, I spent a few years working in the Swampcott schools as a substitute teacher, Title 1 Math Tutor, and classroom aide. I worked in every school in the district, including all three former elementary schools, and know first hand how desperately we needed to upgrade the facilities and environment for our children and teachers. Evan was the Swampscott District School Business Administrator until he retired in 2018 and our daughter attended Swampscott Middle School and Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School.

Career

Professionally, I worked as a sourcing executive for Limited Brands for many years. Managing global teams and living overseas in China and Taiwan honed my ability to quickly assess new situations and solve complex problems based on facts. My knowledge of Chinese came in handy, as well! For many years I also worked as a management consultant for clothing brands such as Chico's, Sara Lee, Lucky & Me, and Cacique.

Volunteer Work

Much of my adult life has been defined by volunteerism. I am a member of the choir of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Lynn, chair of the Swampscott Water & Sewer Infrastructure Advisory Committee, and was a leader of the advocacy group Save King's Beach. Previously I was a Trustee in the early days of River Valley Charter School in Newburyport and chair of the Finance Committee of the Congregational Church in Groton, MA, I love applying compassion, listening, discernment, and decision-making to problems that affect the lives of people in my community.

Family Time

In addition to our daughter, Evan and I have three sons and seven grandchildren living in Cambridge, Chicago, and Arkansas. We are in constant contact through social media and see them in person as often as possible. Evan and I walk to the town's beaches nearly every day and I can often be found there taking pictures at sunset.

Candidate Forum Opening Remarks---April 15, 2025

Thank you to the Democratic and Republican Town Committees, and the Lynn Daily Item for sponsoring this forum. And all of you for coming.

Most of you probably know me from my work on the beaches. We moved here 10 years ago - and living within walking distance of King’s Beach was a dream. It’s crushing that we are known for having the dirtiest beach in Massachusetts. It’s bad enough that the families who flock here on nice summer days can’t swim here, but also because of the harm that reputation does to our town. Think of the lost opportunity: families who won’t buy a house here, hotels who might not build here, and vendors who aren’t successful because there’s just not enough foot traffic to keep them in business.

I went to UMass Amherst, taught English in China, and received a Master’s in Management from MIT. I’ve managed a $760 million business with staff of 95 in 7 countries. I love hard work and making positive change. I’ve led corporate reorganization efforts and served on a new charter school board. I direct a handbell choir, and chair the Water & Sewer Infrastructure Committee.

When I and others started working diligently to bring attention to King’s Beach, the Select Board wasn’t even discussing the pollutions. Now every person whose door I knock on knows about it. I will bring the same determination and effort to the Select Board.

We have challenges. The FY26 budget proposed by the Select Board has the largest tax increase in at least ten years. And it doesn’t fully fund the school committee’s proposed budget. If we don’t close that gap, the schools will lay off 7-8 teachers and reduce core programs. The relations between Select Board chair and School Committee have reached a new low. I care about the schools. I’m the only candidate who is committed to fully funding the schools budget.

My daughter was entering fifth grade when we moved here. She was born in Sri Lanka, English is her second language. She didn’t live in the US until she was 8 - and entered middle school with significant gaps in language and math skills. We chose Swampscott for the schools - for the warm and welcoming staff, the Special Education and English Language Learning support —— and she thrived. We have enormous gratitude for the teachers, specialists, and administrators who supported her. I have taught in all the schools but the new one - as a substitute teacher, as a Title One math tutor, as a classroom aide at Hadley. I know first-hand the challenges teachers face. It’s not enough to build a new building - we have to staff it and equip it for success. That is the foundation of a high performing school district.

I have a proven track record - in business, on a committee, ringing a handbell, and in a classroom. I’m hard working, dedicated, thorough, and fair. I love Swampscott, and the people of Swampscott, and ask for the opportunity to put my energy to work to help us achieve Swampscott’s potential.

Candidate Forum Closing Remarks---April 15, 2025

It’s been great to have this opportunity to answer questions and debate the important issues facing Swampscott. Thanks to all of you for coming, and thanks to the Democratic and Republican Town Committees, to Elizabeth for moderating, and to Ted Grant, Zach Laird, and the Item.

I want to tell you a story that illustrates a few things about me and about Swampscott. Several years ago, when I was digging into the beach situation, I learned from requesting the Consent Decree compliance reports from the EPA, that Swampscott had tested the outfall at Fisherman’s Beach on three separate occasions in 2022 and the results came back extremely high. More than 1000 times too high, in fact. That information was withheld from the EPA and the public for a year. After doing more research, I learned that Fisherman’s Beach had high sewage pollution in 2019, and our consultant Kleinfelder had designed an engineering plan to fix the problems they had determined were causing this pollution.

By corresponding with the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust State Revolving Fund director, I learned that Swampscott had applied for and received a low interest loan for $1.4 million to repair the pipes causing pollution at Fisherman’s Beach—-but the loan was rejected in 2022 and the work was not done.

The daily testing that the Water & Sewer Committee conducted at Fisherman’s Beach last summer showed that the Marshall Street outfall, which had shown such high results in 2022, was still badly polluted - every single day. The good news is that as a result of that work, as a result of the testing, as a result of the dogged pursuit of facts, the work to fix the pipes leading to Fisherman’s Beach has been taking place this year and is nearly complete. Pending testing, it’s possible that recreation programs will return to Fisherman’s Beach this summer.

Please give me the opportunity to bring this energy, determination, and hard work to bear on the other issues facing Swampscott today.

If elected, my goal is a Select Board that is more collaborative, more productive, and more transparent. A vote for me is a vote for change - for the better!

I am the only candidate who represents change on the Select Board. A vote for me is a vote for collaboration, progress, and a bright future for Swampscott!

On Tuesday, April 29, I ask for your vote. This election is about more than policies and budgets—it’s about the kind of town we want and how we build it together. A town where our voices are heard, where our children thrive, and where our community is strengthened by transparency and trust. Swampscott’s best days are ahead, and with your support, we will make that vision a reality!

Thank you.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse