BEVERLY — The ages of the four candidates running for mayor this year range from 44 to 71. But when they take the stage for a candidates forum on Sept. 13, they'll field questions from people on the other side of 40.
A new Beverly Main Streets committee called 30 & Main is hosting the event with the goal of addressing issues of interest to younger people.
"Anybody can come, but we really want people under the age of 40 to be the ones who are there," said Gin Wallace, executive director of Beverly Main Streets. "Their issues are very different from the types of issues that come up at forums I've been to. We think that's what's going to make our night unique."
The mayoral forum will be the first public event for 30 & Main. The group formed earlier this year after Wallace read a story about a company with a policy requiring that 30 percent of their decision-making come from people under 30.
"I started thinking about our board and other nonprofit boards and some of the boards the city runs," Wallace said, "and most are made up of people very well-established in their careers, which means mostly people over 30."
If that was the case, Wallace wondered, where would the city's next group of leaders come from?
Main Streets, a nonprofit that promotes the downtown, began soliciting nominations of potential leaders under 40 who live, work or study in Beverly. About 40 people agreed to join, and the new committee held its launch party in May.
Jamie Belsito said she joined 30 & Main because she and her husband have decided Beverly is the place where they want to raise their 11/2-year-old daughter. Belsito grew up in Reading and has lived in Washington, D.C., and Brooklyn.
"We're really excited about the potential that Beverly has," she said.
Belsito, who is 37, will serve as moderator for the mayoral forum. She graduated from Salem State with a political science degree, volunteered as an intern for the late Congressman Joseph Moakley, and worked as a federal lobbyist for business-related immigration issues. She's also a flamenco dancer, having performed at Main Streets events such as Arts Fest and Fridays on the Square.
This will be the first time Belsito has moderated a political forum.
"I felt it would be a phenomenal opportunity for me to learn about the candidates and what makes them different, what type of vision they are going to bring to the 40-and-under demographic," she said.
Main Streets is soliciting questions through Facebook and Twitter that young people would like asked of the candidates. Andrew Goldberg, another 30 & Main member, said people his age are particularly interested in the development of the city's waterfront, where a restaurant is scheduled to be built.
"That's the one I keep hearing over and over, that Beverly has a decent amount of waterfront property and how to utilize it to its fullest potential," he said.
Belsito said young people are also interested in "green" initiatives such as recycling and composting.
Goldberg, 33, grew up in Beverly and is a partner in his family's real estate business, Goldberg Properties, which owns several buildings downtown. He said young people would like to become more involved in the community, "but someone needed to come along and make it happen."
"I was invited, and I accepted," he said. "I live here, was born here, our family business is here. I thought it would be a good opportunity to get involved."
Wallace said 30 & Main is more than a networking group. Members have to agree to do 20 hours of community service per year. Plans are in the works for a mentoring program and leadership seminars. The group hopes to place some of its members on the boards of local nonprofits as non-voting members to gain experience. Two 30 & Main members, Jason Silva and Scott Dullea, are running for City Council at-large seats.
"I think there's just an incredible amount of opportunity here," Belsito said.
Staff writer Paul Leighton can be reached at 978-338-2675 or by email at pleighton@salemnews.com.
MAYORAL FORUM in beverly
Who: Candidates Mike Cahill, Tim Flaherty, Bill Scanlon and Euplio Marciano
Sponsored by: 30 & Main
When: Tuesday, Sept. 13, 7 to 9 p.m.
Where: Beverly High School
More information: Post questions you would like asked of the candidates on the 30 & Main Facebook page, or send them to info@beverlymainstreets.org
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