BEVERLY — Three challengers for mayor staked out their reasons why it's time for a change, while incumbent Bill Scanlon urged voters to give him another chance in a mostly cordial debate before about 400 onlookers last night at Beverly High School.
With less than two weeks before the Sept. 20 preliminary election, the event gave voters their first chance to see the four candidates on the same stage.
City Council President Mike Cahill and former City Council President Tim Flaherty did not attack Scanlon directly, but both attempted to convince voters that it's time to oust the man who has served a record 16 years as mayor.
"The mayor has said he wants one more lap around the track," Flaherty said. "I want to be here to finish those projects."
Taking aim at what some perceive as Scanlon's authoritarian style, Cahill said, "I have always worked collaboratively. We can get so much more done than we can if everything has to go through one person and one place."
Scanlon countered by touting his experience and accomplishments, including the very building, the refurbished $81 million high school, in which the debate was being held.
"I'm the only one up here who has managed large budgets and large numbers of people," he said.
Cahill and Flaherty, who between them have won 11 elections in the city, pose the most serious primary challenge to Scanlon since he first ran for mayor in 1993. Euplio Marciano has run unsuccessfully for mayor and City Council in the past and is not attempting to raise money for this campaign.
Flaherty, who served 12 years on the City Council, and Cahill, a former state representative who was elected council president two years ago, have mostly voted in favor of Scanlon's proposals, so there was little disagreement over major issues.
But the two challengers did take issue with some of Scanlon's positions. Cahill said he favors weekly recycling rather than the twice-a-month system now in place. Scanlon said weekly recycling could cost the city as much as $200,000 per year.
"The question is, would you rather have three less teachers or weekly recycling?" Scanlon said.
Scanlon criticized Cahill for "glibly" addressing the issue without paying attention to the details.
Flaherty questioned Scanlon's handling of the development of the waterfront, where a proposal to build a Black Cow restaurant has been stalled for five years. Flaherty said the city should have worked to remove the area's designation by the state as a working port in order to make it easier for the restaurant to be built.
"When I go door to door, that's probably the No. 1 concern, the waterfront," he said. "It's been going on for 20 years."
Flaherty also criticized the school system's increasing reliance on fees to fund activities.
"It costs almost 200 bucks to park your car here," he said, referring to the annual fee for student parking. "Are we public education or are we a private institution?"
Scanlon, Cahill and Flaherty all agreed that a new middle school should be the city's next priority. Scanlon said the city should eventually be able to afford both a new middle school and a new police station.
"By the end of the decade, we should have both of them completed," Scanlon said.
All three candidates said the downtown needs improvement, but Scanlon said the city can earn the most tax revenue by getting the state to build a bridge over Route 128 that would encourage the development of land off Brimbal Avenue.
"There's 238 acres of land that could be opened up," he said.
Marciano called himself the "only non-politician" in the race and vowed to cut salaries of city employees to save money, including slicing the mayor's salary by 30 percent.
"I can live off $74,200," he said.
The debate was sponsored by The Salem News and Beverly Community Access Media (BevCam). Salem News Editorial Page Editor Nelson Benton served as moderator.
The four candidates will meet again Tuesday at the high school in a forum sponsored by Beverly Main Streets' new 30 & Main committee.
The top two vote-getters in the Sept. 20 preliminary will advance to the Nov. 8 final election.
Staff writer Paul Leighton can be reached at 978-338-2675 or by email at pleighton@salemnews.com.
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