Schlegel and Afanasenko Win Scituate Select Board Seats in Scituate
Voters approve debt exclusion for South Shore Tech building project; Geary secures Housing Authority position
SCITUATE - May 31 - Preliminary results show Freya Schlegel and Dr. Nicolai Afanasenko have won seats on the Scituate Select Board following the town's annual election held on May 31. The election results show Schlegel defeating Maryanne Lewis for Position 1, while Afanasenko prevailed over David Dauphinee Sr. for Position 2.
Schlegel, who by the preliminary tally, received 1,788 votes compared to Lewis's 1,250, has lived in Scituate since 1997 and operates a small business in North Scituate Village. During her campaign, she emphasized her advocacy for clean water since 2018 and her experience serving on the Water Resource Commission.
"My passion is for Scituate," Schlegel stated during the candidates' forum. "With my time on the board, I would like to ensure our drinking water is clean and safe and that there's adequate supply for all who live here."
Dr. Afanasenko, who garnered 2,044 votes to Dauphinee's 1,064, has been a resident for 22 years. He highlighted his desire to maintain fiscal responsibility while balancing smart growth and affordability.
"One of the things I really want to do is make sure that we're fiscally responsible in our town and make sure that as we go forward we continue to balance the idea between smart and managed growth, providing for our town's people, providing affordability for them to stay here," Afanasenko said.
In the contested race for Housing Authority, William Edward Geary secured the position with 1,480 votes, defeating Francis J. Buckley who received 892 votes. Geary has been serving as a commissioner at the Housing Authority since August 2024 after being appointed by the Select Board to fill a temporary vacancy.
"I've been impressed and inspired by the hard work and expertise displayed by the staff and board as they carry out their mission of supporting decent affordable housing for the residents," Geary said during the candidates' forum.
Voters also approved Question 1, a debt exclusion for the South Shore Technical High School building project, with 1,967 voting in favor and 925 against.
The non-binding Question 2, regarding nuclear waste from the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant, passed overwhelmingly with 2,615 supporting and only 275 opposing.
Several candidates ran unopposed and were elected to their respective positions. Maura Cashman Curran won the moderator position with 2,479 votes. John F. Danehey was reelected as assessor with 2,388 votes.
For the School Committee, Carey C. Borkoski and Nicole Marie Brandolini were reelected with 2,340 and 2,344 votes respectively. During the forum, Borkoski emphasized the committee's focus on curriculum review and implementation of a continuous improvement plan.
"We're beginning the vital work of implementing a continuous improvement plan to track progress, outcomes, and identify further updates to our curriculum," Borkoski said.
Ann B. Burbine and Stephen Roy Pritchard won Planning Board positions with 2,234 and 2,281 votes respectively. Kevin R. Carleton and Elizabeth C. Holthaus were reelected as Library Trustees, receiving 2,227 and 2,284 votes. Kate Leahy secured the Housing Authority five-year term with 2,313 votes.
The candidates' forum held before the election provided insight into key issues facing Scituate. When asked about potential operational budget overrides, the Select Board candidates expressed caution.
Afanasenko emphasized the need for a balanced approach: "We really do have to be fiscally responsible to our residents. We are one team in this town."
Schlegel stated, "I would hope that we wouldn't get in that situation, that we could try to balance our budget within our means."
The candidates also discussed the revitalization of North Scituate and the potential for bringing town sewer to that area. All Select Board candidates expressed support for extending sewer infrastructure to North Scituate.
Schlegel, who owns a business in North Scituate, added, "I absolutely support sewer to North Scituate even though it might be to my detriment because the rents will go up when the business overlay district booms with sewer."
The candidates also addressed affordable housing at the old Gates School site, with all expressing general support for exploring housing options while acknowledging the need for further community input and careful planning.