Candidates highlight coastal resilience needs; city awarded state funds for Columbus Avenue seawall, speakers say

Coastal resilience and seawall repairs were a major topic at the Ward 1 candidate forum, with both candidates describing recent work and future priorities along the Salem City shoreline.

Cindy Jerzyk, Ward 1 councilor, said neighborhood groups and city engineers have been working on seawall repairs for years and that state funding has recently been secured. “We were just awarded $1,400,000 from the state to rebuild our Columbus Ave seawall,” Jerzyk said. She also noted a $290,000 state award for seawall design at a nearby beach and said a citywide study has examined seawall damage along Ward 1.

Challenger Erin Turovski urged replacing underused asphalt at Shelton (Sheltand) Park with green spaces, living shorelines, and water‑retention features such as cisterns to reduce runoff and future displacement from rising sea levels. “If we can replace some of the unused asphalt with green space, native landscaping, a living shoreline, add some cisterns to help with water retention and stormwater management, that will greatly contribute to the resiliency of this area,” Turovski said.

Both candidates said they meet regularly with city engineers and neighborhood groups to pursue funding and planning. Jerzyk referenced monthly meetings with the flood advisory committee and said she and neighborhood volunteers have advocated with state legislators and the city for shore protection work. Turovski emphasized heat‑island reduction and sustainable energy projects as part of broader resilience planning.

No new municipal project approvals were announced at the forum. Both candidates framed resilience work as ongoing collaboration among neighborhoods, the city engineer’s office, state funders and elected officials.