Salisbury’s Neil Harrington in the Finals for Salem Mayor

REGIONAL — Salisbury residents will have to wait until mid-May to learn if the town needs to find a successor to its long-time town manager, a task town leaders say will be difficult.
Neil Harrington, who for almost 20 years has been the Salisbury town manager, beat the acting mayor and long-time city councilor of Salem and a former city councilor in a race to replace former Mayor Kim Driscoll, who is now the state’s lieutenant governor.
In the runoff, May 16, Harrington will face Dominick Pangallo, Driscoll’s chief of staff.
With about 22 percent of the city’s almost 33,000 registered voters participating, Pangallo ran first in a crowded field with 3,078 votes or 42.7 percent. Harrington, a “lifelong resident” of Salem and former mayor for four terms, garnered 2,307 votes or 31.9 percent to advance to the special mayoral election.
The campaign in the special election, expected to be hotly contested between Pangallo and Harrington, will decide the first mayoral change in almost two decades in the “witch city.” It also comes as the historic seaport plans for its 400th birthday.
The new mayor, who will serve out Driscoll’s fifth term, which ends in 2026, will oversee the celebration.
Harrington said the people of Salem “are understandably anxious,” after the departure of Driscoll, which “will create a significant leadership vacuum in the city.”
“The uncertainty in the city is palpable,” Harrington said. “Are we going backwards or forwards? People are understandably worried. It is imperative that the city elect someone who has experience.”
Harrington served as its mayor for four terms between 1990 to 1997. His signature accomplishment as Salem mayor was keeping the Peabody Essex Museum from moving to Boston.
“I’ve kept up with all the issues of interest in the community,” he said, “I have a good finger on the pulse of what’s happening, I have ideas as to what needs to happen, and I just don’t think the city can afford to go backwards in terms of its agenda for progress.”
Salem is “a fascinating city,” he said. It is seeing a major shift in demographics. Twenty different languages are now spoken in the schools, he said.
If elected, Harrington would be leaving Salisbury in good shape. Several major projects, including the Lafayette Road new sewer and the beach visitors center, are nearing completion. During his almost two decades as mayor, the town has seen a lot of change, including the construction of many new homes and the new police station.
“The Board of Selectmen and I are on the same page,” he said.