Lynnfield's newest selectman was sworn into office Monday night, minutes after polls closed in the 2012 town election. Dave Nelson, the current board of assessors chair, took three of the town's four precincts against rival Tom Terranova, a CPA who co-chairs the town Recreation Commission.

Nelson won precinct 1 by a 344-157 margin, precinct 2 by a 180-127 margin and precinct 4 by 353-192 votes. Terranova took precinct 3 by a 217 to 183 margin. The total townwide vote was 1,060 to 693 for Nelson.

"There's lots to do," said Nelson soon after being sworn in by Assistant Town Clerk Diane Hammerbeck. "I'm ready to roll up my sleeves and get working with the board of selectmen... I consider this a job and you get out of a job what you put into it." 

Selectman Al Merritt praised Nelson as a "solid individual" who keeps the best interests of the town in mind in everything that he does. Fellow select board member Bob MacKendrick echoed those sentiments, also taking time to praise all candidates who participated in the 2012 town election for their efforts to make Lynnfield a better place to live.

After being sworn, Nelson said that his first priority is to begin working with the various boards and commissions in town to learn more about their work. He noted that his outgoing predecessor on the board of selectmen, Arthur Bourque, had advised him to learn all he can about how the town operates. Nelson also plans to continue building on the campaign theme he ran on of listening to all town residents. "I want to listen to make them part of the process," said Nelson.