Deignan Not Running for Re-election

Rehoboth Selectman Michael Deignan is not running for another term on the Board of Selectmen. There are two open three year seats for the April 2 town election.

Deignan made the announcement on his YouTube channel Thursday.

Deignan had served as Chair of the Finance Committee for many years before being elected to the Board in 2021. The work of Gerry Schwall, who was Chairman of the Board at the time, was an inspiration for his candidacy.

“I’m not in love with the concept of being a selectman,” Deignan explained. “I don’t like going around town having people call me ‘Selectman Deignan.’ I view it as a job to the community and I felt it was important to give something to the community to continue the projects that (Schwall) had started and would like see come to fruition.”

Deignan is married and has two young children. He is also the primary caregiver for his elderly father. Spending time with his family is Deignan’s main concern.

“My commitment is to them,” Deignan concluded. “So at this time, I see no reason to continue (on the board). I think that everything that I wanted to accomplish has been accomplished. I want to thank you for supporting me in the past and I hope that you will continue to support those ideas that I put forward as a member of the Finance Committee and as a member of the Board of Selectmen on fiscal conservativeness, to treat the town’s budget the same way that we would treat our own household budget, and to respect the fact that the taxpayers of Rehoboth pay taxes and expect those tax dollars that they entrust to government officials, to be spent wisely.”