Candidates’ Corner

Editor’s Note: This is the third edition of this year’s version of Candidates’ Corner. The Norfolk Boomerang offers candidates for officein the town of Nor­folk a chance to make a pitch to the vot­ers each of several weeks leading up to the annual town election.

Candidates for both contested races and uncontested races are welcome to send submissions of up to 800 words. All candidates are welcome to send submissions each week. The last edi­tion

of Candidates’ Corner is scheduled to appear Friday, May 7.

The deadline for sending in a sub­mission is 5 p.m. Wednesday for the Friday edition of the newspaper. Send submissions by email to NorfolkBoo­merang@ gmail.com. Submissions may be edited. Anyone seeking to run a write-in campaign for Recreation Commission or Housing Authority (which have seats no one is contesting on the ballot) is especially invited to send submissions here. Norfolk’s annual town election is scheduled to take place Tuesday, May 11.

Candidates Appearing on Ballot Board of Selectmen [one three-year term]

Jim Lehan (incumbent) Scott Bugbee Mark Flaherty

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Norfolk School Committee

[one three-year term] Shawn Dooley

[one one-year term] Thomas Doyle

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Planning Board

[two three-year terms]

David Roche (incumbent) Jeff Palumbo

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Board of Health

[one three-year term] Thomas Burke

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Library Trustees

[one three-year term] Kenneth Nelson (incumbent)

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Recreation Commission

[two three-year terms] Benjamin McCarty

[No Second Candidate Appearing on Ballot]

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Board of Assessors

[one three-year term] Kathy Mullineaux (current member)

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Housing Authority

[one five-year term] [No Candidate Appearing on Ballot] ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Town Moderator [one one-year term]

Jonathan Smith Carolyn Van Tine

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Editor’s Note: Three candidates are vying for one available three-year term on the town’s Board of Selectmen, the top board in Norfolk town government. This week we received submissions from Jim Lehan and Scott Bugbee. The third candidate is Mark Flaherty.

Scott Bugbee: Experiences Good Preparation for Selectman

In my last two articles in the Boo­merang I have tried to give you a sense of why I entered the race for Selectman and where I stand on the issues facing our town. In this installment of Candi­dates’ Corner I will address my experi­ence and what I will bring to the officeof Selectman, if I am elected. Please feel free to contact me should you want to discuss anything you have read over the last three weeks. I would be happy to talk with you; my email address is scott_ bugbee@hotmail.com. Experience is defined, in Webster’s Dictionary, as “direct observation of, or participation in, events as a basis of knowledge.” While it is true that since I have never held the office, I have no direct participation as a Selectman. It is also true that as an active voter and follower of the town’s management, I have had direct observation of the of­fice for which I am running. While I do not pretend to know all of the policies and procedures of the town, I feel that as an educated voter I have the experi­ence needed to hold this position. In nearly every dictionary definition of experience, the observation of an event is equally as important as the participa­tion in one. Experience is also defined as the “conscious events that make up a life.” I will bring to the office of Selectman the knowledge gained in my profes­sional

and volunteer work. With my background in the financial industry, I have developed the skills necessary to jump in to the budgetary aspects of the Selectman’s job. In my 20-plus years as a sales professional, I have also de­veloped the active listening skills that will be necessary to not only listen to all who come before the Board of Select­men, but to actually hear them, from those looking for help with a problem on their street to the School Committee presenting their current budget. My ap­proach will be to talk less and to listen more. Negotiation is a key part of any salesperson’s job. My training in ne­gotiating will be invaluable in working toward my goal of improving relation­ships and communications between the Selectmen and other town boards, and between the Selectmen and the resi­dents

of Norfolk. I want to assure that all sides feel that they are being heard on their issues. This may be the one area where my lack of direct experience could be considered an asset. I will en­ter town government, for better or worse, with no history with anyone on either side of any issue. I will venture to be both fair-minded and open-minded on the situation at hand. There may be no job that requires more of a balancing act than Soccer Coach. During the last five years, I have had the privilege of working with many players and their parents in an effort to put on the field the best team possible. It was not always easy; the very first play of my first game, I sent too many players onto the field, and believe it or not I did the exact same thing about two plays later. I have juggled the concerns of parents with the concerns of the team and am happy to say that I have coached two teams to an undefeated season. I have had many parents ask that their girls be placed on my team, even if they could have had the oppor­tunity to play at a higher level.

In my opinion, coaching is analo­gous to being a Selectman. As a Select­man I will have to manage the concerns of individual residents and boards with the concerns of the town as a whole. As in soccer, you cannot make everyone happy, but you can hopefully share the information that will make people com­fortable with the decisions that are be­ing made. I hope this information will make you more comfortable with making the decision to vote for me for Selectman on Tuesday, May 11th. I would like to see things “change up” at Town Hall. Change, in the form of a fresh face and a fresh look at the challenges facing our town, may be just the thing Norfolk needs to bring resolution to some of our more pressing issues. Again, please feel free to contact me for more informa­tion,

or if you would be willing to host a “Bugbee for Selectman” sign on your front lawn. My email address is scott_bugbee@hotmail.com. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Jim Lehan: Record Shows Accomplishments

My name is Jim Lehan and I am one of Norfolk’s three Selectmen. I am run­ning for re-election on Tuesday, May 11th and would be grateful for your vote.

I have served the community as your Selectman for the past six years and have thoroughly enjoyed my time on the Board. During this time I have worked on a number of projects and have met many wonderful people. The people truly are the best part of the job.

The last several years have present­ed our community with unprecedented financial challenges. Yet in every crisis rests an opportunity. Over the past six years we have accomplished a great deal:

- Implemented Advanced Life Support Capability which has saved nu­merous lives in Norfolk

- Completed an Affordable Hous­ing Plan which allows our community to manage our future growth more ef­ficiently

- Implemented a “shared re­sponse ” strategy for our Fire Depart­ment with surrounding communities that improves our response time and reduces our operational costs.

- Established an Energy Commit­tee to seek new and innovative ways to improve our energy efficiency and re­duce costs - Restructured our Land-Use Boards to create greater efficiency and reduce costs

- Streamlined our permitting pro­cess without compromising our bylaws and regulations

- Significantlyincreased inter­departmental communication and col­laboration

- Encouraged acceptable com­mercial development to ease the resi­dential tax burden.

- Commercial revenue has dou­bled in the last six years.

- Worked with the School Com­mittee to ensure that the facility and educational needs of our children are met.The most critical issue, however, is to ensure that Norfolk remains finan­cially stable. During my six years we have presented a balanced budget that reflects our reduced revenues yet re­tains vital services. We have managed our debt, reduced costs, consolidated work functions, and found new and in­novative ways to manage our commu­nity. We have had to make some tough choices. We have had to reduce services and have lost some valuable employees. Our efforts to manage our financials, however, resulted in S & P upgrading Norfolk’s Bond Rating. We are one of the few communities to receive such an upgrade. This will allow Norfolk to save hundreds of thousands of dollars in in­terest as we go forward with the new school project. While we have accomplished a great deal, but there is much more to be done

— We must continued to encourage commercial development

— We must address the infrastruc­ture in our Town Center to support fu­ture development — We must continue to explore shared-service relationships with sur­rounding communities — We must continue to ensure that our educational systems remain strong

I have a great passion for Norfolk. I have lived here for 24 years and have raised four children here with my wife Betty. Now I have eight grandchildren, six of whom are being raised in Norfolk. Those are six especially good reasons to continue to work hard to improve the Town.

Times are tough in the country and things are no different in Massachusetts or Norfolk. I believe my experience and commitment to all the citizens of Nor­folk

from our students to our seniors will help see us through the difficultyears that lie ahead.

If re-elected you have my commit­ment to continue to work diligently to the benefit of all to keep Norfolk the community we all value and care for. Thank you for your time and consid­eration

and I ask for your vote on May 11th.

Respectfully,

Jim Lehan

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In the

Candidate’s Corner

Editor’s Note: This is the first edition of In the Candidate’s Corner, which fea­tures letters from supporters of candi­dates. Letters should be sent by email to NorfolkBoomerang@gmail.com by 5 p.m. Wednesday for inclusion in the fol­lowing

Friday’s edition of the newspaper. In the Candidates’ Corner is scheduled to appear Friday, April 23; Friday, April 30; and Friday, May 7. But no letters criticiz­ing any candidate will appear in the issue dated Friday, May 7, the week before the annual town election.

Lehan’s Leadership Has Been Good For Norfolk

I am very enthusiastically support­ing Jim Lehan for reelection to Norfolk’s Board of Selectmen. I can’t think of any­one

more qualified than Jim to lead our town over the next three years. Norfolk is one of only a few towns in the state of Massachusetts to have its Bond Rating increased to a AA rating. This was ac­complished during a very difficult eco­nomic climate. Jim has been deeply involved in the budgeting process over the last six years. Now is not the time to elect someone who is learning on the job. Norfolk needs a steady hand with experience to help get us through these tight economic times. Join me in electing Jim to the Board of Selectmen.

Mike Kulesza

Editor’s Note: The letter writer is chair­man of the Norfolk Zoning Board of Ap­peals.