Meet The New Boss

Jim Lehan won re-election to a third straight three-year term as selectman this week, taking a little more than 58 percent of the vote over challengers Scott Bug­bee and Mark Flaherty.

Advisory Board member CiCi Van Tine narrowly de­feated former selectman Jonathan Smith for town mod­erator, winning by 5 percentage points.

Turnout was about 30 percent Tuesday. “I’m very grateful to Norfolk voters. I appreciate their vote of confidence, and they’ll get my best,” Lehan said shortly after the results were announced Tuesday night at the polling place in the gym of H. Olive Day School on Main Street.

“And I want to compliment Scott. He ran a gentle­manly campaign, and I hope he gets involved in town government,” Lehan said. “And I thank Mark, too. It’s wonderful to see people stepping forward to volunteer for the town. I’m glad Mark and Scott have stepped for­ward.

I hope they will get involved in the future, and I look forward to working with them.”

Bugbee is already getting involved in town govern­ment. Bugbee walked into the polling place at H. Olive Day School after the vote count Tuesday hoping to become a selectman, but he didn’t leave empty-handed.

Thirteen write-in votes garnered him a seat on the town’s Recreation Commission. He was sworn in Tues­day night after accepting election. Later this week, Bugbee thanked his supporters in the selectman’s race and congratulated Lehan.

“I would like to thank all the people who helped my campaign. Their support was tremendous and uplifting. I also want to thank all the people who voted for me and everyone else for taking the time to vote. I really enjoyed campaigning and meeting so many new people. I look forward to serving the town on the rec­reation committee. I wish Jim and all the newly elected officials the best of luck,” Bugbee said in an email message.

Flaherty also congratulated Lehan and the victors in other races, and he said he plans to get involved in town government. “I want to offer my congratulations to Selectman Lehan, Town Moderator CiCi Van Tine, and all the other candi­dates who won in this year’s election. It was an honor to be in the race and this isn’t going to be the last that is heard of me in local politics. Thank you to every­one who voted in this election. I really want to thank the voters who had confi­dence in me and showed that by voting for me. I may have only gotten 119 votes this time but I am happy with that. This year I couldn’t afford signs or handouts. I still have a lot to learn and I am going to learn it so that next time I am more prepared for this process,” Flaherty said in an email message.

“I just want people to remember that all of the elected officials in town work for the residents of this town,” Flaherty wrote. “If you’re not happy with how things are going please stand up and run for office and make the changes. This was my first time running for office and if I can do it so can you. I look forward to serving this town in any way that I can. I am open to talking with our town officials to see if there are any openings on any of the boards. Together we can all make this town better.

“Thank you all once again for getting involved and if you didn’t get involved this time please get involved in the fu­ture.

Everyone is affected by our local elections.”

Van Tine takes over as town mod­erator, replacing Dan Winslow, who did not seek reelection because he is run­ning for state representative.

She is set to take the gavel when an­nual Town Meeting begins Tuesday, May 18.

“It feels great. I’m very pleased I won. I want to thank my husband who was my campaign manager, Shawn Dooley, who worked tirelessly on my behalf, as well as my volunteers. They held signs, sent out dear-friend cards, and did a lit­erature

drop, and they didn’t have to do any of that. I really appreciate that,” Van Tine said in an interview Tuesday night. “I’m looking forward to next week.”

She also praised Smith. “Jonathan ran a great campaign, and I’m pleased to know him,” Van Tine said.

Smith congratulated Van Tine and called for voters to attend Town Meet­ing next week. “I congratulate CiCi on her victory and positive campaign. Thanks to ev­eryone

who supported me, but just as important, the good turnout of voters generally. I look forward to a well-at­tended

Town Meeting next week to deal with the serious issues that confront our Town. If our form of government is to survive and prosper it must have active involvement by all voters,” Smith said in an email message.

Former state representative Richard Ross is now state Senator Richard Ross, as the Wrentham Republican defeated Needham physician Peter Smulowitz, a Democrat.

Ross, whose state House of Repre­sentatives district included Norfolk, crushed Smulowitz in Norfolk, 1,480 to 419 (with 4 write-ins and 0 blanks), or 79.2 percent to 22.4 percent. Ross took more than 60 percent of the vote in the state Senate district overall. Ross’s victory leaves the House seat vacant. It will likely remain vacant until the November general election.

Board of Selectmen
Jim Lehan	1,086	58.1 %
Scott Bugbee	582	31.4 %
Mark Flaherty	119	6.4 %
Write-Ins	11
Blank	71
	Town Moderator
	[one-year term]
CiCi Van Tine	931	49.8 %
Jonathan Smith	835	44.7 %
Write-Ins	8
Blanks	95
	Source: Norfolk Town Clerk

Norfolk School Committee
[one three-year term]
Shawn Dooley	1,132
Write-Ins	11
Blanks	726
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Norfolk School Committee
[one one-year term]
Thomas Doyle	1,113
Write-Ins	11
Blanks	745
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Planning Board
[two three-year terms]
David Roche	1,034
Jeff Palumbo	832
Write-Ins	14
Blanks	1,857
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Board of Health
[one three-year term]
Thomas Burke	1,142
Write-Ins	11
Blanks	716
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Library Trustee
[one three-year term]
Kenneth Nelson	1,139
Write-Ins	9
Blanks	721
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Recreation Commission
[two three-year terms]
Benjamin McCarty	1,133
[No Second Candidate on Ballot]
Write-Ins	42
Blanks	2,562
[Scott Bugbee accepted election
with 13 write-in votes]
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Board of Assessors
[one three-year term]
Kathy Mullineaux	1,136
Write-Ins	21
Blanks	712
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Board of Assessors
[one two-year term]
[No Candidate on Ballot]
Write-Ins	114
Blanks	1,755
[Andy Bakinowski accepted election,
with 7 write-in votes]
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Housing Authority
[No Candidate on Ballot]
Blanks	1,799
Write-Ins	70