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NORFOLK — The May 7 annual town election will bring a new select board member, as Chairman Kevin Kalkut is leaving the board to run for state rep. Kalkut is finishing his second three-year term. “After six years on the Norfolk Select Board, I have decided not to run for re-election in 2024, and instead focus my efforts on my 2024 state rep campaign,” he said in an email. “I anticipate being actively involved with the onboarding of my successor to ensure a smooth transition, and I eagerly look forward to partnering with the Norfolk Select Board as well as the select boards of all 9th Norfolk District towns to support them” if elected. Last year, Kalkut announced he was running again for state representative for the district, which includes Norfolk, Plainville and Wrentham.
The Democrat was edged out in the November 2022 election by Wrentham Republican Marcus Vaughn.
Kalkut said his accomplishments on the select board include working to keep the community informed during the pandemic through a “more accessible presence” online, office hours, cable TV shows, newsletters and in the budget process.
“My work has heavily been through engagement with the small business community to ensure they can thrive in Norfolk,” he said, specifically citing forums to “capture as many perspectives as possible, and collaborating with neighboring communities.”
Kalkut also pointed to serving on town planning committees such as the downtown zoning committee and the master plan steering committee, working with residents to understand what they would like to see as the future of Norfolk.
“We focused on the housing production plan update, prioritization of B1 zoning reforms ahead of MBTA zoning guidelines, and investment/participation in the master plan update,” he said.
Chad Peck, chairman of the planning board, which Kalkut previously served on, returned nomination papers for the select board on Monday. Peck was elected to the planning board last spring.
Besides Kalkut, a couple of other incumbents haven’t taken out nomination papers, with Monday’s deadline closing in. They are school committee Vice Chair Jennifer Wynn and library trustee Patricia McCarty. Wynn is the board’s representative on the King Philip Regional School Committee.
There could still be a race for local school committee.
Chairwoman Medora Champagne and Peter Svalbe have returned papers for the two expiring three-year school board terms.
Taiese Hickman has also taken out papers for the board.
There also could be a race for board of health as former member Cheryl Dunnington has taken out nomination papers along with board member Andrew Bakinowski.
Dunnington, a former board chairwoman who had served several years, didn’t run for re-election last May.
Brian Beachkofski has returned nomination papers for library trustees as has assessor Anthony Kennedy.
Others who have taken out papers are King Philip Regional School Committee member Eric Harmon, planning board member Christopher Montfort, and recreation commission member Christopher Thoman, who was elected by write-in votes last year to fill an unexpired one-year term.
All offices are for three-year terms.
The deadline to return candidacy papers is next Wednesday, March 20.