Northfield Select Board elects David Maxwell chair, Mary Shernock vice chair and fills committee slots

The Northfield Town Select Board elected David Maxwell as chair and Mary Shernock as vice chair at its organizational meeting on March 10.

The board opened nominations for chair and a select board member nominated David Maxwell; the nomination received a second and the board approved the election by voice vote. A separate motion and voice vote elected Mary Shernock as vice chair after she accepted a nomination from a fellow select board member.

The vote came during the meeting's organizational items, when the board also reviewed assignments to standing subcommittees. Members solicited volunteers and discussed roles for the budget and financial review committee, economic development, public safety oversight, labor bargaining, and utility oversight. The board noted the recent retirement of a committee member and the need to replace that seat on multiple panels.

On the town manager recruitment, members said they received 13 applicants for a citizen advisory committee intended to help with candidate interviews and outreach. The board discussed expanding the advisory group toward seven seats to accommodate representation from local businesses and Norwich University; Norwich University had already indicated a representative. One select board member proposed splitting remaining slots between business representatives and residents and suggested a randomized selection process for competing business applicants if needed.

Board members agreed to confirm committee appointments and commitments with nominees before finalizing memberships.

The board moved on to other agenda items after completing the leadership elections and agreeing to a follow-up item to review committee roles at a future meeting.