Longtime Rec and Parks Commissioner Norcross Not Seeking Re-election

After serving eighteen years as a Recreation and Parks Commissioner, current Commission chair Derek Norcross has decided not to seek the nomination for re-election this year. In an email to the Marblehead Beacon, Norcross said, “after long consideration, 18 years on the Commission is plenty. I’m hopeful that by letting people know, that maybe some other, hopefully younger, person will be interested in running and joining the Commission.” 

Norcross shared that he originally worked for the Recreation and Parks Department as a high school and college student and eventually ran for a Commission’s seat as a result of his desire to give back to the town and also follow in the footsteps of his father, who had previously served in the same roll. “I figured I would serve for five years and it turned into 18,” added Norcross, “but it is time let someone else get involved.”

The Recreation and Parks Commission has five members who are elected to one-year terms. At the time of publication, the four other incumbents – Linda Rice Collins, Matthew C. Martin, Karin L. Ernst, and Rossana Ferrante – have all taken out nomination papers, with Collins and Ernst having returned them to the Town Clerk so far. Shelly Bedrossian, a new candidate, has also pulled and returned nomination papers. Marblehead Beacon has reached out to Bedrossian, and we expect to have further information on her campaign next week. Stay tuned.