There are certain things about the town of Shelburne that we’ve just come to count on over the years.
The Shelburne Grange Fair is still one of the best events of its kind each late summer. There’s nothing quite like a milkshake at the Baker Pharmacy counter after a late summer walk over the Bridge of Flowers, and the Glacial Potholes are still among the most stunning of all of God’s natural creations.
And if you want to find out what’s really going on in town, you call Joe Judd.
That is about to change, however, as Judd has chosen not to seek an eighth term as Shelburne selectman, capping a 21-year run and leaving some very big shoes to fill.
“It’s bittersweet to a certain degree because there are still things I’d like to hang around and do,” Judd said. “But I also know our leadership is strong, and the town’s in a really good place.”
There are lots of men and women who, every year, take on the often thankless task of assuming the mantle of volunteer government leadership. But Judd’s longevity and effectiveness has allowed him to breathe the somewhat rarified air of automatic association with his community.
Much like Bill Shores in Bernardston, Betty Kirkwood in Deerfield, and Peter Ruggeri and Bernie McGarrah in Greenfield, the mere mention of Judd’s name conjures up images of the bucolic town he has helped lead for the past two decades.
Normally, retiring selectmen can point to one or two specific projects that they are most proud of. In Judd’s case, it reads more like a laundry list of fiscal stability and forward progress.
“There’s a lot of good things on the horizon,” Judd said. “The coming of high speed internet, senior center development, which has gone so well, our roads are in great shape, so are our buildings, our tax rate is affordable and we are fiscally sound.”
One of the things I’ve always admired about Judd was his ability to understand that government isn’t always about doing something. Sometimes, it’s actually about not doing the wrong thing.
The best example of which is the aforementioned potholes, which, over the years, have often been the focus of one developmental scheme or another, most of which Judd opposed.
I remember one idea that involved construction of an observation deck, which would have dramatically altered the look of the area and created a potential safety issue. Judd didn’t think it was the right move and wasn’t afraid to say so.
“We have to be very careful what we do down there,” he told me at the time. “Because once you do it, it can’t be undone.”
Most of those ideas ended up falling by the wayside, especially the ones that involved turning that area into an official swimming spot, which Judd and a lot of others knew was a liability nightmare waiting to happen.
Though he’s leaving the selectboard, Judd won’t be vacating Memorial Hall completely. He’s going to run for another term as town clerk, a part-time position he has held for the past few years. It’s an unusual hybrid role that Judd admits has been rewarding, but also hasn’t been the easiest gig.
“When I took this job, (former Town Clerk) Beverly Neeley tried to find someone to run for it, but couldn’t” Judd said. “We called the State Ethics Commission and they said as long as I was elected and was not appointing myself, I could do both.”
It remains to be seen how long he will remain in that job, but, for now, Judd’s newly found spare time will be spent on activities related to his other love, hunting, which will include traveling to and speaking at seminars related to that sport.
“It’s something I’ve always done, but not having the responsibilities of board work will take some of the pressure off, and allow me to do more of that,” Judd said.
Still, I imagine there will be those moments, especially on Monday nights, when Judd will find himself longing for the job he did so well, for so long.
“I loved being a selectman, and I will always be grateful for having had the opportunity to serve,” Judd added.
Equally grateful should be the residents of that town for having as experienced and steady a hand as Judd helping steer the ship for so many years.
Chris Collins is the Franklin County News Bureau Chief for WHAI, WPVQ and WHMP Radio. He is a former reporter for The Recorder, and a Greenfield native.