By Colleen Gundlach
When Libby Borden took over the chairmanship of Norfolk’s Economic Development Commission (EDC) from Tom McGowan seven years ago, she never anticipated the many changes she and other commission members would be able to initiate in such a short period of time.

Most notable among the accomplishments was becoming the umbrella organization of the Norfolk Farmers market (initiated by resident Sue Frisch), which draws hundreds of people to Norfolk on a market day. Market attendees from all over often stay to visit the library, Dennis Hill, or some other Norfolk destination.

Borden thinks revitalization of Norfolk’s downtown crucial to the town’s future. Photo by Bruce Frisch.

The Village Green Christmas tree and the commemorative trees on Memorial Green glow with new life. ArtsWave! celebrates the art, music and community that makes Norfolk special. All of these are the handiwork of the EDC.

Now Borden is ready to hand over the reins to a new chairman. “We need new blood on the EDC,” she says, “someone who is energetic and who will look at the EDC as a challenge…as fun!”

The key to the future success of the EDC lies in its ability to revitalize the downtown area, according to Borden. She is hoping to find a chairman who can develop goals and plans for the town that will really make a difference and will provide “forward motion, continuity and sustainability,” and she stresses that the projects to be taken on by the EDC going forward need to be ones that will have lasting and positive results for Norfolk. “We need to create more buzz downtown.”

The changes she sees in town are not WalMart on Shepard Road or McDonalds on Station Place, but rather a village proper where people can meet and shop in one area. She cites Salisbury town center as an example. During the past year, the EDC met with representatives from several other groups, including the Foundation for Norfolk Living, the Community Association and the Norfolk Library, to hear the stories of how they work to improve life in the town. Borden feels strongly that it is important for these groups to work together to accomplish this goal. She cites the recent Norfolk 2023! event sponsored by Norfolk Now as an example. Out of that cooperative experience came the planning of the Rails to Trails project by the Norfolk Land Trust as well as a re-sparked interest in a fiber optics initiative.

While stepping down as chairman, Borden will continue to serve on the EDC and will not be sitting still for long. She also serves as president of the Norfolk Land Trust, and treasurer of three organizations: the Coalition for Sound Growth, the Farmers Market committee and the Doolittle board. She is also a member of the town’s Conservation Commission. Her most pressing project right now is finding a new, energetic chairman for the EDC. Interested parties may contact First Selectman Susan Dyer at Norfolk Town Hall.