Incumbent First Selectwoman Peggy Lyons will face a challenge this November following current Selectman Jennifer Gordon’s announcement of her intention to seek the office of first selectman.

Gordon, a former member of the Board of Education (BOE), was appointed to the Board of Selectmen (BOS) in 2022 following the death of former Selectman Noreen Kokoruda.

After moving to Madison with her husband and child in 2017, Gordon joined the Ryerson Elementary School PTO and served as an alternate on the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). In 2021, she won a seat on the BOE.

“I just really enjoyed being involved in the school systems,” said Gordon. “I have always found building relationships is critical to public service, and that was a piece that I felt I was missing, and that being on the Board of Ed would give me that.”

Gordon said her tenure on the BOE was during a critical period for the system, as it spanned both the pandemic emergency and the heart of the school construction proposal negotiations. She said she gained valuable experience from interactions with parents and staff as the pandemic and construction proposals developed.

“I jumped right into the fire. My very first meeting was a presentation on the new school plan ahead of the referendum,” said Gordon. “You certainly have to take the emotion out of it. Many parents were frustrated during that period with a lot of things: masking, mandates, the uncertainty…and I certainly knew they weren’t angry with me, but they were angry with the situation. And I think that’s an important skill set to bring to government. There are a lot of situations that can happen in a town or a school system…and when people feel they have a lack of control, the communication can get tense. Being able to read the needs of the community is a critical skill for any board.”

While still serving on the BOE, Gordon was approached to fill Kokoruda’s seat after the longtime Madison lawmaker passed away last December.

“I had to vacate my seat on the Board of Education to do that,” Gordon explained. “It was a difficult decision because I really enjoyed my work at the Board of Education and the group of people that I was working with on the board — both the board members and the school administration — but I also knew that by moving over to the Board of Selectmen, I was going to be able to help all of those same people, just in a different capacity. I also knew I’d be able to continue to help the town, just on a broader scope.”

As for why she is choosing to run for the top slot, Gordon said she wants to bring a more definitive line of communication to the community.

“What is ultimately most important to me is serving the community, listening to resident concerns, and making sure we are communicating information as clearly and effectively and transparently as possible,” Gordon said. “This is one of those things that I had seen in the future for myself. I received a lot of encouragement from some former first selectmen in town, from former elected selectmen, and from current board members. They said, ‘Jen, this is a good time for you,’ and I think it is. I care so much about this community. I’ve enjoyed the connections I’ve made with neighbors, with business owners, with public servants. Coming from the Baltimore metro area, and that form of government, which is a county government, is so challenging because things are on a much bigger scale. That, to me, felt unapproachable but here, we have all these boards and commissions, and there’s a place for everyone who wants to be involved.”

According to Gordon, she has a unique skill set that will allows her to communicate with voters.

“A, I am a really good listener, and B, I have an approachable form of communication. I enjoy communicating with the public. In a previous job as an athletic trainer, I had worked independently but also as part of a team. There were numerous components to manage, and managing the needs of multiple stakeholders can be difficult. Taking all sides, needs, and goals into consideration and then melding those all together in a positive way…is a skill set that I feel I can bring,” Gordon said. “It’s the organizational aspect of things, it’s the communication, it’s the prioritization, and it’s understanding the needs of multiple constituents — I believe those are all strengths that I can bring from my previous worklife, and that will be a true asset here.”

Among issues that Gordon said she would prioritize are funding the firemen’s pension fund, keeping taxes as flat as possible, and also keeping open communication with constituents.

Lyons announced her intention to run for a third term this past June. The November election marks the first year that a first selectman will serve the new four-year term limit.

That change at the town hall was enacted last year as part of the overall town charter revision, approved by the BOS. Unlike some other shoreline towns, which require a definitive winner and loser, the candidate for first selectman/woman who loses is still the winner of a seat on the BOS, provided they receive enough votes above candidates who are running for general selectmen seats.

Selectman Bruce Wilson ran unsuccessfully against Lyons in 2021 but retained his seat on the board via this method.