NORFOLK - The only contest besides the one for the board of selectmen in Tuesday's annual town election is for recreation commissioner.

Kenneth Lawrence, Karen Fruci and longtime Commissioner Thomas Terpstra are running for two three-year seats on the commission.

Recreation commission member Noelle Tonelli is not running again.

Profiles of the candidates, in alphabetical order, follow:

Karen FruciFruci, who is in the real estate business, is treasurer of the Norfolk Baseball Association, which involves Little League and Babe Ruth teams. "I want to maintain the excellent recreation programs we have in place now and expand some of the offerings," Fruci said.

"I would like to see maybe more offerings for the teenage group, and possibly some more community programs" such as the summer concerts, she said. "And I would like to see programs that maybe encorporate children and senior citizens."

Fruci said she wants to see "affordable offerings from toddlers right up to senior citizens."

But she said both the commission and the recreation department's director and assistant director have "done a fabulous job. ... The offerings are incredible, and they made it very affordable."

Fruci also said she wants to see lights on one of the Pond Street fields.

"Also, I would like the community preservation committee to look at land that is field-friendly for future recreational needs," she said, pointing out that if a new Freeman-Centennial School is built, some soccer, football, and/or baseball fields on that campus could be lost.

"Recreation is just such an important part of our community. I think it very important to keep youth busy and active, and focused," said Fruci, who has a 13-year-old son. "It is a big part of my family."

Kenneth LawrenceLawrence has been involved with the Norfolk Youth Soccer League for the past two years. He said he hopes to see the recreation department offer some different activities he enjoys in a cost-effective way.

"There are many different things we can offer for fitness and health," he said.

Lawrence said he wants to find out what residents want for programs. "There are so many things going on in terms of the budget and finances, I think people are going to look for other ways to have release and fun," Lawrence said. But Lawrence said he encourages residents to take a look at the "breadth of programs" the recreation department offers.

The candidate, who works in the health care industry, praised the present commission, which he said is doing a "great job."

Thomas TerpstraTerpstra has been on the recreation commission for 24 years. His tenure began in 1981, and he stepped down for three years before winning election again in 2005.

Under his tenure, the town's first recreation director was hired, and the Pond Street recreation complex was built in more recent years.

"We are hoping to get a building on Pond Street to house bathrooms and concession stands and a classroom" for activities held at the old town hall, Terpstra said. "Eventually we are going to have to vacate old town hall. It's rather an old dilapidated building."

Commission members have received some donations toward a building, but still hold out hope they can receive Community Preservation Act funds down the line.

Requests for CPA funds have been rejected because the land wasn't bought with CPA money. "Hopefully that will be changed," said Terpstra, who represents the recreation commission on the community preservation committee, which oversees CPA funds.

"We need to update playground equipment at Kids Place," a play area off Boardman Street run by the recreation department, Terpstra added.

"I would like to work with the conservation commission and try to get Town Pond cleaned up. It is doubtful it would ever be open for swimming, but the state had seemed interested in stocking the pond for fishing," Terpstra said of the area behind old town hall that used to be a swimming/picnic area.

More concrete plans for restoration of the area likely will be forwarded from the recreation commission to the conservation commission, he said.

Terpstra has also been on the Americans With Disabilities Compliance Committee, which he has chaired. He had served on the conservation commission years ago.

STEPHEN PETERSON can be reached at 508-236-0377 or at speterson@thesunchronicle.com.