NORFOLK - Former selectwoman and former advisory board member Joyce Terrio has been appointed to the conservation commission to replace longtime member Allan Shaw, who stepped down.

Selectmen unanimously chose Terrio over four other candidates, including former commission member Jason "Jay" Talerman.

Appointments to the commission have raised controversy the last several years, but this year were relatively tranquil.

After a dozen years in public office, Terrio decided in 2004 not to run for a third three-year term on the board of selectmen. She then returned to the advisory board she had served on before being elected selectwoman. She initially had been on the recreation commission.

Shaw, who had been on the conservation commission about a dozen years, had been vice chairman and chairman for several years. Large turnover

The commission has seen a large turnover in membership the past several years.

Talerman ran unsuccessfully for selectman the past two years, and was not reappointed last year to the conservation commission, which stirred up some heated debate. Talerman had served about three years, including chairing the commission.

Other candidates for the conservation commission were Elaine Federico, Mark Nelson and Sean Dooley. Three applications came in past the deadline and weren't considered, and selectmen decided they knew the viable candidates enough to not have to interview them. The commission's seven seats are now filled.