Joe Palumbo announces in a letter to The Concord Bridge that he is running for Select Board in the Special Town Election on February 2, 2027:
I would like to put myself forward as a candidate for the Select Board in the upcoming February 2, 2027, special election. Mary Hartman has been a caring and thoughtful leader. Working with her was my great pleasure. We will miss her voice on the Select Board. I hope I can help to continue this work.
Born in Concord, I grew up on a farm on Lexington Road. My dad instilled in me the values of hard work, perseverance, and optimism — all required for farm life.
Concord Public Schools taught me, and the community supported me to be one of the first in my family to attend college. My love of history, fueled by countless trips to the Old North Bridge, led me to a degree in history and an underresourced classroom in Los Angeles.
As a teacher, principal, and district leader, I saw how education and local leadership can transform lives and communities. I created and led a company dedicated to developing leaders to do the work of building communities where everyone could thrive. Concord had done that for me.
Moving back to Concord to take care of my family, I became involved in civic life again, serving on town committees and commissions, planning Concord250 events, and engaging with friends and neighbors who imagined what we can do together.
We have the amazing opportunity to welcome new residents, young families, and local workers who want to live in the community they serve. We have opportunities to provide for seniors who would like to stay or those who just want to come back home.
Prudent fiscal management, intelligent land-use policy, and creative, optimistic leadership will allow us to create a Concord for the next 50 years.
Concord can do hard stuff. Let’s do it together.
Joe Palumbo
Black Horse Place