Marion Planning Board member Jennifer Francis has announced that she will not be returning to Marion's Planning Board when her term expires this year, leaving an open seat on the board.

Francis' seat is one of two up for election; the other is held by incumbent Andrew Daniel, who has pulled papers to return to his seat.

No other interested parties have yet pulled nomination papers to join the Planning Board.

Francis is a longtime research professor at Rutgers University. She also serves on Marion's Energy Management Committee and Transportation and Circulation Task Force, a subcommittee of the Planning Board.

She was heavily involved with the creation of Marion's Master Plan, a document which sets out guidelines and possible plans for Marion's future development in terms of such factors as economics, housing, roads, transportation, business development, open spaces and natural resources and land use.

Francis said she is choosing not to return as she and her husband are planning to spend winters in "more southerly latitudes," beginning next year.