Change Address

VOTE411 Voter Guide

2024 County Commissioner Bristol County

There are fourteen counties in Massachusetts, five of which have active county governments. In Dukes county there are seven county commissioners who are chosen in county-wide elections and serve two-year terms. In all other counties there are three county commissioners. In Plymouth, Bristol and Norfolk county, two commissioners are chosen in presidential election years and the other commissioner is chosen in gubernatorial election years; all commissioners in these counties serve four-year terms. Despite these differences, county commissioners in all counties manage the county’s schedules and budget through meetings usually held twice a month. County Commissioners in Massachusetts oversee the administration of the jails and houses of corrections, county courthouses, registries of deeds, agricultural high schools, recreational facilities, and solid waste management. Commissioners can also oversee such functions as road maintenance, economic development, recycling programs, and natural resource conservation.

Click a candidate icon to find more information about the candidate. To compare two candidates, click the "compare" button. To start over, click a candidate icon.

  • Candidate picture

    Gregory C. Demelo
    (U)

  • Candidate picture

    John Robert Mitchell
    (Dem)

  • Candidate picture

    Julie Katherine Ruggiero
    (Dem)

Biographical Information

Of the services that your county currently provides, which do you consider most important?

What steps, if any, would you take to make sure county services are available to people of all socio-economic backgrounds?

What role, if any, can your county government play in addressing the climate emergency?

What role, if any, can your county government play in addressing the housing crisis?

What are the key issues facing your county in the next year?

Campaign Phone 508-560-7140
Campaign/Contact Email demeloforcommissioner@gmail.com
I believe in regionalization for public services such as waste management, recycling, water resources, and clean energy initiatives to name a few. I will work with town and city governments in creating partnerships across the county to support a strong and vibrant economy while ensuring a healthy environment. As a commissioner, I will use my voice to advocate for public oversight of health care systems such as hospitals, nursing homes and all health care facilities that care for our citizens.
Education is near and dear to my heart; I will use my expertise in policy management and budget oversight to support the leadership and board of trustees at Bristol County Agricultural High School located in Dighton. I am the only candidate with Municipal and State Government budget finance experience and will use that experience to leverage additional financial resources from local, state and federal governments to support all citizens of Bristol County.
I believes in regionalization for public services such as waste management, recycling, water resources, and clean energy initiatives to name a few. I will work with town and city governments in creating partnerships across the county to support a strong and vibrant economy while ensuring a healthy environment.
As a commissioner, I will use my voice to advocate for public oversight of health care systems such as hospitals, nursing homes and all health care facilities that care for our citizens. I will work with youth, seniors, veterans and other commissioners to begin a conversation with all Bristol County municipalities to address the housing crisis.
I will use my knowledge and expertise in financial management as I currently oversees a combined $230 million operating budgets of Taunton Public Schools District and the TMLP. I will act in the best interest of all Bristol County citizens and be fiscally responsible while making decisions that ultimately affect all citizens of Bristol County.
Campaign Phone 5086766000
Campaign/Contact Email jrmitchlaw@gmail.com
Bristol County serves as the overseer and its Commissioners as three of the seven trustees of the Bristol County Agricultural High School. For the last seven years, we have overseen a capital expansion of some $110 million on the Aggie campus. I served as chairman of the statutorily mandated School Building Committee. The intent of that construction project was to increase our enrollment from approximately 425 students to 630-650. The campus now has a new, state-of-the-art science tech building, a beautiful and award-winning student commons building, a new landscape architecture facility, and a robotic dairy barn. Additionally, three buildings were totally renovated, including the historic main academic building, Gilbert Hall.
We have made Bristol County services available to all people by a number of activities, including having an accessible website and actively recruiting people of all backgrounds for employment opportunities, and in particular to attend Bristol County Agricultural High School. Our courthouses and registry buildings are all handicapped accessible and have been for years. Given the issues raised about vocational education admissions, Bristol Aggie has, for years, sought out, particularly in the four cities of Bristol County, a well-rounded, diverse student population and has, to the degree allowed by the sending communities, achieved that purpose, and intends in the future to expand that recruitment.
Bristol County has worked assiduously to address climate changes we have experienced in the last decades. We have installed solar panels on some buildings, made significant improvements, somewhat through ARPA money and otherwise through the use of county funds, in new heating systems, including installing new boilers; converting boilers from oil to gas; installing new windows; improving our building envelopes, including ceilings, roofs, and walls; and otherwise working to cut down on energy expenses and waste. At the Agricultural School, two of our newly constructed buildings won LED Certified Gold recognition for their environmental design.
While county government has only a limited role in housing in Massachusetts because of the parameters of its statutorily defined powers, nevertheless, as a government subdivision, Bristol County has worked with local communities on housing-related matters such as public health issues, roadways, zoning, and the like.
One key issue is completing the transition of Bristol County Agricultural High School from an enrollment of 425 students to a school with some 200 more students. The County is still adjusting to the cost of an increased staff, larger grounds, more modern buildings, and other added services related to increased enrollment. On the county level, we have 20+ different capital building projects regarding these buildings, many improving their environmental construction. The other issue will be working our budget in a way that we continue to afford to support all of our courthouses, registries, and county employees, while also maintaining the Agricultural High School and County buildings in a way to keep our budget strong and responsible.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.