There are three candidates running for two spots on the Bristol County Commission.
The three-member commission oversees the maintenance and repair of county buildings and serves on the board of the Bristol County Agricultural School in Dighton.
Democrat and former Fall River Mayor John Mitchell is seeking another four-year term. He says the commission led the charge for a $110 million renovation and expansion of Bristol Aggie and has shared federal dollars with the 20 cities and towns within the county.
Mr. Mitchell says if re-elected he wants to see other county construction projects through to the finish.
Democrat Julie Ruggiero is from Somerset and running for office for the first time. If elected she will become only the second woman to serve on the commission. She is looking to use that as a way to engage with students and staff at Bristol Aggie.
Ms. Ruggiero, a local real estate agent and nurse, wants to use her talents as a young professional to make county government more efficient.
The third candidate in the race is Gregory DeMelo. He is unenrolled and ran for office in 2002 and 2004. He serves on the Taunton School Committee and works for Bridgewater State University. With his background in education, Mr. DeMelo hopes to come up with ideas to expand the reach of Bristol Aggie.
Mr. DeMelo contends that even though county government in Massachusetts is not as impactful as in other parts of the country, there may be ways for the commission to help communities save money through regionalization.
Interviews with the candidates can be found on our FRCMedia Election 2024 webpage.
