New Bedford Mayor ‘Not Seeking Anything’ in Healey Administration
Now that Maura Healey has been elected as the next Governor of Massachusetts, the people of New Bedford are wondering if Mayor Jon Mitchell will be joining her administration in some capacity.
Healey and Mitchell have a close relationship, and the two Harvard graduates (albeit a year apart) share similar views for the future of the Commonwealth.
So it would be a natural fit for Healey to tap Mitchell for a role in her incoming administration – but Mitchell said he’s not asking her for one.
“I’m not seeking anything,” he said in his weekly appearance on WBSM Wednesday. “I’m not out there looking for a new job.”
Mitchell did say, however, that he had been in contact with Healey’s team regarding the transition as her administration takes over from the Charlie Baker-Karyn Polito administration.
“I have reached out to them to say, look, if you need help with the transition, we in New Bedford have expertise in a lot of areas,” he said. “But they have their own team and they’re going to make those decisions on their own, but if we can be supportive of them, we will.”
Mitchell also had his first opportunity Wednesday to speak publicly about Ward 3 Councilor Hugh Dunn’s impending resignation from the city council, effective December 1.
“We’re getting ready for that. There will be a special election, and there are some people who have expressed interest in the position, so I hope we have an active race there,” he said.
He also made a push for more Ward 3 residents to consider running.
“I’d just say to anybody, if you think you’ve got something to add, and you’re willing to put the work into it on behalf of the constituents that you seek to serve, go ahead and run,” Mitchell said. “We need people running for public office in the city.”