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No photo available |
Timothy McMullen,
incumbent, Democrat, Pembroke |
John Cafferty
Republican, Hingham |
Thomas Jones
Unenrolled, Brockton |
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Contributions:Did not file |
AGE: 48
ADDRESS: 28 Benjamins Path, Pembroke
OCCUPATION: President, owner, Prospect Hill Co., Brockton
EDUCATION: Attended Massasoit Community College
MUNICIPAL EXPERIENCE: County commission, 2002-present
CIVIC ACTIVITIES: Development board, My Brother’s Keeper; former board member, Catholic Charities, Salvation Army
FAMILY: Wife, Susan McMullen; children Ryan 20, Kaylen, 16 |
AGE: 67
ADDRESS: 18 Beals Cove Road, Hingham
OCCUPATION: Realtor
EDUCATION: Educated in Ireland; attended Wentworth Institute
MUNICIPAL EXPERIENCE: Former member, Hingham Planning Board; former chairman, Hingham Housing Authority; current gubernatorial appointee on the housing authority; former member, Hingham Capital Outlay Committee; current Republican state committeeman for Plymouth-Norfolk District
CIVIC ACTIVITIES: Hingham Community Center board of directors; Hingham American Legion Post 120
FAMILY: Divorced; five children |
ADDRESS: 13 River St., Brockton
Candidate declined to provide further information. |
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McMullen wins: Loser says
late start hurt his chances
By DENNIS TATZ
The Patriot Ledger / Nov. 8, 2006
Plymouth County Commissioner Timothy McMullen can look ahead to another four years on the job.
McMullen, a Democrat from Pembroke, turned back challenges from Republican John Cafferty of Hingham and Independent Thomas Jones of Brockton.
Cafferty, who lost a bid for county commissioner in 2000, said the late start he got to the campaign hurt him.
Cafferty was on the sidelines in September when Republican Party leaders asked him to oppose McMullen after Olly DeMacedo of Kingston dropped out of the race to concentrate on a run for the Legislature.
“It takes a while to build an organization,” Cafferty said. “I wish I had more time to discuss the issues. I did everything possible.”
Cafferty said his candidacy as a Republican may have been hurt somewhat by a general support of Democrats on the ballot.
He had been critical of McMullen for accepting contributions from top executives of a consulting firm that commissioners hired to review the county’s health care plan.
Although McMullen had touted his record of ending no-bid contracts, Cafferty insisted the incumbent had used inflated figures to paint a rosier financial picture than existed.
Cafferty also alleged that McMullen had been a divisive member of the commission.
Neither McMullen nor Jones could be reached for comment after the polls closed.
McMullen, the owner of a Brockton firm that sells religious items and does printing jobs, insisted during the campaign that he didn’t mind making waves as long as taxpayers were getting the most for their money.
Dennis Tatz may be reached at dtatz@ledger.com.
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Plymouth
County
commission
candidates
spar during
radio debate
By DENNIS TATZ
The Patriot Ledger / Oct. 25, 2006
MARSHFIELD - The race for Plymouth County commissioner provided some spirited debate last night among three candidates running for the four-year seat in next month’s election.
Incumbent Timothy McMullen, a Democrat from Pembroke defended himself against accusations that he has been a divisive member on the commission and treated county workers poorly.
Opposing McMullen is Republican John Cafferty of Hingham and independent Thomas Jones of Brockton.
McMullen said voters should look at his record of ending no-bid contracts, which has helped put the county in a good financial position.
But Cafferty, who Republican party leaders picked to run for the county post after Olavo deMacedo of Kingston dropped out to try for a legislative seat, insisted that McMullen was using inflated figures to make himself look good.
Donations questioned
During a live debate on radio station WATD, Cafferty questioned McMullen’s accepting donations from top executives at Cook&Co, a consulting firm that commissioners hired to review the county’s health care plan.
Cafferty, a real state agent, said he would never accept money from vendors doing work for the county.
McMullen said the campaign contributions from the consultants were made long after their work was completed and he had done nothing improper.
“I have leveled the playing field,” McMullen said. “I have saved the county hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
Jones, a maintenance worker at Brockton Superior Court, said McMullen had a poor track record as a commissioner when it came to hiring women and minorities.
“Plymouth County employees are not being treated fairly by Mr. McMullen,” Jones said.
McMullen said he has support from unions and believed Jones’ campaign was based solely on his being a disgruntled county employee. Jones denied the allegation.
Pension debated
Also sparking heated reaction during the debate was the controversy involving a state inspector general's report regarding Charles Lincoln, who had worked simultaneously as security director in the Plymouth County Sheriff's Department and as a Brockton police lieutenant.
As a result, Lincoln walked away with a $144,000-a-year public pension when he retired two years ago.
Lincoln also allegedly abused sick time while holding both jobs.
Inspector General Gregory Sullivan called it “one of the most significant abuses” of taxpayer dollars ever.
Sullivan said the state retirement board should take steps to recoup about $42,000 in sick time from Lincoln and reduce his pension.
Cafferty, who has served on several town boards in Hingham over the years, said the Lincoln pension was an example of McMullen’s poor leadership.
“He (McMullen) has done everything to kill county government,” Cafferty said. “He approves and signs off on a double-dipping pension.”
But McMullen, owner of a Brockton firm that sells religious items and does printing jobs, shot back that commissioners weren’t to blame for the Lincoln fiasco.
“I had to sign off with an employee who had retired,” McMullen said.
“Nobody knew this abuse was there.”
Later, Cafferty said he believed Lincoln’s county pension should be taken away.
McMullen and Jones agreed adjustments in Lincoln’s pension would be a solution they could accept.
Dennis Tatz may be reached at dtatz@ledger.com.
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Incumbent cites record; foe critical
By DENNIS TATZ
The Patriot Ledger / Oct. 16, 2006
Incumbent Timothy McMullen says he’s proud of what he has been able to accomplish since being elected a Plymouth County commissioner in 2002.
“I never wanted to become one of the ‘good old boys’ and to be everyone’s friend and stop caring about taxpayer dollars,” said McMullen, a Democrat from Pembroke.
After defeating two challengers in the Democratic primary last month, McMullen was supposed to face Republican Olly deMacedo of Kingston in the general election.
When deMacedo dropped out to concentrate on a run for the House of Representatives, Republican Party leaders chose John Cafferty of Hingham to oppose McMullen.
A third candidate on the ballot is Thomas Jones, who is listed on the ballot as unenrolled.
Jones, who has an unlisted telephone number, couldn’t be reached for comment about his candidacy for the county post.
Cafferty, who ran unsuccessfully for county commissioner in 2000, said he welcomed the opportunity for another bid for the office after party leaders came calling.
“I believe in county government,” Cafferty said.
“It’s close to the people and has to be run correctly.”
Cafferty said he didn’t appreciate McMullen creating a stir when commissioners were appointing a county treasurer in August.
McMullen publicly criticized the two other commissioners for filling the job too quickly by appointing longtime state Rep. Tom O’Brien, a Kingston Democrat, without taking the time to see if more qualified candidates were available.
“I didn’t like all the negative press,” Cafferty said.
“If we continue this route, the state will want to take over county government.”
Cafferty said he believes his tenure on town boards in Hingham over the years provided him with valuable experience that he could bring to the county commissioner’s job.
McMullen said voters should consider that he was instrumental in changing the county’s previous no-bid policy for health care.
What resulted was turning a $3.2 million deficit into a $2.4 million surplus, he said.
“County government is viable and we need to increase services that we provide to our towns,” McMullen said.
McMullen said the county should be involved more in group purchasing for such items as road salt and blacktop so savings can be passed on to cities and towns.
Dennis Tatz may be reached at dtatz@ledger.com.
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