Meet the candidates for Barnstable County Commission
Heather McCarronIn the race for Barnstable County Commissioner, incumbent Democrat Ronald Bergstrom is challenged by Republican and former commissioner Ronald Beaty Jr.
The three-member commission oversees Cape Cod's county government, which comprises all 15 towns. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, Barnstable County is the ninth most populated county in the state out of 14 counties, with 228,996 residents.
County commissioners serve four-year terms, which are staggered so that all three positions don't come up for election at the same time.
Below find more information about each of the candidates in this race, and their answers to questions posed to them by the Times about their campaigns. The candidates' responses are listed in the order the candidates appear on the ballot.
RONALD BERGSTROM is the current vice chairman of the commission.
Age: 73
Town of residence: Chatham
Education: New York City Catholic schools. Some college.
Employment: Commercial shellfishing
Political Experience: County Commissioner 2019-present, Assembly of Delegates 2007-2019, Chatham Selectman 1998-2010, Cape Cod Commission 2020-Present, past chairman of Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority
Other Civic/Community Service Experience: President: Cape Cod Selectmen and Councilors Association 2004-2005, Friends Of Chatham Waterways 2010-present
Why are you running for Barnstable County Commissioner?
I am running for another term as Barnstable County commissioner to build on the work I have already done, making our regional government a force for improving the well-being of all Cape Codders.
I want the county to continue providing efficient, cost-effective regional services that save our towns money, limiting the tax burden on our residents.
I want to continue the spirit of nonpartisanship that Cape Codders expect from their public officials, bringing together all segments of our population to meet the challenges we face going forward: lack of affordable housing, threats to our water quality, sea level rise threatening our shoreline and inappropriate development at odds with the Cape's rural character.
I am extremely fortunate to have landed here almost a half-century ago and I am asking voters to extend to me the privilege of continuing the work of keeping Cape Cod the welcoming and attractive place that we all appreciate.
What, are the most pressing issue the county is facing and how would you address it?
The most pressing issue Barnstable County is facing is the overall threat to the quality of the Cape’s environment. Wastewater management is at the forefront of the challenges due to increased density affecting our saltwater estuaries and freshwater ponds and lakes.
As someone who has made his living around the shore, I am determined to have the county government take a leadership role in protecting our waters from chemical pollution and nutrient overloading. In my role as both county commissioner and a member of the Cape Cod Commission, I will oversee the progress of our $2.5 million initiative to monitor the health of the Cape’s freshwater bodies and support the continued distribution of federal ARPA funds to local and regional wastewater mitigation projects.
What differentiates you from your opponent? Why should people vote for Ronald Bergstrom?
Unlike my opponent, I am not looking for a platform to expound on hot-button national issues that divide people. I am not seeking a soapbox or a megaphone. Although I certainly have strong opinions on the issues facing our country, as county commissioner I have a laser focus on bringing together our town governments, civic organizations and nonprofits to find local solutions to local problems.
My long and varied experience in municipal government has taught me not just what must be done, but how to get it done. And that calls for collaboration with, and respect for, all participants in our society, here on Cape Cod and as a nation.
What are the main responsibilities of the commission?
I am running for the position of Barnstable County commissioner to do the job of Barnstable County commissioner, a role that includes paying attention to the details as well as setting overall policy.
Financial oversight is a primary responsibility and I can say with pride that, despite charges to the contrary, the county has been fiscally conservative with pubic funds and has ended each budget cycle in the black without even a hint of raising the deeds tax or the towns' assessments.
My role also includes oversight of county administration and our staff of full- and part-time employees, as well as hundreds of volunteers. They work tirelessly for all of us and they deserve our support and respect.
What other information about yourself would you like to share?
My approach to local issues is founded on the belief that we are all fortunate to live on this peninsula, and that will always be my guiding principle. At the same time, we should recognize that there are some among us who need assistance just to meet their daily needs.
County government has an important role in addressing chronic issues such as homelessness, substance abuse and mental health and so, if elected to another term as county commissioner, I will both work to preserve the heritage passed down to us and also help all our residents share in the enjoyment of living on Cape Cod.
WEBSITE: https://www.electronbergstrom.org/
EMAIL: ron@electronbergstrom.org
RONALD BEATY, JR.
Age: 61
Town of residence: West Barnstable
Education: B.A. in American Studies, M.S. in Administrative Studies from Boston College; M.Ed. in Educational Technology from Lesley University; Current Master of Arts Degree Candidate in Political Science (with a Concentration in Public Administration and Public Policy) completed 24 credits thus far with a 4.0 GPA
Employment: 28 years of experience in real estate management
Political Experience: Former Barnstable County Commissioner (2017-2021); longtime prominent regional community activist on numerous issues of importance; longtime open meeting law advocate dedicated to maintaining the public transparency and accountability of state, county and local governmental bodies.
Other Civic/Community Service Experience: Board of Directors, Cape & Vineyard Electric Cooperative; Governing Board, Cape Cod Water Protection Collaborative; Board of Directors (Chief Elected Officer), Cape & Islands Workforce Investment Board; Executive Board, Barnstable County Economic Development Council; AmeriCorps Advisory Board; Barnstable County Health and Human Services Advisory Council
Why are you running for Barnstable County Commissioner?
I have decided to run for county commissioner in order to restore some semblance of balance, transparency, and fiscal sanity to our Cape Cod regional government.
Additionally, for the past year, the current 100% progressive Democrat-controlled Board of County Commissioners has been waging a self-destructive political war with the legislative branch of our county government, the Assembly of Delegates.
During the past year, the county commissioners and the Assembly of Delegates have been completely at odds on how to spend $41 million in the federal COVID relief funds, as well as coming to a sensible agreement on the Fiscal Year 2023 county operating budget. They have made threats against one another about filing lawsuits over these issues. This is not how a regional government should be acting. It should be acting in the best interests of the taxpayers, voters, and citizens of Cape Cod, not as a dysfunctional entity at war with itself.
As a former county commissioner, I have the requisite experience and qualifications to help set things right with Barnstable County government as well as reign in the excessive out-of-control spending of the past year, along with putting the brakes on the unnecessary bureaucratic expansion it has undergone.
Cape Cod voters who believe in limited government, fiscal responsibility, lower taxes, transparency and accountability, as well as protecting the public interest, and want to help restore these key principles to our Cape Cod regional government should know I represent the best opportunity to achieve these objectives.
What is the most pressing issue the county is facing and how would you address it?
Surging housing prices have grown to be a shocking dilemma throughout Massachusetts; however, on Cape Cod in particular, the crunch is even more critical. While the peninsula’s profound attractiveness and shorelines make it an appealing venue for the wealthy to indulge in holiday residences, it has also forced up home costs so dramatically that the year-round population is battling to survive.
Barnstable County continues to suffer from a dearth of affordable housing in general, and a shortage of affordable rental housing specifically. Affordable, diverse, smaller-scale rental housing is needed throughout the county. The gap between the median annual income and the cost of housing continues to widen at the same time as average household size declines on Cape Cod generally, creating a demand for smaller units affordable to the county's population.
One approach to expand Cape Cod's housing supply and boost the quantity of small units is by forthrightly enhancing the present housing stock with accessory dwelling units (ADUs). The American Planning Association depicts ADUs as smaller, autonomous residential dwelling units situated on the same lot as a single-family home.
ADUs can be a significant means to strengthen housing affordability here, where a profusion of seasonal housing units sit vacant for a great deal of the year. In those areas of the county with reduced infrastructure and vulnerable habitats, particularly in the more rural portions, ADUs will be an ongoing and important component of meeting Barnstable County's housing affordability question.
What would he say differentiates you from your opponent? Why should people vote for Ronald Beaty?
For the position in question, I am the only sensible conservative candidate who values limited government, fiscal responsibility, individual liberty and adherence to the Massachusetts and U. S. constitutions.
Unlike my opponent, I am a knowledgeable open meeting law advocate, and Cape area community and political activist relating to a range of issues, such as county government fiscal matters, restructuring, county-level recall election provision issues, the Cape Cod Commission and its land use planning activities, wastewater and water quality policy, housing and zoning legislation, as well as illegal immigration, to name but a few of the important issues I have confronted.
I am a lifelong resident of the Cape who possesses the graduate-level education, and professional real estate experience to make well-informed decisions.
Also unlike my opponent, if elected, I will work hard to reduce taxes at all levels, downsize and help remove the regulatory burden of government, and reduce the unnecessarily high cost of living for Cape Cod residents wherever and whenever possible. Moreover, I am a loyal ally of Cape Cod taxpayers who staunchly defends our free enterprise system and will actively seek to create a positive and friendly business environment within the 15 towns of the Cape. Pursuing a sensible approach to economic development on Cape Cod will be one of my top priorities because that is the key to halting the continuing outflow of the Cape’s younger generation.
What are the main responsibilities of the commission?
The Barnstable County Board Regional Commissioners is the executive branch of our Cape Cod regional government. In accordance with the county charter, their main responsibilities are: direction of county agencies, preparation of budgets for submittal to the Assembly of Delegates (the county legislature), care of county property, supervision of revenue collection and fund disbursement, reporting on the financial and administrative condition of the county, proposal of measures for assembly action, power to veto ordinances, and appointment and removal of the county administrator and all county employees. These are their main responsibilities.
What other information about yourself would you like to share?
Unlike the present Board of County Commissioners, I strongly support our police departments, and firmly believe that the Cape Cod Police Training Academy should be fully supported and responsibly funded to help ensure public safety in our respective Cape communities!
When elected, I will immediately begin to excise the bureaucratic cancer that apparently infests our Barnstable County government as well as remove the rampant waste and abuse that has unquestionably become the hallmark of the progressive Democrats currently in control.
Furthermore, as a consumer advocate, I believe that Cape Codders have the right to be free from outrageous food, housing, and gasoline prices! They also have the right to be protected from unfair and deceptive practices, including those perpetuated by the Biden administration!
As an advocate for parental rights in education, I believe that parents have the right to know what their children are being taught. Parents have the right to be heard, protect their kid’s privacy, and keep them safe. I suggest that the mission of public schools is supposed to be the education of children, not indoctrination and controlling what they think! Teaching children right from wrong is the parent's responsibility, not the public school system's.
WEBSITE: https://www.ronbeaty.com/
EMAIL: ronbeaty@gmail.com
COMMENTS:
They left out, "Convicted Felon" from Beaty profile.
Beaty, Oath Keeper, Cape Cod Nazi and overall sick candidate. Anybody including my dog over Beaty.
Your DOG should run as a write in! LOL! You left out: didn't pay his taxes, filed for bankruptcy, threw temper tantrum when someone parked briefly in his parking space, drew out of state contributions to his opponent when the Dim Wit attacked victims of a school shooting - thought he could run for state office - THINK AGAIN! attacked office holders who are GAY.... The Dim Wit misquoted a proposed bill, used the wrong bill #, misrepresented what it said. When I tracked down the legislation & made him aware, his incoherent response was filled with mispelling and incorrect information. BEATY counts on his blind followers to not FACT CHECK his misinformation. Don't be fooled and lazy like Daniel S. DO YOUR HOMEWORK! UNFIT TO SERVE IN ANY PUBLIC OFFICE!
excerpt:
If you HAD read the article, this might have caught your eye:
Unlike my opponent, I am not looking for a platform to expound on hot-button national issues that divide people. I am not seeking a soapbox or a megaphone. Although I certainly have strong opinions on the issues facing our country, as county commissioner I have a laser focus on bringing together our town governments, civic organizations and nonprofits to find local solutions to local problems.
Local Solutions for Local Problems. Meaning things he can help remedy for ALL residents of Barnstable County. Unlike Bloviant Ron, who's just going to continue blaming everyone else...
BEATY attacked school shooting victims and as a consequence drew out of state contributions that supported his opponent for state office and defeated him!
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