Braintree Town Council Vice President Announces Run For Mayor

BRAINTREE, MA — Just a day after Town Councilor Sean Powers pulled out of Braintree's mayoral race, another councilor has stepped up to run, bringing the number of candidates for mayor back up to four.

Town Council Vice President Charles Kokoros announced he is running for mayor.

After Mayor Joseph Sullivan announced he wasn't seeking re-election, it left the seat wide open for the November election, and Powers, along with Town Councilor Thomas Bowes, Braintree Electric Light Board Chair Thomas Reynolds, and School Committee Chair Lisa Fiske Heger, jumped into the race. Powers dropped from the race earlier this week as Kokoros joins those with their hat in the ring.

“I am running for Mayor because I believe that Braintree, the town I grew up in, is the greatest place to live," said Kokoros in a statement. "I want to leverage my knowledge and experience to keep Braintree moving forward, while also protecting the character of our small town.”

For the past 26 years, Kokoros has served and lead multiple boards in town, including the Planning Board, Park Commission, Fair Housing Committee, Town Meeting, Water and Sewer Commission, Tri-Town Board, Charter Commission, Board of Selectmen, and Town Council.

Kokoros said his priorities in town include solving the problems of traffic, over development, infrastructure of Braintree Public Schools and lack of availability of affordable housing for people over the age of 60.

Kokoros said in a release that he's "the only Councilor to strongly oppose the 40R proposal and will firmly hold this position as Mayor."

On increased density development? He's not a fan.

“We are the town of Braintree and should not give that up and develop into a city,” he said.

“The combination of extensive local government and business experience partnered with my unrelenting commitment to a variety of groups and volunteer organizations in town give me the background and experience necessary serve the people of Braintree to the best of my ability,” he said in a release.

Kokoros graduated from the high school in 1983, and received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management from Suffolk University in 1987. He and his wife Denise opened Braintree Cleaners, a small, local dry cleaners in 1991. They have raised their two sons, Christopher and Michael, who are both Braintree High School graduates.

Kokoros was also a director of the Lions and Rotary Club. He is a member of the Braintree Men’s Club, and the Braintree sons of Italy. He has also coached and acted as director for the Braintree American Little League, Babe Ruth, Youth Soccer, and Flag Football.

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