Kokoros Names Team To Help Him Transition To Braintree Mayor Role

BRAINTREE, MA — Town Councilor Charles Kokoros will not be sworn into office as Braintree's next mayor until Jan. 2, but the transition process has started by him naming a team of experts he hopes can help him hit the ground running in a couple months. Kokoros announced he created a seven-member transition team, and four of those members have experience working in Mayor Joseph Sullivan's office.

According to Kokoros, the goal of the team is to ensure a smooth transition and provide him with some perspective and recommendations on the town's key issues. The team includes:

• Norwell Town Administrator Peter Morin, who served as Sullivan's chief of staff and as town solicitor
• State Rep. Mark Cusack, D-Braintree, who used to work in Sullivan's office
• Town Solicitor Nicole Taub
• School Committee member Kate Naughton
• Former Town Councilor Hank Joyce
• Stephen Leary, assistant to Mayor Sullivan
• Campaign manager Richard Bielecki

"I look forward to working with this thoughtful, knowledgeable and experienced team, all of whom share my commitment to serving our town,"Kokoros said in a statement. "Each member of the transition team was selected because of his or her involvement in the community, as well as the municipal expertise they bring to the table. The team will work with the administration to continue serving the best interests of our residents in a transparent and efficient manner."

After the election, Kokoros spoke with Patch and said that along with his team, it's important residents have a seat at the table and that their voices are heard. Specifically, one of the first things he hopes to tackle is getting a master plan in place before any type of re-zoning is approved.

"The first thing for me personally is I will be listening to all the residents. I'll be available," Kokoros said. "I think the first thing we're going to get done is fund a master plan and get that started."