Glodis Names Transition Team

Glodis Names Transition Team; Plan is to depoliticize and improve the sheriff’s office WORCESTER— Worcester County Sheriff-elect Guy W. Glodis introduced the members of his transition team yesterday at City Hall and said their focus will be to build a professional jail and make the sheriff’s department a proactive public safety department. Mr. Glodis, a Democratic state senator from Auburn, said bureaucracy, crowding and budget shortfalls will all present challenges, but he called the transition team “a significant first step. This is absolutely a stellar transition team.” The group includes people with police, judicial, legislative and social service backgrounds from throughout Worcester County. Its chairman is Ronald Valerio of Auburn, a lifelong friend of Mr. Glodis who is involved with local organizations including the Worcester Area and Auburn chambers of commerce and employee of UFP Technologies in Georgetown, a foam and plastics company. He said the team and Mr. Glodis will work to depoliticize and professionalize the sheriff’s department. The other members of the transition team are: Col. Thomas J. Foley of Worcester, who retired from his position as head of the state police in June after three years in the job. He has more than 26 years of experience in the state police and served on a commission on criminal justice innovation. State Sen. Jarrett T. Barrios, D-Cambridge, who was appointed chairman of the Joint Committee on Public Safety in 2003 and served on the Harshbarger Commission on Corrections Reform. Louis P. Bertonazzi, a Milford Democrat, former state senator and former Senate majority leader. Ashburnham Police Chief Roy A. Bourque, who is active in the New England Community Police and Crime Prevention Partnership. Robert Carelli, former captain and assistant deputy superintendent of the Worcester Sheriff’s Department. Francis R. Carroll, president of the Small Business Service Bureau, Navy veteran and member of the Korean War Veterans Association. Maritza Cruz of Worcester, a neighborhood activist who established a management department within the Worcester Housing Authority and serves on the board of directors for the Main South Community Development Corp. Annie K. DiMartino of Fitchburg, whose 35-year career in human services included work in preventing homelessness. Stephen L. DiNatale, Fitchburg city councilor, transition supervisor with the state Department of Mental Health and former director of community services for the state Sex Offender Registry Board. Jennifer L. Flanagan of Leominster, who has been elected state representative. She has worked as a counselor with Youth Opportunities Upheld, Inc. and has a master’s degree in mental health counseling. State Rep. Anne M. Gobi, D-Spencer, who has worked as legal counsel for the Legal Assistance Corporation of Central Massachusetts’ Domestic Violence Unit. Lt. Col. Thomas J. Kennedy, who retired from the state police after 30 years and is executive director of the Westboro-based Center for Technology Commercialization’s Public Safety Technology Center. Dr. Patrice M. Muchowski, vice president of clinical services at AdCare Hospital of Worcester, who has 20 years of addiction treatment experience and has worked with the sheriff’s department. Brian A. O’Connell, a Worcester School Committee member, lawyer, business manager for the West Boylston public school system and former Whitman town administrator. John O’Malley Jr., legislative manager for the state Department of Correction, who has worked in correction since 1977. Kevin O’Sullivan, president of Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives, former state representative and member of the board of directors for the Worcester Business Development Corporation. James P. Purcell, Norton town manager, former Worcester County manager and former Leicester town administrator. Richard Rafferty, a lawyer and specialist in large business reorganization issues. Milton H. Raphaelson, a retired Dudley District Court justice who has been active within the Worcester County Bar Association and the Worcester Section National Council on Alcoholism. Alex Rodriguez, assistant clerk magistrate of Worcester Superior Court and president of the Tri-Community Exchange Club. Auburn Police Chief William E. Stone, who has served on the statewide Anti-Terrorism Unified Response Network. Robert Thomas, president and CEO of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Business Empowerment Center and president of the Worcester Minority Business Council. Thomas Turco, acting chief probation officer of Worcester Superior Court. Ronald Valerio of Auburn, a local business and community leader with a master’s degree in business development. Robert D. Wetmore of Barre, a former state representative and senator. Several members of the team —Mr. Valerio, Mr. Turco, Ms. Gobi, Mr. Carelli and Ms. Cruz — contributed to Mr. Glodis’ campaign for sheriff, he said, and Mr. Stone and Mr. Carroll contributed to his state Senate campaigns. But, he pointed out, an equal number of team members, including Mr. Carroll, supported incumbent Sheriff John M. Flynn. They were Mr. Foley, Mr. Bourque, Mr. Raphaelson, Dr. Muchowski, Mr. O’Sullivan and Mr. Purcell, according to Mr. Glodis. No union representatives were named to the transition team. Mr. Glodis said it did not make sense to include a single representative when there are four unions at work in the sheriff’s department. “I’m going to have very open and very fair negotiations with unions.” Mr. Valerio said one of his first actions as chairman will be to contact Sheriff John M. Flynn to arrange for the transition team to tour the House of Correction in West Boylston. Mr. Glodis will be sworn in as sheriff on Jan. 5, but he said the transition team will meet for approximately six months. He said the team members are “unlikely” to be named jail administrators in the future. The transition team consists of volunteers, and any costs they incur will be paid by Mr. Glodis’ campaign funds, Mr. Glodis said.