Blue Mass Group

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Bob Colt for Middlesex County Register of Probate

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(2) Transform the Office and the website into the 21st Century by putting as much information as possible online to ease the burden of those who now have to drive into Cambridge from the 54 cities and towns of Middlesex County to get needed information;

(3) Institute high standards of ethics and practices and set up clear and quantifiable service commitments to the public and attorneys to enhance and speed up the quality of service;

(4) Establish regular “Ask the Register” office hours so that there can be direct contact between the Register and those that the Register of Probate Office serves;

(5) Expand the professionalism with regular training of the Register of Probate staff and utilize the “best practices” of other Probate Offices to insure that all including same-sex couples, the poor, the abused, the young and the general public are always treated with dignity and equality; and

(6) Strongly advocate and lobby the Legislature and the Governor for a modern and state-of-the-art facility and seriously look at a proposal that has been brought up to put such a facility at NorthPoint in East Cambridge.

I have been a most active Democrat working for Democratic candidates for my whole adult voting life.  I served as Coordinator of Community Education in the Middlesex DA’s Office and as Community Liaison and Special Assistant to the Attorney General in Scott Harshbarger’s innovative offices.  I was part of a very strong emphasis on community outreach, user-friendly service and professional standards.  I have been in each or the 54 cities and towns of Middlesex County and I know the diverse constituencies in the county.

I have been a leader in the Massachusetts Democratic Party for over 25 years.  I have served on the Democratic State Committee for 20 years, serving on the Executive Committee and as Chair of the By-Laws Committee and been Middlesex County staff on Democratic Coordinated Campaigns.  I was chosen to be President of the Massachusetts Electoral College in 2000.  I have been chair of my Democratic Ward and Town Committee, first in Medford and now in Winchester.  

I was a Government major at Boston University and earned my Master in Educational Administration from Northeastern University.  My wife and I are proud parents of three daughters who are students at Winchester High School, Tufts University and Boston College.  I won’t at this point go on into the dozens of community and advocacy groups that I have taken leadership roles in, but I would be happy to share more about my background and ideas if you contact me at bob@bobcolt.com.

The positions that I run on seem like progressive steps that I put forth to begin the discussion on how to enhance the viability, procedures, efficiency and transparency of the Middlesex County Register of Probate Office.  I ask for your advice, assistance and support in this crucial effort to strongly lead and humanely administer the Middlesex County Register of Probate Office.  Thank you.

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Comments

  1. Rather than emailing you, could you reply here about the community and advocacy groups you’ve been most active in for the past several years?  That way others can see your answer as well.

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    p>A couple other questions: Would those forums you suggest be a one time deal or annual type of event to keep a continual dialogue going?  Also, is there a website where I can read up on the NorthPoint proposal for such a facility?

  2. The time is short, traditional campaigning don’t work, and a large number of potential delegates do read this site.

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    p>Also, if you do have a website, links are good to .pdfs of your resume, etc.

  4. Excuse my cynicism, but I’ll ask the same questions of all the folks who want to take this job. I’ve practiced at Middlesex Probate for 13 years, mostly on the Probate side of the aisle. I have earned the right to be a little cranky.

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    p>If a lawyer is going to run for the post, I want to know how much time the person has actually practiced there, their familiarity with how the place functions, and their definitions of “best practices.” Can you give some specifics about your observations of the operations, what changes you would implement, etc.? What probate courts do you think are well run and why? What steps would you take to improve relations with the judges, their staff, and the Administrative Office of the Probate and Family Court?

  5. This is not just a matter dealing with chump change!
    In the Superior Court of Middlesex County the late Clerk of Courts Edward J. Sullivan always tried to keep the bureaucrats in Boston using technology to better the courts.

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    p>However, some in the Trial Court had their minds on nice views, office furniture, drapes, carpeting,and other creature comforts worthy of their esteemed positions.

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    p>Certain aspects of the John Adams courthouse renovations and other escapades?  Trial Court administrative palace at One Center Plaza?  Top heavy administrative offices of each of the Trial Court departments and the Trial Court itself?

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    p>How does Chief Justice Margaret Marshall and the other justices of the Supreme Judicial Court like the oak paneling?  Does it make the courts function better for the public?

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    p>Superintendency over the courts doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want at whatever cost without public scrutiny.

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    p>It is stuff like this that makes people think the only way to bring about change is through ballot initiatives.  Yes, renovations were needed at Peberton Square and historic restoration work was appropriate.  But come now, you folks know that some of what you did for the judges was too costly and wrong.

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    p>They wouldn’t have gotten away with this in Essex County with the late Clerk of Courts James Dennis Leary, Plymouth County under the late Clerk of Courts Frank Powers, and definitely not yesterday or today in Miiddlesex County with Clerk of Courts Michael A. Sullivan.

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    p>The Trial Court needs a push into the 21st century!  A blogger says help is on the way and the Trial Court technology department is on the case.  

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    p>I imagine that is accurate.  But the days of the quill pen are not too far in the past.  Often times the personnel in offices around the Trial Courts are outstanding.  A tribute to the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) members and management that staff the counters.

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    p>I am afraid I am unable to say the same thing about select gubernatorially life-tenure appointed clerk-magistrates who won’t come to the counter to discuss an issue or even make an appointment to do the same.  

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    p>Information Technology efficiencies that we all take for granted need to be implemented within the Trial Courts.
    Obviously the court bureaucracy in Boston is not moving swiftly enough.  

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    p>Elected clerks of courts and registers of probate must be responsive.  Life-tenured gubernatorially appointed judges and clerk-magistrates do not have to be very responsive to anyone.

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    p>The people are fortunate when there are gubernatorial appointees who see the benefit of an efficient and responsive system.

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    p>I know some people say the Governor’s Council is a colonial remnant, but it is the only check the people have to ensure a governor makes quality appointments.

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    p>Sometimes democracy means paying attention!

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    p>

    • Except for Bob Colt, no posts and no contact info!!  I wish the wanna be registers would make contact over the weekend and provide this information.

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