Doherty Recognized for Service

Outgoing County Commissioner Bill Doherty was recognized for his 18 years of service to the county at the Nov. 13 Cape Cod Commission meeting.

Executive Director Paul Niedzwiecki presented him with a plaque commemorating his service as member of the Assembly of Delegates, County Commissioners and Cape Cod Commission.

“I could always rely on Bill to make sure that we were flying the straight and narrow. That I’s were dotted and T’s were crossed and he certainly made sure that we made an argument and a well-constructed one for what we wanted to do,” Niedzwiecki said in introducing Doherty, who then addressed the Commission.

When I have the opportunity to represent the county and the State of Massachusetts at the national Association of County Officials,  the Cape Cod commission is enough to open the open the door for my service on that body because of the respect that you hold throughout the country,” Doherty said, later adding, “The most important change that I saw during my service of the county was changing the a paradigm of changing regulation supported by planning to planning supported by regulation, so that the planning piece would have the support of regulatory authority.”

In 1996 Doherty began his service as Harwich’s elected Delegate to the Assembly, serving two terms. In 2001 he was elected for the first of three terms as a Barnstable County Commissioner. It was in that capacity that he served as a member of the Cape Cod Commission. He chose not to seek another term and will serve until Commissioner-elect Leo Cakounes, also of Harwich, is sworn in the first week of January.