Former Mayor Fred Kalisz Back in New Role

A familiar face is back in public service.

Former New Bedford Mayor Fred Kalisz, Jr. has been appointed as Southern Bristol County Register of Deeds. He will be stepping into the role previously filled by his longtime friend J. Mark Treadup, who stepped down March 1 due to health concerns.

Kalisz, who served as mayor from 1998 to 2006, tells WBSM News his friendship with Treadup and his understanding of local government gives him insight on how to best serve the people in his new role.

"I look at it from a professional management perspective," he said. "Bringing continued stability to that office, making sure the archival records are maintained the way the law prescribes, and working with the staff to give the best possible service to the constituents of what's referred to as the Southern Bristol District."

Kalisz, who has a doctorate in public policy and law, has spent the years since serving as mayor in the classroom. He taught courses on government and business law to college and graduate students.

"I'm very happy to return to government," he said. "It's been a few years that I've been out now, but the Register of Deeds position is an important one within the government, within the community, and I'm looking forward to it."

He said he wasn't necessarily looking to get back into government, but after a newspaper contacted him to comment on Treadup's announcement he would be stepping down, Kalisz got to thinking.

"Mark and I have known each other for an extended period of time," he said. "I read the paper and I thought about it for a couple of days, and I sent a resume into the County Commissoner's Office."

He was informed Thursday that the Bristol County Commissioners Board had selected him to succeed Treadup. Kalisz was sworn in Thursday afternoon, and will serve the remainder of Treadup's term through December of 2018.