Marcia Morris

MARCIA MORRIS

GRAFTON COUNTY COMMISSIONER 3

Alexandria, Ashland, Bridgewater, Bristol, Campton
Canaan, Dorchester, Ellsworth, Grafton, Groton, Hebron, Holderness
Orange, Plymouth, Rumney, Warren, and Wentworth

Marcia Morris is running for re-election to the Grafton County Board of Commissioners from District 3. The Commissioners oversee budgetary approval for the Criminal Justice System,  the Nursing Home, the Register of Deeds, and Farm operations at the Grafton County Complex.  The Commissioner from District 3 represents the Towns of Bristol, Alexandria, Grafton, Canaan, Dorchester, Bridgewater, Hebron, Groton, Orange, Rumney, Warren, Wentworth, Ellsworth, Campton, Holderness, Ashland, and Plymouth. 

Bio:

Marcia Morris has been deeply engaged in the Plymouth/Newfound community in many ways since she moved to Hebron to care for her elderly parents fifteen years ago.  As a news reporter and editor of the local Record Enterprise she traveled the region widely,  publicizing events and activities, and getting to know and love its diverse population.  

She has served on the Board of Directors of numerous non-profits in the area including the Grafton County Mental Health Court. Friends of the Grafton County Drug Court, the Pemi Baker Literacy Task Force, Pemi Baker Community Health, Communities for Alcohol and Drug-free Youth, and Plymouth Area Recovery Connection.  She is a trained Recovery Support Worker, and a facilitator/educator for NAMI NH support groups.  

With a Community Mediation Certificate from the Harvard Law School,  her academic training is in Political Science with a B.A. from Boston University and advanced graduate work at the Mass Institute of Technology.  Her listening skills and her passion for fairness in the political process has been a hallmark of her work at Grafton County in her first term.  

Statement of purpose:

Grafton County is charged with the custody and care of some of our most vulnerable citizens.  

In addition to the elderly and infirm who are so well cared for at the award-winning Nursing Home, this includes all those involved in the criminal justice system, including the County Jail, Sheriff’s Department, Community Corrections, Diversion, and Alternative Sentencing programs.  

The criminal justice system is evolving to find innovative new ways to better respond to the drug and mental health challenges that have fallen all too heavily on law enforcement.  Far too many of the inmates in our jails are suffering from mental illness and addiction.  We are incarcerating our young people who cannot find the treatment and respect that they deserve in the medical system and community mental health system.  

Marcia Morris is committed to finding solutions to facilitate compassionate care for our most vulnerable citizens, to slash bureaucracy, reform the medical/ mental health care system to better support our citizens.

Note on COVID:

In this time of pandemic and social/economic disruption, Grafton County has been successful in protecting the residents of our 24/7 facilities.  The Nursing Home was able to contain successfully contagion from the one positive case of COVID that we experienced.  The jail has reported no COVID to date.  This is a testament to the meticulous infection control procedures that have been followed.  Our frontline workers have performed above and beyond the call of duty and stand ready to meet whatever challenges are ahead.