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Winthrop Town Council
How the Winthrop Town Council voted, from the Town Council’s official minutes. 9 members: a Council President and 2 at-large members elected townwide, and one member from each of the town’s 6 precincts. Nine members: Council President Philip Boncore; at-large members Tracey Honan and Rob DeMarco; precinct members Rich Ferrino (1), Jim Letterie (2), Nick LoConte (3), Barbara Flockhart (4), Peter Christopher (5) and Stephen Ruggiero (6). On January 7, 2020 the board chose Jim Letterie as Vice President (unanimous); on January 5, 2021 it chose Peter Christopher as Vice President. MassVoter has minutes from January 7, 2020 on (the January 21, 2020 link opens the agenda). Covers 49 meetings, January 7 to December 21, 2021.
A monthly email on what it voted on, starting in November.
What does the Town Council do? It is the town’s lawmaking body (this town has no Town Meeting). It passes local laws (bylaws or ordinances), votes on the yearly budget, and approves borrowing and zoning changes.
The council hires the town manager or administrator, who runs the town day to day and proposes the budget.
Sources: Mass. General Laws c. 44 § 32 (city budgets)Your Winthrop ballot: 13 quizzes, about a minute each.
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Coming up
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Under the state Open Meeting Law, boards post notice at least 48 hours ahead, not counting weekends and legal holidays.
Members
James LetterieVice President (2020) · Council President · at 46 of 49 meetingsNick LoConteMember · Precinct 3 · at 31 of 49 meetingsStephen RuggieroMember · Precinct 6 · at 48 of 49 meetings"At X of Y meetings" counts the members the minutes list as present at the start of each meeting in this record. Members who step out are listed on each meeting page.
Meetings
About missing minutes
Loaded: Winthrop Town Council minutes from January 7, 2020 through September 8, 2026, full board meetings only (regular, special and joint meetings). Council committee meetings, budget forums and precinct listening posts filed in the same Agenda Center list are not included. Older minutes are not here: the Agenda Center begins in January 2020, the town’s older online archive ends in January 2016, and minutes from February 2016 through December 2019 are not online (MassVoter has asked the town for the 2018–2019 minutes). Also not here: January 21, 2020 and December 19, 2023 (the posted “minutes” are the agendas), and August 10, 2020, October 27, 2021, March 22 and March 31, 2022, May 14, 2024, August 27, 2024 (joint meeting with the Planning Board), January 14, 2025, October 30, 2025, January 26 and January 29, 2026, and April 8 and April 14, 2026, which have agendas but no minutes posted. Most minutes from 2020 and 2021, and some later ones, are scanned copies, which MassVoter read with text-recognition software and checked by hand. Winthrop’s minutes usually record a roll call by name, and we show each member’s vote as recorded. “Passed Unanimously” means every member present voted yes. In 2020 and 2021 the clerk often wrote counts such as “8-1” where the second number was an absent or abstaining member rather than a no vote; when the roll call names add up, we show the names and explain the count in a note. Where the minutes say only “Motion Passed,” or a roll call does not match the members present or lists a name twice, we show the count or the result only, with a note. At joint meetings with the School Committee, Planning Board or Housing Authority, only the members’ votes are shown. We will ask the town to confirm any noted vote.
Votes where members disagreed
Most board votes are unanimous. These are the ones where at least one member voted no or abstained, newest first.
Dec 21Name the new Dog Park after Member Michael McDuffeeMotion: Motion by a positive recommendation from the Memorials Committee to name…Passed Unanimous, 8 present · see note
December 21, 2021: Name the new Dog Park after Councilor Michael McDuffee
Motion by a positive recommendation from the Memorials Committee to name the new Dog Park after Councilor Michael McDuffee
The minutes do not say who made this motion.
From the minutes
“Motion by a positive recommendation from the Memorials Committee to name the new Dog Park after Councilor Michael McDuffee ROLL CALL VOTE Approve: Councilor Flockhart, Councilor Ruggiero, Councilor Demarco, Councilor Letterie, Councilor Honan, Councilor Ferrino, Vice President Christopher, President Boncore Motion Passed.”
Dec 7Approve and adopt the Treasurers FeesMotion: Motion by the Finance committee with a positive recommendation to approve…Passed Unanimous, 8 present · see note
December 7, 2021: Approve and adopt the Treasurers Fees
Motion by the Finance committee with a positive recommendation to approve and adopt the Treasurers Fees.
The motion came from a council committee, so no mover or seconder is named.
From the minutes
“Motion by the Finance committee with a positive recommendation to approve and adopt the Treasurers Fees. No 2" Needed ROLL CALL VOTE Approve: Councilor Flockhart, Councilor Ruggiero, Councilor Demarco, Councilor Letterie, Councilor Honan, Councilor Ferrino, Vice President Christopher, President Boncore Motion Pass 8-0.”
Dec 7Moves that the Town Council transfer the amount of…Motion: Motion by the Finance Committee that the Town Council moves that…Passed Unanimous, 8 present · see note
December 7, 2021: Moves that the Town Council transfer the amount of $21,282.94 from Town Council Employee Line to the Town Clerks permanent Employee Line
Motion by the Finance Committee that the Town Council moves that the Town Council transfer the amount of $21,282.94 from Town Council Employee Line to the Town Clerks permanent Employee Line
The motion came from a council committee, so no mover or seconder is named.
From the minutes
“Motion by the Finance Committee that the Town Council moves that the Town Council transfer the amount of $21,282.94 from Town Council Employee Line to the Town Clerks permanent Employee Line ROLL CALL VOTE Approve: Councilor Flockhart, Councilor Ruggiero, Councilor Demarco, Councilor Letterie, Councilor Honan, Councilor Ferrino, Vice President Christopher, President Boncore Motion Pass 8-0.”
Dec 7Transfer $5,000 from Town Council Reserve to the Town…Motion: Motion by the Finance Committee with a positive recommendation that the…Passed Unanimous, 8 present · see note
December 7, 2021: Transfer $5,000 from Town Council Reserve to the Town Managers Supply Line / Employee Recognition
Motion by the Finance Committee with a positive recommendation that the Town Council votes to transfer $5,000 from Town Council Reserve to the Town Managers Supply Line / Employee Recognition
The motion came from a council committee, so no mover or seconder is named.
From the minutes
“Motion by the Finance Committee with a positive recommendation that the Town Council votes to transfer $5,000 from Town Council Reserve to the Town Managers Supply Line / Employee Recognition No 2™ Needed ROLL CALL VOTE Approve: Councilor Flockhart, Councilor Ruggiero, Councilor Demarco, Councilor Letterie, Councilor Honan, Councilor Ferrino, Vice President Christopher, President Boncore Motion Pass 8-0.”
Dec 7Maintains a Uniform Tax rate for all classes of…Motion: Motion by the Finance Committee with a positive recommendation that the…Passed 7–1 · No: Ferrino
December 7, 2021: Maintains a Uniform Tax rate for all classes of Property for FY22 authorizes Interim Town Manager Delehanty to sign and electronically submit the LA-5 to the Department of Revenue and…
Motion by the Finance Committee with a positive recommendation that the Town Council maintains a Uniform Tax rate for all classes of Property for FY22 authorizes Interim Town Manager Delehanty to sign and electronically submit the LA-5 to the Department of Revenue and the Town Council approves Electronic Signature to this document on behalf of the Town Councilors.
Yes: Boncore, Christopher, DeMarco, Flockhart, Honan, Letterie, RuggieroNo: FerrinoThe motion came from a council committee, so no mover or seconder is named.
From the minutes
“Motion by the Finance Committee with a positive recommendation that the Town Council maintains a Uniform Tax rate for all classes of Property for FY22 authorizes Interim Town Manager Delehanty to sign and electronically submit the LA-5 to the Department of Revenue and the Town Council approves Electronic Signature to this document on behalf of the Town Councilors. No 2™ Needed ROLL CALL VOTE Approve: Councilor Flockhart, Councilor Ruggiero, Councilor Demarco, Councilor Letterie, Councilor Honan, Vice President Christopher, President Boncore Disapprove: Councilor Ferrino Motion Pass 7-1.”
Nov 23Votes to approve National Grids request on PleasantMotion: Motion by the Public Health and Safety committee votes to approve…Passed Unanimous, 7 present · see note
November 23, 2021: Votes to approve National Grids request on Pleasant
Motion by the Public Health and Safety committee votes to approve National Grids request on Pleasant
The minutes write the count as 7-1; the roll call shows 7 yes, and James Letterie absent, so the second number also counts councilors who did not vote yes or no. The motion came from a council committee, so no mover or seconder is named.
From the minutes
“Motion by the Public Health and Safety committee votes to approve National Grids request on Pleasant ROLL CALL VOTE Approve: Councilor Flockhart, Councilor Ruggiero, Councilor Demarco, Councilor Honan, Councilor Ferrino, Vice President Christopher, President Boncore Absent: Councilor Letterie Motion Passes 7-1.”
Nov 9The Town hereby approves the $317,422,620 borrowing authorized by…Motion: Motion by the Finance Committee that the Town hereby approves the…Failed 7–1 · see note
November 9, 2021: The Town hereby approves the $317,422,620 borrowing authorized by the Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational School District Committee for the purpose of paying costs of designing,...
Motion by the Finance Committee that the Town hereby approves the $317,422,620 borrowing authorized by the Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational School District Committee for the purpose of paying costs of designing, engineering, construction and equipping….(Please see attached Motion)
The minutes list Tracey Honan as absent for this vote. The minutes give only the count (7-1), not how each councilor voted. 7 councilors were present. The motion came from a council committee, so no mover or seconder is named. The minutes record this motion as not passing even though more councilors voted yes than no.
From the minutes
“Motion by the Finance Committee that the Town hereby approves the $317,422,620 borrowing authorized by the Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational School District Committee for the purpose of paying costs of designing, engineering, construction and equipping….(Please see attached Motion) No 2nd Needed ROLL CALL VOTE Dis-Approve: Councilor Flockhart, Councilor Ruggiero, Councilor Demarco, Councilor Letterie, Councilor Ferrino, Vice President Christopher, President Boncore Absent: Councilor Honan Motion does not Pass 7-1.”
Nov 9The Town appropriates the sum of SEVEN HUNDRED FIFTY…Motion: Motion by the Finance Committee with a positive recommendation that the…Passed Unanimous, 7 present · see note
November 9, 2021: The Town appropriates the sum of SEVEN HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($750,000) to pay costs of replacing lead water service lines, including all costs incidental and related thereto; that to...
Motion by the Finance Committee with a positive recommendation that the Town appropriates the sum of SEVEN HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($750,000) to pay costs of replacing lead water service lines, including all costs incidental and related thereto; that to meet this appropriation, the Treasurer, with the approval of the Town Manager, is authorized to borrow said amount under and pursuant to M.G.L. c.44, §7(1), or pursuant to any other enabling authority, and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor; that the Treasurer, with the approval of the Town Manager, is authorized to borrow all or a portion of such amount from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (the "Authority") and in connection therewith to enter into a loan agreement and/or financial assistance agreement with the Authority and otherwise to contract with the Authority with respect to such loan and for any grants or aid available for the project or for the financing thereof; that the Town Manager is authorized to accept and expend any grants or aid available for the project or for the financing thereof, provided that the amount of the authorized borrowing for the project shall be reduced by the amount of any such grants or aid received; that the Town Manager is authorized to take any other action necessary to carry out this project; and that any premium received upon the sale of any bonds or notes approved by this order, less any such premium applied to the payment of the costs of issuance of such bon
The minutes write the count as 7-1; the roll call shows 7 yes, and Tracey Honan absent, so the second number also counts councilors who did not vote yes or no. The motion came from a council committee, so no mover or seconder is named.
From the minutes
“Motion by the Finance Committee with a positive recommendation that the Town appropriates the sum of SEVEN HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($750,000) to pay costs of replacing lead water service lines, including all costs incidental and related thereto; that to meet this appropriation, the Treasurer, with the approval of the Town Manager, is authorized to borrow said amount under and pursuant to M.G.L. c.44, §7(1), or pursuant to any other enabling authority, and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor; that the Treasurer, with the approval of the Town Manager, is authorized to borrow all or a portion of such amount from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (the "Authority") and in connection therewith to enter into a loan agreement and/or financial assistance agreement with the Authority and otherwise to contract with the Authority with respect to such loan and for any grants or aid available for the project or for the financing thereof; that the Town Manager is authorized to accept and expend any grants or aid available for the project or for the financing thereof, provided that the amount of the authorized borrowing for the project shall be reduced by the amount of any such grants or aid received; that the Town Manager is authorized to take any other action necessary to carry out this project; and that any premium received upon the sale of any bonds or notes approved by this order, less any such premium applied to the payment of the costs of issuance of such bonds or notes, may be applied to the payment of costs approved by this order in accordance with M.G.L. c.44, §20, thereby reducing the amount authorized to be borrowed to pay such costs by a like amount. No 2nd Needed ROLL CALL VOTE Approve: Councilor Flockhart, Councilor Ruggiero, Councilor Demarco, Councilor Letterie, Councilor Ferrino, Vice President Christopher, President Boncore Absent: Councilor Honan Motion Passes 7-1.”
Nov 9The Town appropriates the sum of TWO HUNDRED FIFTY…Motion: Motion by the Finance Committee with a positive recommendation that the…Passed Unanimous, 7 present · see note
November 9, 2021: The Town appropriates the sum of TWO HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($250,000) to pay costs of a sewer system infiltration and inflow assessment study, including engineering services and surveys...
Motion by the Finance Committee with a positive recommendation that the Town appropriates the sum of TWO HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($250,000) to pay costs of a sewer system infiltration and inflow assessment study, including engineering services and surveys and all other costs incidental and related thereto; that to meet this appropriation, the Treasurer, with the approval of the Town Manager, is authorized to borrow said amount under and pursuant to M.G.L. c.44, §7(7), or pursuant to any other enabling authority, and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor; that the Treasurer, with the approval of the Town Manager, is authorized to borrow all or a portion of such amount from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (the "Authority") and in connection therewith to enter into a loan agreement and/or financial assistance agreement with the Authority and otherwise to contract with the Authority with respect to such loan and for any grants or aid available for the project or for the financing thereof; that the Town Manager is authorized to accept and expend any grants or aid available for the project or for the financing thereof, provided that the amount of the authorized borrowing for the project shall be reduced by the amount of any such grants or aid received; that the Town Manager is authorized to take any other action necessary to carry out this project; and that any premium received upon the sale of any bonds or notes approved by this order, less any such premi
The minutes write the count as 7-1; the roll call shows 7 yes, and Tracey Honan absent, so the second number also counts councilors who did not vote yes or no. The motion came from a council committee, so no mover or seconder is named.
From the minutes
“Motion by the Finance Committee with a positive recommendation that the Town appropriates the sum of TWO HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($250,000) to pay costs of a sewer system infiltration and inflow assessment study, including engineering services and surveys and all other costs incidental and related thereto; that to meet this appropriation, the Treasurer, with the approval of the Town Manager, is authorized to borrow said amount under and pursuant to M.G.L. c.44, §7(7), or pursuant to any other enabling authority, and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor; that the Treasurer, with the approval of the Town Manager, is authorized to borrow all or a portion of such amount from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (the "Authority") and in connection therewith to enter into a loan agreement and/or financial assistance agreement with the Authority and otherwise to contract with the Authority with respect to such loan and for any grants or aid available for the project or for the financing thereof; that the Town Manager is authorized to accept and expend any grants or aid available for the project or for the financing thereof, provided that the amount of the authorized borrowing for the project shall be reduced by the amount of any such grants or aid received; that the Town Manager is authorized to take any other action necessary to carry out this project; and that any premium received upon the sale of any bonds or notes approved by this order, less any such premium applied to the payment of the costs of issuance of such bonds or notes, may be applied to the payment of costs approved by this order in accordance with M.G.L. c.44, §20, thereby reducing the amount authorized to be borrowed to pay such costs by a like amount. No 2nd Needed ROLL CALL VOTE Approve: Councilor Flockhart, Councilor Ruggiero, Councilor Demarco, Councilor Letterie, Councilor Ferrino, Vice President Christopher, President Boncore Absent: Councilor Honan Motion Passes 7-1.”
Nov 9Approve the DPW Fee Schedule as presentedMotion: Motion by the Finance Committee with a positive recommendation to approve…Passed Unanimous, 7 present · see note
November 9, 2021: Approve the DPW Fee Schedule as presented
Motion by the Finance Committee with a positive recommendation to approve the DPW Fee Schedule as presented
The minutes write the count as 7-1; the roll call shows 7 yes, and Tracey Honan absent, so the second number also counts councilors who did not vote yes or no. The motion came from a council committee, so no mover or seconder is named.
From the minutes
“Motion by the Finance Committee with a positive recommendation to approve the DPW Fee Schedule as presented No 2nd Needed ROLL CALL VOTE Approve: Councilor Flockhart, Councilor Ruggiero, Councilor Demarco, Councilor Letterie, Councilor Ferrino, Vice President Christopher, President Boncore Absent: Councilor Honan Motion Passes 7-1.”
From the Winthrop Town Council’s official minutes, posted in the town’s Agenda Center. We check every vote against the members present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Member photos: Winthrop Sun Transcript (candidate announcements for Letterie, Millar, Dimes and Romano; Costigan and Swope from a captioned June 2026 Strawberry Festival photo by Salza). Former members and Tassinari, Reardon and Finn show initials for now.
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