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Woburn City Council
How the Woburn City Council voted, from the City Clerk's official minutes. 9 councilors: one from each of the city’s 7 wards and 2 elected at large. Elected November 7, 2017 and sworn in January 1, 2018 (members were then called Aldermen). Council President: Richard M. Haggerty (elected January 1, 2018, nine votes), then Michael D. Anderson (elected January 8, 2019, eight votes) after Richard M. Haggerty resigned his at-large seat to take a seat in the state House of Representatives (his last meeting was December 18, 2018). The council filled the at-large vacancy itself: after 41 ballots ended 4 to 4 on February 5, 2019, it elected Robert J. Ferullo, Jr. on the 42nd ballot on February 19, 2019. Seats: Joanne E. Campbell (Ward 1), Richard F. Gately, Jr. (Ward 2), Mark E. Gaffney (Ward 3), Michael D. Anderson (Ward 4), Darlene Mercer-Bruen (Ward 5), Edward Tedesco (Ward 6), Lindsay E. Higgins (Ward 7), Michael P. Concannon and Richard M. Haggerty (at large). Covers 46 meetings, January 1 to December 17, 2019.
A monthly email on what it voted on, starting in November.
What does the City Council do? It is the city’s lawmaking body. It passes local laws (ordinances), votes on the yearly budget, and approves borrowing and zoning changes.
The mayor runs the city day to day and proposes the budget.
Sources: Mass. General Laws c. 44 § 32 (city budgets)Council sessions
Coming up
MassVoter can’t read Woburn’s meeting calendar automatically yet. See upcoming meetings on the official site →
Councilors
Joanne E. CampbellMember · Ward 1 · at 45 of 46 meetingsMichael P. ConcannonMember · At-large · at 46 of 46 meetings
Robert J. FerulloMember · At-large · at 19 of 19 meetings · from Feb 2019Mark E. GaffneyMember · Ward 3 · at 44 of 46 meetingsRichard F. GatelyMember · Ward 2 · at 45 of 46 meetingsRichard M. HaggertyPresident · At-large · at 23 of 24 meetings · until Dec 2018Lindsay E. HigginsMember · Ward 7 · at 46 of 46 meetings
Darlene Mercer-BruenMember · Ward 5 · at 44 of 46 meetingsEdward TedescoMember · Ward 6 · at 45 of 46 meetings"At X of Y meetings" counts the roll call at the start of each meeting in this record. Councilors who step out are listed on each meeting page.
Meetings
About missing minutes
Loaded: every full Woburn City Council meeting with a posted journal (the council’s official minutes) from January 1, 2018 through July 21, 2026: 207 meetings (regular meetings, special and budget meetings, and the inaugural meetings) and 8,114 votes. Council committee meetings are not loaded. The city’s website has council journals back to 2006; MassVoter has loaded 2018 on. Three journals (October 2 and October 16, 2018, and October 7, 2025) are not listed on the city’s Minutes & Agendas page, and the June 16, 2020 journal is not linked from its meeting page; MassVoter found them in the city’s website file library. Not here: meetings with an agenda but no posted journal (the January 6, 2020 inaugural meeting; December 11, 2018; the June 10, 2019 and June 24, 2020 budget meetings, where the June 24, 2020 link is broken; May 2 and October 3, 2023; September 17, 2024; and November 18, 2025; MassVoter is asking the City Clerk), and meetings after July 21, 2026 (the August 18, September 15 and October 6, 2026 journals are not posted yet). Eight journals from 2019, 2023 and 2024 were posted as Word documents; all the journals are typed text. Woburn’s journals record nearly every vote as “Motion made and 2nd that …, all in favor, 9-0,” naming in parentheses any councilor who voted no, abstained or was absent (“all in favor, 6-2-1 (Demers and Toro Against; Ferullo Absent)”), and the roll call at the top lists the councilors present. When the count adds up with the roll call, we show each councilor’s vote: those named as voting no or abstaining as recorded, those named as absent left out, and the other councilors present voting yes. Many votes, especially in 2019–2021, were roll calls by name (“Campbell - Yes; Concannon - No; …”), shown as recorded; when a roll call leaves out a councilor who was present, that councilor is left out of the vote, with a note. Elections of the Council President and of members to fill vacant seats were roll calls naming a person: when every councilor named the same person we show each as voting yes; otherwise we show the result only and quote the names. Councilors who arrived late, or whom the journal says recused or left the chamber, are left out of the votes taken while they were out, with a note. When a count does not add up with the roll call (for example “9-0” when only eight councilors were seated, or a count that includes a councilor the journal says had recused and left the chamber), we show the count only, with a note (50 votes); 13 votes show the result only. The journals rarely say who made or seconded a motion. The members were called Aldermen until a 2021 state law changed the title to Councilor. We will ask the city to confirm any noted vote.
Votes where councilors disagreed
Most council votes are unanimous. These are the ones where at least one councilor voted no or abstained, newest first.
Dec 17The authorization to provide personal services pursuant to m.g.l.…Motion: Motion made and 2nd that the AUTHORIZATION TO PROVIDE PERSONAL SERVICES…Passed 8–0 · see note
December 17, 2019: The authorization to provide personal services pursuant to m.g.l. ch. 268A, sec. 20(b) as to thomas M. skeffington be approved
Motion made and 2nd that the AUTHORIZATION TO PROVIDE PERSONAL SERVICES PURSUANT TO M.G.L. CH. 268A, SEC. 20(b) AS TO THOMAS M. SKEFFINGTON be APPROVED, ROLL CALL: Campbell - Yes, Concannon - Yes, Ferullo - Yes, Gaffney - Absent, Gately - Yes, Higgins - Yes, Mercer- Bruen - Yes, Tedesco - Yes, Anderson - Yes.
Yes: Anderson, Campbell, Concannon, Ferullo, Gately, Higgins, Mercer-Bruen, TedescoThe roll call lists Mark E. Gaffney as absent for this vote.
From the minutes
“Motion made and 2nd that the AUTHORIZATION TO PROVIDE PERSONAL SERVICES PURSUANT TO M.G.L. CH. 268A, SEC. 20(b) AS TO THOMAS M. SKEFFINGTON be APPROVED, ROLL CALL: Campbell - Yes, Concannon - Yes, Ferullo - Yes, Gaffney - Absent, Gately - Yes, Higgins - Yes, Mercer- Bruen - Yes, Tedesco - Yes, Anderson - Yes..”
Dec 17The committee reports be adoptedMotion: Motion made and 2nd that the COMMITTEE REPORTS be ADOPTED, ROLL…Passed 8–0 · see note
December 17, 2019: The committee reports be adopted
Motion made and 2nd that the COMMITTEE REPORTS be ADOPTED, ROLL CALL: Campbell - Yes, Concannon - Yes, Ferullo - Yes, Gaffney - Absent, Gately - Yes, Higgins - Yes, Mercer-Bruen - Yes, Tedesco - Yes, Anderson - Yes.
Yes: Anderson, Campbell, Concannon, Ferullo, Gately, Higgins, Mercer-Bruen, TedescoThe roll call lists Mark E. Gaffney as absent for this vote.
From the minutes
“Motion made and 2nd that the COMMITTEE REPORTS be ADOPTED, ROLL CALL: Campbell - Yes, Concannon - Yes, Ferullo - Yes, Gaffney - Absent, Gately - Yes, Higgins - Yes, Mercer-Bruen - Yes, Tedesco - Yes, Anderson - Yes..”
Dec 17The committee reports be adoptedMotion: Motion made and 2nd that the COMMITTEE REPORTS be ADOPTED, ROLL…Passed 8–0 · see note
December 17, 2019: The committee reports be adopted
Motion made and 2nd that the COMMITTEE REPORTS be ADOPTED, ROLL CALL: Campbell - Yes, Concannon - Yes, Ferullo - Yes, Gaffney - Absent, Gately - Yes, Higgins - Yes, Mercer-Bruen - Yes, Tedesco - Yes, Anderson - Yes.
Yes: Anderson, Campbell, Concannon, Ferullo, Gately, Higgins, Mercer-Bruen, TedescoThe roll call lists Mark E. Gaffney as absent for this vote.
From the minutes
“Motion made and 2nd that the COMMITTEE REPORTS be ADOPTED, ROLL CALL: Campbell - Yes, Concannon - Yes, Ferullo - Yes, Gaffney - Absent, Gately - Yes, Higgins - Yes, Mercer-Bruen - Yes, Tedesco - Yes, Anderson - Yes..”
Dec 17The committee report be adopted — On the petition…Motion: Motion made and 2nd that the COMMITTEE REPORT be ADOPTED, ROLL…Passed 8–0 · see note
December 17, 2019: The committee report be adopted — On the petition for renewal of Second Class Motor Vehicles Sales Licenses by Jeffrey Pollock dba Exclusive Automobiles, committee report was received "ought to...
Motion made and 2nd that the COMMITTEE REPORT be ADOPTED, ROLL CALL: Campbell - Yes, Concannon - Yes, Ferullo - Yes, Gaffney - Absent, Gately - Yes, Higgins - Yes, Mercer-Bruen - Yes, Tedesco - Yes, Anderson - Yes.
Yes: Anderson, Campbell, Concannon, Ferullo, Gately, Higgins, Mercer-Bruen, TedescoThe roll call lists Mark E. Gaffney as absent for this vote.
From the minutes
“Motion made and 2nd that the COMMITTEE REPORT be ADOPTED, ROLL CALL: Campbell - Yes, Concannon - Yes, Ferullo - Yes, Gaffney - Absent, Gately - Yes, Higgins - Yes, Mercer-Bruen - Yes, Tedesco - Yes, Anderson - Yes..”
Dec 17The order be adopted — Order: Due to the…Motion: Motion made and 2nd that the ORDER be ADOPTED, ROLL CALL:…Passed 8–0 · see note
December 17, 2019: The order be adopted — Order: Due to the presidential primary election, the City Council Regular Meeting scheduled for March 3, 2020 is hereby changed to March 10, 2020 and…
Motion made and 2nd that the ORDER be ADOPTED, ROLL CALL: Campbell - Yes, Concannon - Yes, Ferullo - Yes, Gaffney - Absent, Gately - Yes, Higgins - Yes, Mercer- Bruen - Yes, Tedesco - Yes, Anderson - Yes.
Yes: Anderson, Campbell, Concannon, Ferullo, Gately, Higgins, Mercer-Bruen, TedescoThe roll call lists Mark E. Gaffney as absent for this vote.
From the minutes
“Motion made and 2nd that the ORDER be ADOPTED, ROLL CALL: Campbell - Yes, Concannon - Yes, Ferullo - Yes, Gaffney - Absent, Gately - Yes, Higgins - Yes, Mercer- Bruen - Yes, Tedesco - Yes, Anderson - Yes..”
Dec 17The order be adopted — Order: City Council Rule…Motion: Motion made and 2nd that the ORDER be ADOPTED, ROLL CALL:…Passed 8–0 · see note
December 17, 2019: The order be adopted — Order: City Council Rule 20 sixth paragraph shall be revised by adding "Fire Station Building Committee" as a Liaison position
Motion made and 2nd that the ORDER be ADOPTED, ROLL CALL: Campbell - Yes, Concannon - Yes, Ferullo - Yes, Gaffney - Absent, Gately - Yes, Higgins - Yes, Mercer- Bruen - Yes, Tedesco - Yes, Anderson - Yes.
Yes: Anderson, Campbell, Concannon, Ferullo, Gately, Higgins, Mercer-Bruen, TedescoThe roll call lists Mark E. Gaffney as absent for this vote.
From the minutes
“Motion made and 2nd that the ORDER be ADOPTED, ROLL CALL: Campbell - Yes, Concannon - Yes, Ferullo - Yes, Gaffney - Absent, Gately - Yes, Higgins - Yes, Mercer- Bruen - Yes, Tedesco - Yes, Anderson - Yes..”
Dec 17The matter be given leave to withdrwa without prejudice…Motion: Motion made and 2nd that the MATTER be GIVEN LEAVE TO…Passed 8–0 · see note
December 17, 2019: The matter be given leave to withdrwa without prejudice — Order: The City Council Rule 22 by amended by adding a second sentence to the further paragraph so that the…
Motion made and 2nd that the MATTER be GIVEN LEAVE TO WITHDRWA WITHOUT PREJUDICE, ROLL CALL: Campbell - Yes, Concannon - Yes, Ferullo - Yes, Gaffney - Absent, Gately - Yes, Higgins - Yes, Mercer-Bruen - Yes, Tedesco - Yes, Anderson - Yes.
Yes: Anderson, Campbell, Concannon, Ferullo, Gately, Higgins, Mercer-Bruen, TedescoThe roll call lists Mark E. Gaffney as absent for this vote.
From the minutes
“Motion made and 2nd that the MATTER be GIVEN LEAVE TO WITHDRWA WITHOUT PREJUDICE, ROLL CALL: Campbell - Yes, Concannon - Yes, Ferullo - Yes, Gaffney - Absent, Gately - Yes, Higgins - Yes, Mercer-Bruen - Yes, Tedesco - Yes, Anderson - Yes..”
Dec 17The order establishing section 31 as set forth in…Motion: Motion made and 2nd that the ORDER ESTABLISHING SECTION 31 AS…Passed 6–3 · No: Anderson, Campbell, Mercer-Bruen
December 17, 2019: The order establishing section 31 as set forth in the committee report and the amendment of the zoning map be adopted, as amended, with the amendment as follows: That Section…
Motion made and 2nd that the ORDER ESTABLISHING SECTION 31 AS SET FORTH IN THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND THE AMENDMENT OF THE ZONING MAP be ADOPTED, AS AMENDED, with the amendment as follows: That Section 31.2.1 be amended by striking "Railway Overlay (ROD) District" and replacing same with "Railway Overlay District (ROD)", ROLL CALL: Campbell - No, Concannon - Yes, Ferullo - Yes, Gaffney - Yes, Gately - Yes, Higgins - Yes, Mercer-Bruen - No, Tedesco - Yes, Anderson - No.
Yes: Concannon, Ferullo, Gaffney, Gately, Higgins, TedescoNo: Anderson, Campbell, Mercer-Bruen
From the minutes
“Motion made and 2nd that the ORDER ESTABLISHING SECTION 31 AS SET FORTH IN THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND THE AMENDMENT OF THE ZONING MAP be ADOPTED, AS AMENDED, with the amendment as follows: That Section 31.2.1 be amended by striking "Railway Overlay (ROD) District" and replacing same with "Railway Overlay District (ROD)", ROLL CALL: Campbell - No, Concannon - Yes, Ferullo - Yes, Gaffney - Yes, Gately - Yes, Higgins - Yes, Mercer-Bruen - No, Tedesco - Yes, Anderson - No..”
Dec 17The order establishing section 31 as set forth in…Motion: Motion made and 2nd that the ORDER ESTABLISHING SECTION 31 AS…Passed 6–3 · No: Anderson, Campbell, Mercer-Bruen
December 17, 2019: The order establishing section 31 as set forth in the committee report and the amendment of the zoning map be adopted, as amended, with the amendment as follows: That Section…
Motion made and 2nd that the ORDER ESTABLISHING SECTION 31 AS SET FORTH IN THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND THE AMENDMENT OF THE ZONING MAP be ADOPTED, AS AMENDED, with the amendment as follows: That Section 31.2.1 be amended by striking "Railway Overlay (ROD) District" and replacing same with "Railway Overlay District (ROD)", ROLL CALL: Campbell - No, Concannon - Yes, Ferullo - Yes, Gaffney - Yes, Gately - Yes, Higgins - Yes, Mercer-Bruen - No, Tedesco - Yes, Anderson - No.
Yes: Concannon, Ferullo, Gaffney, Gately, Higgins, TedescoNo: Anderson, Campbell, Mercer-Bruen
From the minutes
“Motion made and 2nd that the ORDER ESTABLISHING SECTION 31 AS SET FORTH IN THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND THE AMENDMENT OF THE ZONING MAP be ADOPTED, AS AMENDED, with the amendment as follows: That Section 31.2.1 be amended by striking "Railway Overlay (ROD) District" and replacing same with "Railway Overlay District (ROD)", ROLL CALL: Campbell - No, Concannon - Yes, Ferullo - Yes, Gaffney - Yes, Gately - Yes, Higgins - Yes, Mercer-Bruen - No, Tedesco - Yes, Anderson - No..”
Dec 17The proposed draft condition be receivedMotion: Motion made and 2nd that the proposed draft condition be received,…Passed 8–1 · No: Gately
December 17, 2019: The proposed draft condition be received
Motion made and 2nd that the proposed draft condition be received, ROLL CALL: Campbell - Yes, Concannon - Yes, Ferullo - Yes, Gaffney - Yes, Gately - No, Higgins - Yes, Mercer-Bruen - Yes, Tedesco - Yes, Anderson - Yes.
Yes: Anderson, Campbell, Concannon, Ferullo, Gaffney, Higgins, Mercer-Bruen, TedescoNo: Gately
From the minutes
“Motion made and 2nd that the proposed draft condition be received, ROLL CALL: Campbell - Yes, Concannon - Yes, Ferullo - Yes, Gaffney - Yes, Gately - No, Higgins - Yes, Mercer-Bruen - Yes, Tedesco - Yes, Anderson - Yes..”
From the Woburn City Council’s official journals (its minutes), posted on the city’s Minutes & Agendas page (City Council). We check every vote against the councilors present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Photos (the city’s website has no councilor photos): Robert Toro, Joseph Demers (courtesy of each), Jeffrey Dillon, Lou DiMambro and Charles Viola from Woburn Patch (2019–2023); Yano Amara (December 31, 2025) and Darlene Mercer-Bruen (July 23, 2021, captioned group photo, cropped) from the Daily Times Chronicle; William Pappalardo and Robert Ferullo cropped from the Daily Times Chronicle’s captioned 2026 City Council photo (January 7, 2026). Former councilors show initials.
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