Alderman James E. McSweeney, Ward 2
86 Garfield Avenue
Telephone (781) 933-4588

Alderman William N. Booker, Ward 4
3 Forest Park Circle
Telephone (781) 937-6910

Alderman Paul A. Medeiros, Ward 5
9 Marietta Street
Telephone (781) 938-0297

Alderman Donald A. Galante, Ward 6
3A Kearsarge Avenue
Telephone (781) 933-5308

Alderman Stephen R. Braese, Ward 7
4 Diana Drive
Telephone (781) 938-0957

Alderman-at-Large Paul J. Denaro
11 Penny Road
Telephone (781) 938-5810

Alderman-at-Large Joanna Gonsalves
6 Lexington Street
Telephone (781) 935-2850

Clerk of the Council William C. Campbell

Clerk of Committees Anne M. Beauchamp


Office Information

The telephone numbers for each Alderman are for their residential telephones. Each Alderman has a message system and will respond directly to constituent calls.

Alderman do not have office space in City Hall. They can be reached by mail as follows:

"Alderman John Doe, Woburn City Hall, 10 Common Street, Woburn, MA 01801"

Mail and packages for the Alderman may also be left at the Office of the City Clerk for delivery .

The Office of the Clerk of the Council is in the Office of the City Clerk at City Hall. Hours are Monday through Wednesday 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Wednesday 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Friday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The Clerk of the Council is present at all Regular and Special meetings of the City Council. The telephone number is (781) 932-4450.

The Clerk of the City Council can be reached by mail at the following address:

William C. Campbell, City Clerk, Office of the City Clerk, Woburn City Hall, 10 Common Street, Woburn, MA 01801
The email address of the Clerk of the Council is wcampbell@ci.woburn.ma.us

The Office of the Clerk of Committees is in the Committee Room at City Hall. Hours are Monday through Wednesday 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Wednesday 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Friday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The Clerk of the Council is present at all City Council Committee meetings. The telephone number is (781) 932-4466.
The Clerk of the City Council can be reached by mail at the following address:

Anne M. Beauchamp, Clerk of Committees, Committee Room, Woburn City Hall, 10 Common Street, Woburn, MA 01801


Hours

The City Council meets for its Regular Meetings on the first and third Tuesday of every month at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall. During July and August the schedule varies and you should check with the Office of the City Clerk for the most current information. Committee meetings are scheduled as needed. All meetings are posted at least 48 hours in advance on the bulletin board outside of the Office of the City Clerk. In addition, meeting agendas are submitted to the local newspapers and are generally published.


Committees

The City Council receives new business at the Regular City Council meetings or at Special City Council meetings which may be called by the President of the City Council or the Mayor from time to time.

The agenda before the City Council at its meeting is called the Order of the Day. Items brought before the City Council must be in writing. The deadline for filing a matter with the Clerk of the Council for presentation to the City Council is 1:00 p.m. the day before the meeting. The City Council can by oral motion and by suspension of the rules add matters to the Order of the Day during the meeting. Five members must be present for a quorum.
Often the items received by the City Council are disposed of at the meeting. However, some business is referred to various Committees for further review and investigation. Particular matters are required to be sent to Committee before final action by the full City Council including appointments, ordinances, most financial matters and licenses.

Each committee consists of either three or five members of the City Council. They are appointed to their positions by the President of the City Council. There are several standing committees. In addition, special committees may be formed by the City Council from time to time to deal with particular issues.

The first member named to the committee serves as Chair. In the absence of the Chair, the next named Alderman serves as Chair. A majority of the committee members must be present for a quorum.

Once a matter is referred to committee, the Chair sets a meeting date and invites those with an interest in the matter to the meeting. Committee meetings are generally held in the Committee Room in City Hall.

The committee can take one of three actions in reporting to the full City Council. They can recommend that the matter be approved, that the matter be denied, or that the matter be sent "back for action." A matter sent back for action in essence receives no recommendation from the committee and the decision is left to the full City Council. This is generally used for appointments, the annual budget and particularly controversial matters.

Once the report of the committee is received by the full City Council, final action is taken. The report can be accepted, denied or received. If the report is received, the City Council by its own motion will decide how to handle the matter. At times a committee report is returned to the committee for further review if additional information is needed by the full City Council before final action.

The committee structure for the 2002-2003 City Council term is as follows:

(Back to the top)


City Council Standing Committees

Accounts/Audit
Alderman Galante, Chair
Alderman McSweeney

Charter/Rules
Alderman Braese, Chair
Alderman McSweeney
Alderman Medeiros

Finance
Alderman Denaro, Chair
Alderman Braese
Alderman Gonsalves
Alderman Booker
Alderman Medeiros

Hazardous Waste/Recycling
Alderman Medeiros, Chair
Alderman Galante
Alderman McSweeney

Interstate-93 Interchange/Industri-Plex Committee
Alderman Medeiros, Chair
Alderman Denaro
Alderman Gonsalves
Alderman Booker
Alderman Galante

Liaison
President Galvin, Chair, all Aldermen members

Municipal Lands/Highways
Alderman Braese, Chair
Alderman Booker
Alderman McSweeney

Open Space and Recreation
Alderman Braese, Chair
Alderman Gonsalves
Alderman Galante

Ordinance
Alderman Braese, Chair
Alderman Booker
Alderman Gonsalves
Alderman Denaro
Alderman Medeiros

Personnel
Alderman Gonsalves, Chair
Alderman McSweeney

Police/License
Alderman Gonsalves, Chair
Alderman Galante
Alderman Medeiros

Special Permits
Alderman Galante, Chair
Alderman Braese
Alderman Denaro
Alderman Gonsalves
Alderman Medeiros

Transportation/Traffic
Alderman Denaro, Chair
Alderman Gonsalves
Alderman Galante
Alderman Medeiros
Alderman McSweeney

Water
Alderman Denaro, Chairman
Alderman Gonsalves
Alderman McSweeney

Woburn Center Revitalization
Alderman Galvin, Chairman
Alderman Denaro
Alderman Gonsalves
Alderman McSweeney
Alderman Galante

Council Liaison Assignments

" Golf & Ski Authority
Alderman Braese
" Handicapped Commission
Alderman Gonsalves
" Housing Authority
Alderman McSweeney
" Redevelopment Authority
Alderman Booker
" School Committee
Vacancy
" School Building Committee
Alderman Denaro

City Council Committee Information

" In the absence of the Chairman, the second Alderman named on a Committee shall act as Chairman.

Committee Assignments by Alderman

Alderman Booker: Finance; Municipal Lands/Highways; Ordinance; Liaison; Interstate-93/Industri-Plex; Redevelopment Authority Liaison.

Alderman Braese: Charter/Rules (Chair); Municipal Lands/ Highways (Chair); Open Space and Recreation (Chair); Ordinance (Chair); Finance; Special Permits; Liaison; Golf & Ski Authority Liaison.

Alderman Denaro: Finance (Chair); Water (Chair); Ordinance; Transportation/Traffic (Chair); Woburn Center Revitalization (Chair); Special Permits; Liaison; Interstate-93 Interchange/Industri-Plex; School Building Committee Liaison.

Alderman Galante: Special Permits (Chair); Accounts/Audit (Chair); Hazardous Waste/Recycling; Open Space and Recreation; Police and License; Liaison; Woburn Center Revitalization; Interstate-93/Industri-Plex.

Alderman Gonsalves: Personnel (Chair); Police and License (Chair); Finance; Liaison; Open Space and Recreation; Ordinance; Special Permits; Transportation/Traffic; Water; Woburn Center Revitalization; Interstate-93/Industri-Plex: Handicapped Commission Liaison.

Alderman McSweeney: Accounts/Audit; Charter/Rules; Hazardous Waste/Recycling; Liaison; Municipal Lands/Highways; Personnel; Transportation/Traffic; Water; Woburn Center Revitalization; Transportation/Traffic; Housing Authority Liaison.

Alderman Medeiros: Hazardous Waste/Recycling (Chair); Interstate-93 Interchange/Industri-Plex (Chair); Charter/Rules; Finance; Ordinance; Special Permits; Police and License; Transportation/Traffic; Liaison.

President Galvin: Liaison (Chair); Ex officio member of all committees.

(Back to the top)


Rules and Orders of the City Council

Table of Contents

Meetings, Quorums, Proceedings, Etc.

Rule 1 - Meeting dates and time
Rule 2 - Quorum
Rule 3 - Calling Meeting to order; Absence of President; Duties of President
Rule 4 - President Relinquishing Chair
Rule 5 - Roll call votes
Rule 6 - Order of Motions
Rule 7 - Motions; Withdrawals
Rule 8 - Motion and procedure during debate

Rights and Duties of Members

Rule 9 - Addressing Chair
Rule 10 - Speaking Decorum
Rule 11 - Matters affecting private right of Member
Rule 12 - Voting; excused from voting
Rule 13 - Reconsideration
Rule 14 - Reconsideration of certain motions not permitted

Order of the Day

Rule 15 - Order of business at regular meeting
Rule 16 - Reading of papers into record
Rule 17 - Assignment of City Council seating
Rule 18 - Adjournment of meeting
Rule 19 - Preparation of Order of the Day
Rule 20 - Standing Committees
Rule 20a - Applications for Licenses
Rule 21 - Committee Chair
Rule 22 - Committee proceedings

Ordinances, Orders, Resolutions, Etc.

Rule 23 - Form of ordinances
Rule 24 - Orders and resolutions
Rule 25 - Transfers referred to Committee on Finance
Rule 26 - Annual Order of Appropriations
Rule 27 - Expenditures exceeding appropriations
Rule 28 - Form of papers filed with City Council
Rule 29 - Introduction of Ordinances
Rule 30 - Parliamentary Procedure
Rule 31 - Calling Special Meetings
Rule 32 - Pole location petitions
Rule 33 - Alterations, Repeal or Suspension of Rules and Orders
Rule 34 - Appointments
Rule 35 - Citizen’s participation time
Rule 36 - Taking a matter from committee
Rule 37 - Anonymous Communications

(Back to the top)

Meetings, Quorums, Proceeding, Etc.

Rule 1. Meeting dates and time

Regular meetings of the City Council shall be held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 7:30 p.m.

Rule 2. Quorum

At all meetings of the Council a majority shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Rule 3. Calling meeting to order; Absence of President; Duties of President

The President shall take the chair at the hour to which the Council has adjourned or has been called together and shall call the members to order. He shall then rise and lead the Council in the salute to the flag as follows:

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America,
And to the Republic for which it stands,
One nation, under God, indivisible,
With liberty and justice for all."

On appearance of a quorum, the City Council shall proceed to business, In the absence of the President, the oldest senior member in years of service may call the Council to order and preside until the President pro tempore shall be chosen by roll call, and a plurality of votes shall elect.

He shall preserve order; may speak on points of order in
preference to other members; and shall decide all questions

or order, subject to an appeal to the Council, by a motion regularly seconded, and no other business shall be in order until the question on the appeal shall have been decided.

He shall declare all votes; but if any member doubts a vote the President, without further debate, shall require the members voting in the affirmative and in the negative, respectively, to rise and stand until they are counted.

He shall rise to address the Council; but may put questions, or read, sitting.

Rule 4. President relinquishing the Chair

The President may call any member to the chair, but such substitution shall not continue longer than one meeting.

When a subject is under debate, the President may state facts and give his opinion on questions of order or wisdom of procedure without leaving his place; if he desires to debate the question, he shall leave the chair, appointing some other member to preside, and shall not assume the chair while the question is pending, provided the question is taken before adjournment.

When the Council shall determine to go into committee of the whole, the President shall have the Chairman of said Committee take the chair.

(Back to the top)

Rule 5. Roll call votes

On all questions and motions which involve the authorizing of a loan, the appropriating of money, the transferring of an appropriation, or the passing of an ordinance, the sense of the Council shall be taken by roll call, and when one member requests, any vote shall be so taken. In all cases the President may vote.

Rule 6. Order of motions

The President shall put all questions in the order in which they are moved unless the subsequent motion shall be previous in its nature; except that in naming sums and fixing time, the smallest sum and the longest time shall be put first. When a motion is made to refer any subject and different committees are proposed, the questions shall be taken in the following order: I. A Standing Committee of the Council, II. A Select Committee of the Council.

Rule 7. Motions; Withdrawal

After a motion is stated or read by the President, it shall be in the possession of the Council and may be disposed of by vote; but the mover may withdraw it by unanimous consent at any time before a decision or amendment.

Rule 8. Motion and procedure during debate

The President shall consider a motion to adjourn as always in order, except upon an immediate repetition. When a question is under debate he shall receive no motion but to adjourn; to postpone indefinitely; to lay on the table, the
previous question; to postpone to a day certain; to commit; or to amend; which several motions shall have precedence in the order in which they stand arranged, and the first three shall be decided without debate.

No motion or proposition on a subject different from that under consideration shall be admitted under color of an amendment.

He shall put the previous question in the following form: "Shall the Main Question Be Now Put?" and all debate upon the main question shall be suspended until the previous question shall be decided. The effect of a negative decision upon the previous question shall be to leave the main question under debate.

On the previous questions, not exceeding five minutes shall be allowed for debate, and that only to give reason why the main question should not be put; and no member shall speak more than two minutes.

(Back to the top)

Rights and Duties of Members

Rule 9. Addressing the Chair

Every member when about to speak shall rise and address the Chair; shall confine himself to the questions under debate, and avoid personalities.

Rule 10. Speaking decorum

No member shall be interrupted while speaking, but by a call to order, or for the correction of a mistake; nor shall any conversation be allowed among the members while a question is being stated, while a member is speaking or a paper is being read.

Rule 11. Matters affecting private right of Member

No member shall vote, or serve on any committee, or any question where his private right is immediately concerned distinct from the public interest.

Rule 12. Voting; excused from voting

Every member, except the President, present when a question is put, and not excluded by interest, shall vote unless the Council by vote excuse him; application to be so excused on any question must be made before the Council is divided, or the calling of yeas and nays, and shall be decided without debate. No member shall leave without permission, if his presence is necessary to make a quorum.

Rule 13. Reconsideration

When a vote has passed it shall be in order for any member of the prevailing party to move for reconsideration thereof, at the same meeting, or he may give written notice to the Clerk within twenty-four hours of adjournment, of his intention to move reconsideration at the next regular meeting; in which latter case the Clerk shall retain possession of the papers until the said meeting; and when a vote for reconsideration is decided that vote shall not be reconsidered. If the motion to reconsider be not made until the next regular meeting, the subject shall not be reconsidered unless a majority of the whole Council voted therefor.

(Back to the top)

Rule 14. Reconsideration of certain motions not permitted

No vote on either of the following motions shall be reconsidered, viz: to adjourn, to lay on the table; to take from the table; the previous question.

A question containing two or more propositions capable of division shall be divided whenever any member so requests.

No motion shall be twice reconsidered.

Order of the Day

Rule 15. Order of business at regular meeting

At every meeting of the City Council the order of business shall be as follows:

1. Roll Call of Members.
2. The Journal of the previous meeting shall be read.
3. Communications from His Honor, the Mayor.
4. Public Hearings.
5. Citizens Participation time.
6. Reports of Committees.
7. New petitions and similar papers.
8. Communications and reports from, City officers.
9. Unfinished business of preceding meetings.
10. Appointments and elections.
11. Motions, Orders and Resolutions.

And the above order shall not be departed from, except by vote of the majority of all the members present; and all questions relating thereto shall be decided without debate.

(Back to the top)

Rule 16. Reading of papers into the record

All papers shall be presented by President, or a member in his place; and shall be read by the President, Clerk, or such other person as the President may request.

Rule 17. Assignment of City Council seating

The desks shall be numbered, and the seats of the members shall be allotted in presence of the Council, by drawing the names of the members and the numbers simultaneously; and each member shall be entitled for their term to the seat so drawn and shall not change it after the first regular meeting.

Rule 18. Adjournment of meeting

The members of the Council shall not leave their places on adjournment until the President shall declare the Council adjourned.

Rule 19. Preparation of Order of the Day

The Clerk shall prepare for use of the Council at each meeting a schedule of all Ordinances, Petitions, Committee reports, Communications from City Official or Others, Orders and Resolution, which are filed in the Office of the City Clerk at least by 1:00 p.m. the Monday before the City Council Meeting. The same shall be termed the "Order of the Day". Provided however, that any Committee report filed in the Office of the City Clerk at least by 1:00 p.m. on the day of a Regular Meeting of the City Council shall be read by the City Clerk into the Order of the Day under the designation "Committee Reports" and may be taken up by the City Council as a timely filed matter.

(Back to the top)

Rule 20. Standing committees

The following standing committees shall consist of five Aldermen: a. Finance; b. Ordinance; c. Special Permit Review/Site Plan Review; d. Special Permits; e. Water; f. Woburn Center Revitalization; g. Public Safety.

The following standing committees shall consist of three Aldermen: a. Accounts and Audits; b. Charter/Rules;
c. Municipal Lands and Highways; d. Personnel; e. Police and License; f. Recycling/Hazardous Waste; g. Open Space and Recreation.

The Committee on Liaison shall consist of all nine Aldermen with the President serving as chairman.

Appointments shall be made to all Committees by the President as soon after the organization of the City Council as possible.

A quorum of any committee shall consist of a majority of its members.

Rule 20a. Applications for licenses

All applications for licenses to be granted by the City Council shall be referred to the Committee on Police and License.

Rule 21. Committee Chair

The member of the City Council first named on every committee shall be its chairman, and, in case of his
absence, the other members in the order in which they are named shall call meetings of the committee and act as chairman.

Rule 22. Committee proceedings

No meetings of Standing Committees of the City Council shall be held on nights of sessions of the City Council previous to such sessions.

All Committees shall cause records to be kept of their proceedings.

No report shall be received unless agreed to in committee actually assembled.

It shall be the duty of every committee to which any subject may be specifically referred to report thereon within four weeks or ask for further time.

And the Clerk shall place on the Order of the Day a list of Committee reports due in accordance with the terms of this rule.

No date shall be decided or announced for a meeting of any Standing Committee by its Chairman until the proposed date for the meeting has been mentioned and discussed with the other two members of the Committee to ascertain their availability for the date proposed.

(Back to the top)


Ordinances, Orders, Resolutions, Etc.

Rule 23. Form of ordinances

All By-Laws, passed by the City Council shall be termed "Ordinances", and the enacting style shall be: "Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Woburn".

Rule 24. Orders and resolutions

In all votes, when the City Council expresses anything by way of command, the form of expression shall be "Ordered", and in all opinion, principles, facts, or purposes, the form shall be "Resolved".

Rule 25. Transfers referred to Committee on Finance

When application shall be made for an appropriation to be provided for by transfer or loan, such appropriation shall not be made until the matter has been referred to and reported upon by the Committee on Finance.

Rule 26. Annual Order of Appropriations

After the Annual Order of Appropriations have been passed no expenditures shall be authorized, unless provision for the same shall be made by specific transfer from some of the appropriations contained in the Annual Order by appropriations from any funds in the City Treasury not otherwise appropriated, or by expressly creating therefor a city debt, subject to the provisions of Section 15 of the Revised City Charter.

Rule 27. Expenditures exceeding appropriations

In all contracts or expenditures to be made under the authority of the City Council whenever the estimate exceeds the appropriation especially made therefor the committee having such matter in charge shall submit the same to the City Council for instructions before such contract is made and signed, or any expenditures for the object incurred.

Rule 28. Form of papers filed with City Council

All reports and other papers submitted to the City Council shall be written or printed, and no endorsement of any kind shall be made on them excepting by the President or Clerk.

Every report of a committee shall be signed by a member belonging to the committee making such report, unless otherwise directed by the committee.

(Back to the top)

Every order and notice of reference shall have endorsed upon it the name of the member offering it or making the motion; and such member shall be informed by the clerk of the committee to which the matter is referred, of the time fixed for its consideration.

Rule 29. Introduction of ordinances

Every ordinance shall pass through the following stages before it shall be considered as having received the final action of the City Council, viz: First Reading; Second Reading; Passage to be ordained.

Every order against a General Municipal Loan order shallhave two readings, both of which shall not be on the same day.

No ordinance shall pass through all its stages in one day, and the vote on its final passage shall be taken by roll call.

Rule 30. Parliamentary Procedure

The rules of Parliamentary Practice comprised in Roberts Rules and the Principles of Parliamentary Law set forth therein shall be authorities on all questions of debate under parliamentary usage, whenever the same does not conflict with the rules of the City Council.

Rule 31. Calling Special Meetings

The President may at any time call a special meeting of the City Council by causing a written notification thereof to be delivered in hand or left at the residence of each Alderman at least forty-eight hours before the time appointed for such meeting.

Rule 32. Pole location petitions

Whenever any petition is filed with the City Clerk for the location of poles and the attachment of wire, he shall cause said petition to be referred to the Superintendent of Public Works for investigation and report.

Rule 33. Alterations, Repeal or Suspension of Rules and Orders.

None of the foregoing Rules shall be suspended, altered or repealed, unless by a vote of two-thirds of all the members of the City Council.

Rule 34. Appointments

Any appointment subject to confirmation by the City Council shall be referred to the Committee on Personnel, after submission.

Rule 35. Citizen’s Participation Time

Citizen’s Participation Time. Up to a maximum of twenty (20) minutes per Council meeting shall be devoted to Citizens Participation Time. Additional time may be granted beyond the twenty (20) minutes maximum by a majority vote of the City Council. Those citizens desiring to speak at a regular Council meeting, must submit to the City Clerk, in writing, prior to the Friday last preceding the meeting, the request to speak, and the subject they wish to speak on. Due to time consideration, there will be necessarily a limitation to one petition per meeting, but no limitation as to the number of speakers that may speak on the subject matter within the twenty (20) minute time period, except that no individual speaker may speak for more than five (5) minutes. Petitions shall be set for hearing in the order in which they are received in the City Clerk’s Office. All requests for Citizen’s Participation Time will be forwarded to the City Council at the next regular meeting for action. Upon majority of vote, request will be assigned as follows: 1. Assign a hearing date before Council of the Whole; or 2. Assign a hearing request to Specific Committee to set hearing date and report back to Council of the Whole at next regular Council meeting; or 3.

Deny Citizen Participation Time for reason that public hearing has already taken place on same subject matter.

Rule 36. Taking a matter from Committee

Any member wishing to take a matter from committee which has not been reported out from that committee, may do so under a suspension of Rules. After a lapse of 60 days this may be accomplished by a majority vote, unless the Chairman of Committee has requested an extension of time.

Rule 37. Anonymous Communications

Unsigned communications shall not be introduced in the Council.

Information compiled by City Clerk William C. Campbell

(Back to the top)