View the Haverhill Handbook
City Leadership
Mayor’s Office
The Mayor
Melinda E. Barrett
Melinda E. Barrett is a third-generation Haverhill resident and the first woman to serve as mayor in the city’s roughly 300-year history. Before her election as mayor, she served 10 years on the Haverhill City Council, becoming the city’s first woman City Council president in 2020.
Barrett attended Haverhill public schools and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She returned home to help run the family business, Barrett’s Menswear, founded downtown in 1917, and went on to open and operate Barrett’s Specialty Foods for 23 years until its closing in 2018 — capping more than a century of her family doing business in Haverhill. As mayor, she emphasizes collaboration and making Haverhill one of the best places in the Commonwealth to live, work, and visit.
| In office | Since January 2024 |
|---|---|
| Office | City Hall, 4 Summer Street, Room 100, Haverhill, MA 01830 |
| Phone | 978-374-2300 |
| mayor@cityofhaverhill.com | |
| Website | haverhillma.gov |
What the Mayor Does
As the city’s chief executive, the mayor of Haverhill leads the day-to-day operation of city government and sets its overall direction. Key powers and duties include:
- Prepares the budget: the mayor proposes the annual city budget, which the City Council then reviews and adopts.
- Appoints department heads: the mayor hires and oversees the leaders of city departments and many boards.
- Veto power: the mayor can veto ordinances passed by the City Council; the Council may override a veto with a supermajority.
- Chairs the School Committee: the mayor serves as chair of the Haverhill School Committee by virtue of office.
The Administration
The mayor leads a full administration of departments that deliver city services — from public safety and public works to finance, planning, and community development. Residents can reach individual departments directly through the city’s department directory.
- City Hall: 4 Summer Street, Haverhill, MA 01830, open Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
- 311 / Call Center: dial 311 within the city, or (978) 358-1311 from outside, for city services and service requests.
Contact & Engage
- Office of the Mayor: City Hall, Room 100 · 978-374-2300 · mayor@cityofhaverhill.com
- Request a meeting: contact the mayor’s office by phone or email to request time or raise a concern.
- Stay informed: follow the City of Haverhill Mayor’s Office on social media and watch for news and notices on the city website.
The mayor leads the executive branch — but the City Council writes the city’s ordinances. See who represents your ward.