City Leadership
The City Manager & the Mayor
Most cities put one person in charge. Lowell splits the job in two. The City Manager is the professional chief executive who runs the city every day, hired by the Council and answerable to it. The Mayor is a city councilor the others choose to lead them, the city’s official head, who chairs both the City Council and the School Committee. Once you see how those two roles divide the power, the rest of Lowell’s government makes sense.
The City Manager
Thomas A. Golden Jr.
Thomas A. Golden Jr. has run Lowell as City Manager since April 2022, but he is no outsider: he grew up here, graduated from the University of Massachusetts Lowell, and spent nearly three decades representing the city’s 16th Middlesex district in the Massachusetts House before taking the job. The Council hires the Manager and can replace him, and in return he oversees every city department, writes the annual budget, and carries out the policies the Council sets.
| Role | City Manager (chief executive) |
|---|---|
| In office | Since April 2022 |
| Office | City Hall, 375 Merrimack Street, Lowell, MA 01852 |
| Phone | 978-674-4400 |
| Website | lowellma.gov |
The Mayor
Erik Gitschier
Erik Gitschier became Mayor of Lowell in January 2026, chosen by his fellow councilors. He first won a seat representing District 8 and now serves as one of the three at-large councilors elected citywide. As Mayor he runs City Council meetings and chairs the School Committee, which puts him at the center of both city and school decisions, even though the daily work of running the city belongs to the City Manager.
| Role | Mayor & Council Chair (at-large councilor) |
|---|---|
| In office | Mayor since January 2026 |
| Office | Mayor’s Office, City Hall, 375 Merrimack Street |
| Phone | 978-674-4040 |
| Website | lowellma.gov |
Who Does What
- The City Manager hires the department heads, builds and runs the budget, signs the contracts, and manages daily operations. The Council hired him and the Council can fire him.
- The Mayor sets the agenda for the Council and the School Committee, speaks for the city at official events, and votes on both bodies, but does not run departments and has no veto.
- Together they pair professional management with elected accountability. That balance is the whole point of Plan E.
Contact & Engage
- City Hall hours: Mon, Wed, Thu 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tue 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Fri 8 a.m. to noon.
- Main line: 978-674-4000 · 375 Merrimack Street, Lowell, MA 01852.
- Lowell 311: report potholes, missed trash, and other service requests online or by phone.
- Watch: Council and School Committee meetings air on LTC and are streamed online.
Sources
Lowell government website (lowellma.gov). Verified July 2026.
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