View the Somerville HandbookCity Leadership
The Mayor’s Office
The Mayor
Jake Wilson
When a Somerville bus runs late or a building permit stalls for months, one elected official owns the result. Jake Wilson is the chief executive of Somerville under the city’s strong-mayor charter, which makes him responsible for running the city day to day. He oversees every department, appoints most department heads and board members, and builds the budget the City Council then votes on. Wilson took office in January 2026 after winning the November 2025 election, in which he defeated City Councilor Willie Burnley Jr. He had served as an at-large city councilor and gave up that citywide seat to run for mayor, succeeding Katjana Ballantyne, who lost the September 2025 preliminary. He campaigned on a results-first agenda, arguing that city government should be measured by whether the buses run, permits move, and streets get fixed. Because Somerville hands real power to an elected mayor, when a city service works or fails the responsibility lands on this desk.
| Role | Mayor (chief executive) |
|---|---|
| In office | Since January 2026 |
| Office | City Hall, 93 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA 02143 |
| Phone | 617-625-6600 ext. 2100 |
| mayor@somervillema.gov | |
| Website | somervillema.gov |
What the Mayor Does
- Runs the departments. Police, fire, public works, health, parks, and the rest all answer to the Mayor, who appoints their leaders.
- Builds the budget. Each year the Mayor proposes how the city will spend its money, then sends the plan to the Council.
- Signs or vetoes. When the Council passes an ordinance, the Mayor can sign it into law or veto it. A two-thirds Council vote can override.
- Sits on the schools. Under the charter the Mayor is a voting member of the School Committee, linking City Hall and the classroom.
The Administration
- Department heads are appointed by the Mayor and carry out policy, from plowing snow to inspecting restaurants.
- The City Council is the check: it must approve the budget and major appointments, and it can override a veto.
- Boards and commissions, most of them appointed by the Mayor, decide questions like zoning, conservation, and licensing.
Contact & Engage
- City Hall: 93 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA 02143. Main line 617-625-6600.
- Mayor’s Office: 617-625-6600 ext. 2100, or email mayor@somervillema.gov.
- Report a problem: potholes, missed trash, and other service requests go through Somerville 311.
- Show up: the Council meets in the Council Chamber on the second and fourth Thursdays, and the public is welcome.
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