Town Leadership
The Winthrop Town Manager’s Office
The Town Manager
Anthony Marino
When a water main breaks under Shirley Street or a snowstorm buries the peninsula, the person with the most operational control over the response is appointed, not elected. Anthony Marino is Winthrop’s Town Manager, appointed by the elected Town Council to run the town day to day. He is the chief executive: he hires and supervises the department heads, builds and presents the annual budget, and turns the council’s votes into plowed streets, staffed departments, and repaired seawalls. Because Winthrop hands the daily machinery to an appointed manager, the plan to fix a problem usually crosses his desk first, then goes to the council for the money.
| Role | Town Manager (chief executive) |
|---|---|
| Selection | Appointed by the Town Council, not elected |
| Office | Winthrop Town Hall, 1 Metcalf Square, Winthrop, MA 02152 |
| Phone | 617-846-1705 |
| Website | winthropma.gov |
What the Town Manager Does
- Runs the departments. Police, fire, public works, health, recreation and most other departments report to the Town Manager, who appoints their heads; the Town Council elects the Town Clerk. Assistant Town Manager Cheryl McCormick shares the load and leads planning and community development.
- Builds the budget. Each year the Town Manager proposes how the town will spend its money, then defends that plan before the Town Council, which holds the final vote.
- Answers to the council. The Town Manager is directly responsible to the Council President and the Town Council and carries out the policies they set. He reports to them in public, in a Town Manager’s report on each council agenda.
- Turns votes into action. When the council decides something, the Town Manager’s office finds the money, assigns the department, and puts it on a calendar.
Town Manager vs. Superintendent
Winthrop has two chief executives. The Town Manager runs everything except the schools, and is hired by the elected Town Council. The Superintendent runs the schools, and is hired by the School Committee. Two different bosses, two different budgets, both answering to people you can vote for.
Contact & Engage
- Town Hall: 1 Metcalf Square, Winthrop, MA 02152. Main line 617-846-1852.
- Town Manager’s Office: 617-846-1705.
- Report a problem: for a pothole, a streetlight, or a missed pickup, call Public Works at 617-846-1341 or use the report-a-problem link at winthropma.gov.
- Show up: the Town Council meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6:30 pm in the Harvey Hearing Room, and the public is welcome.
Want to weigh in on a town decision? Learn how to contact your officials so they actually hear you.
MassCivics last checked this page on October 7, 2026.
Sources
- Town records: Town of Winthrop, Town Council Rules and Procedures, amended 22 September 2026, as of September 22, 2026.
- Town records: Town of Winthrop, Town Council meeting agenda, 22 September 2026, as of September 22, 2026.
- Town records: Town of Winthrop, Town Manager Report, 5 November 2025, as of November 5, 2025.
- Town records: Town of Winthrop, Town Manager’s Office, as of October 2026.
- Charter and bylaws: Town of Winthrop, Town of Winthrop Charter, as of October 2026.