City Leadership
The Mayor’s Office
The Mayor
Michael Concannon
When a water main breaks under Main Street or the school budget runs short, one elected official owns the result. Michael Concannon is the chief executive of Woburn 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. In November 2023 Concannon did something Woburn had not seen in fourteen years: he unseated a sitting mayor, defeating Scott Galvin by 5,522 votes to 4,139, and he took office in January 2024. Voters returned him in November 2025, and his second term began in January 2026. A lifelong Woburn resident and a graduate of Woburn Memorial High School, he retired as a Major after twenty-six years in the Massachusetts State Police, later served as the state’s Undersecretary of Public Safety, earned a law degree from Suffolk University, and spent ten years on the City Council, including a term as its President. Because Woburn 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 2024 |
| Term | Four-year term |
| Office | Woburn City Hall, 10 Common Street, Woburn, MA 01801 |
| Phone | 781-897-5901 |
| Mconcannon@cityofwoburn.com | |
| Website | woburnma.gov |
What the Mayor Does
- Runs the departments. Police, fire, public works, health, recreation, 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.
- Sets the priorities. School buildings, fire stations, and clean water have all been front-burner fights at City Hall in recent years.
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: 10 Common Street, Woburn, MA 01801. Main line 781-897-5800.
- Mayor’s Office: 781-897-5901, or email Mconcannon@cityofwoburn.com.
- Report a problem: potholes, missed trash, and other service requests start with the relevant department at woburnma.gov.
- Show up: the Council meets in the Council Chamber on the first and third Tuesdays, and the public is welcome.
Sources
Woburn government website (woburnma.gov). Verified July 2026.
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