Melrose Board Unofficially Selects New President

MELROSE, MA — Ward 2 Alderman Jennifer Lemmerman was unanimously selected as the Board of Aldermen's next president in an unofficial caucus vote Monday night. Lemmerman was the only candidate who ran.

As president, Lemmerman would stand in as mayor in certain instances the mayor is not available. She would also assign Board members to chairman positions on the various committees around the city.

If officially voted in, Lemmerman faces a challenging year, something she admitted to Monday night. The override ballot question is likely to dominate discussion after the new year.

While Lemmerman is widely expected to be officially voted in at a later date, it's not a sure thing just yet. Current President of the Board Mike Zwirko was unanimously selected last year in the unofficial vote before then-Mayor Rob Dolan announced plans to step down mid-term. The timing of his announcement meant the next resident of the board would become the next mayor, and Gail Infurna, who had initially voted for Zwirko in the unofficial vote, ran before the official vote and won.

Infurna took over as mayor when Dolan left, and Zwirko would go on to become president.

• Melrose Board Effectively Names Gail Infurna Next Mayor: Watch
• Zwirko Named President Of The Board
• Melrose's Zwirko Is Ready To Move The City And Himself Forward

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Photo: Lemmerman heads up an Appropriations Committee meeting