Burke Appointment Approved, Arena to Take Spot on City Council

Gov. Deval Patrick signed off on the appointment of City Councillor Stephanie Burke to an administrative position with the city, and Burke's post on the council will be filled by a new-comer on Tuesday.

A petition was necessary to appoint Burke as the city's budget and personnel director because it is against Massachusetts law for an elected municipal official to be appointed to another city job while actively serving a term.

According to the agenda for Tuesday's meeting, the city council is prepared to fill Burke's position. Mark Arena, who has run unsuccessfully for a spot on the council twice previously, is slated to be appointed as a city councillor before Tuesday's regular meeting.

State Rep. Paul Donato submitted a petition on Jan. 20, after Mayor Michael McGlynn announced Burke was his pick for the job and the city council unanimously voted to request the petition.

It was approved by the House of Representatives on Jan. 26 and by the State Senate on Jan. 27, according to Massachusetts General Court records.

Patrick signed off on the bill on Feb. 3.

Burke will replace Richard Lee, who died in late December. Lee is the only person to serve as the city's Budget and Personnel director since the city switched to a strong-arm mayor form of government in 1987, and was considered a key advisor to Mayor Michael McGlynn during his on-going 23-year tenure.

It is the first time Medford has ever appointed a currently-serving elected official to a city administrative post, City Solicitor Mark Rumley previously said.