261:, as well as a reduction in local aid from the state government. He was able to avoid layoffs by instituting an early retirement program for city employees, which reduced the city's workforce by over 100 employees. He also had to deal with anger arising from an increase in local property taxes. In September 2002, Phelan suspended eight Quincy police officers for misconduct, which included drinking while on duty, firing weapons in the air, driving under the influence of alcohol, allowing one of the officers girlfriend's to drive a police cruiser, and attempting to cover up the incident, that occurred while they were working a paid detail at a nightclub.
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fire department, stating that the city could not afford the cost of the requirements (which he stated would be $ 8 million over five years). The veto was criticized by the president of the Quincy
Firefighters Association, who accused Phelan of not making public safety a priority. Fire Chief Paul O'Connell also objected to the ordinance, citing the cost as well as the fact that only two other municipalities in the country had adopted these staffing requirements. In July 2003, Phelan presented a city budget that called for no layoffs, preserved most city services, and increased the amount of money in the city's reserves.
347:, after town meeting voted against it. In April 2013, the chairman of the Holbrook finance committee filed an ethics complaint against Phelan, alleging that an e-mail Phelan sent to him in error demonstrated at least an appearance of conflict with regard to the school committee election. A spreadsheet attached to the e-mail appeared to be a contact list for the purpose of influencing the election. Phelan said he wrote the e-mail on his own time and sent it from a personal account. No violation of state ethics laws was found to have occurred.
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of the eighteen city worker unions were working without a contract due to conflicts over health insurance costs, which had grown from $ 18 million in 2002 to $ 40 million. At that time, the city paid 90% of health insurance premiums for most city employees. That June, all 890-members of the teachers union went on strike, which resulted in the closure of all nineteen of the city's schools. The strike ended after four days when the union and school committee reached a tentative contract agreement.
254:, and for "putting the interests of the developers ahead of the people". Sheets in turn faulted Phelan for his lack of experience, running a negative campaign, and for not putting forward ideas of his own. Phelan defeated Sheets by fifteen votes in the general election. After a recount, the margin of victory was increased to seventeen votes and Sheets conceded the election.
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identify cuts, the City
Council decided to take credit for the cuts but not take responsibility for the pain the cuts will cause." Councilor Joseph G. Finn countered, stating "The mayor's the guy in charge. We don't manage. We're not the administrators." The cuts came after Quincy residents saw their property taxes increase over 45% in four years, the highest of all
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reporter Robert Preer as "one of Quincy's most rancorous mayoral elections in decades". The two candidates sparred over the issue of property taxes - Phelan criticized Koch for implementing the largest tax increase in city history while Koch blamed Phelan's administration for leaving him with a large
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During his third term as mayor, Phelan created a citywide full-day kindergarten, hired additional teachers and classroom aides, cut the high school drop-out rate in half, planted more than 100 trees and implemented a nationally recognized 10-year plan to end chronic homelessness. In 2007, seventeen
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By 2005, the city's reserves had tripled and its bond rating had improved. Phelan used the reserves to pay for a road rebuilding program and increase the school department budget. He also began working on plans for a 65-acre park on the
Broadmeadows marshes and the improvement and reconstruction of
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In the 2003 election, Phelan faced a last-minute challenge from city councilor Joseph F. Newton. Newton criticized Phelan for moving slowly with plans for a new Quincy high school as well as the poor condition of the city's infrastructure. Phelan was reelected with 73% of the vote, defeating Newton
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In 2003, Phelan negotiated a new lease with Quarry Hills
Associates, which ran the newly opened Granite Links Golf Club at Quarry Hills, that would give the city 10% of the club's gross revenues. That June he vetoed a proposed ordinance that would've implement minimum staffing requirements for the
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In 2004, facing pressure from the Quincy
Taxpayers Association, the Quincy city council voted to make $ 700,000 in specific cuts and cut the budget by another $ 2.1 million without identifying where the cuts would be made. Phelan criticized the council, stating that "Rather than do the job and
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communities, due to an increase in property value. The city solicitor, based on an opinion from the
Massachusetts Department of Revenue, ruled that the council's vote to cut the budget without specifying what was to be cut was invalid, but upheld the $ 700,000 in specific cuts.
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Phelan first ran for public office in 1999 as a candidate for the Quincy school committee. During his term on the school board, Phelan clashed with mayor James A. Sheets over the location of the new high school. Phelan successfully blocked Sheets' plan to build the school on
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In March 2011, Phelan was offered the position of town administrator of
Holbrook, Massachusetts. The Holbrook board of selectmen voted 5 to 0 on March 8, 2011, to appoint Phelan as interim town administrator. That October he was offered the permanent position.
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In 2001, Phelan challenged Sheets for mayor. It was the first time that Sheets had faced a competitive election since he was first elected in 1989. During the campaign, Phelan criticized Sheets for rising taxes, the unsuccessful effort to reopen the
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reported that supporters and relatives of Koch who resided outside of the city had voted in the previous election. Both sides challenged the residency of a few of the other's supporters. Koch defeated Phelan.
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During Phelan's first days in office he was faced with a $ 4 million budget deficit due to reduced revenue from taxes and fees, including a $ 1.5 million reduction in the fees paid by the
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budget deficit that necessitated the increase. They also accused each other of engaging in patronage and deceptive campaigning. During the campaign,
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In
December 2011, Phelan was criticized by members of Holbrook's school committee for discussing school regionalization with the town manager of
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in 1978. He was a standout basketball player and was elected to the school's athletic hall of fame. Phelan earned a bachelor's degree from
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On June 2, 2009, Phelan announced that he would challenge Koch in that year's election. The race between Koch and Phelan was described by
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Van Sack, Jessica (January 3, 2007). "Progress report: Mayor Phelan says long-planned projects get under way in 2007=The
Patriot Ledger".
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Van Sack, Jessica (January 3, 2007). "Progress report: Mayor Phelan says long-planned projects get under way in 2007=The
Patriot Ledger".
783:"Holbrook administrator accused of improper electioneering In Holbrook, a misdirected e-mail sparks ethics complaint - The Boston Globe"
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219:. He worked as a counselor for the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services before beginning a law practice in Quincy in 1989.
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Carroll, Matt (March 4, 2007). "Benefits stall contracts; Quincy mayor wants to curb rising healthcare costs".
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Simpson, April (June 14, 2007). "Quincy teachers end strike - Schools to reopen with tentative pact".
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Crowley, Elizabeth W. (August 9, 1999). "William J. Phelan enters race for school board in Quincy".
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Abelson, Jenn (August 12, 2004). "Ruling Voids Cuts by Council; Mayor to Devise New Budget Trims".
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Atkins, Kimberly (June 29, 2003). "Mayor Vetoes Council Bid to Increase Firefighter Staffing".
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311:(a holdover from the Sheets administration), resigned and declared his candidacy for mayor.
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is an American attorney, former mayor and town administrator, and politician. He served as
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Tench, Megan (September 8, 2002). "Quincy Mayor Seeks to Restore Confidence in Police".
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Atkins, Kimberly (January 5, 2003). "Mayor Faces 2003 with Optimism, Caution".
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Preer, Robert (October 25, 2001). "Mayoral Candidates Turning Up The Heat".
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Abelson, Jenn (October 16, 2003). "City Pressing Golf Course for Payment".
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Preer, Robert (August 3, 2003). "Last-Minute Entry Gives Phelan a Race".
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Ebbert, Stephanie (November 24, 2001). "Close Race Conceded by Sheets".
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Carroll, Matt (October 15, 2009). "Mayoral rivals challenge 6 voters".
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Preer, Robert (August 7, 2005). "Mayor Has Smooth Road to Reelection".
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Preer, Robert (October 29, 2009). "Accusations traded as vote nears".
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Abelson, Jenn (June 27, 2004). "Mayor Rips Council Over Budget Cuts".
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Crowley, Elizabeth W. (November 7, 2011). "It's Phelan by 15 votes".
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Preer, Robert (November 1, 2007). "Mayoral races down to the wire".
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Crowley, Elizabeth W. (June 8, 2001). "Phelan to battle for mayor".
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Gedan, Benjamin (November 6, 2003). "Sitting Mayors Sit Pretty".
804:"Former chief appointed interim town administrator in Holbrook"
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Preer, Robert (February 4, 2007). "Ex-aide runs for mayor".
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downtown Quincy. He was also rumored to be a candidate for
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Preer, Robert (April 18, 2002). "Anger Dogs New Mayor".
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Phelan resigned as town administrator on May 15, 2015.
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732:"Ex-Quincy mayor Phelan offered top Holbrook post"
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295:. He ran unopposed in that year's election.
191:from 2002 to 2008 and town administrator of
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758:"Emotions run high over plan for school"
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259:Massachusetts Water Resources Authority
756:Barnes, Jennette (December 15, 2011).
864:School board members in Massachusetts
57:March 8, 2011 – May 15, 2015
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874:Suffolk University Law School alumni
802:Rideout, Jeanne M. (June 12, 2015).
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291:or another state-wide office in the
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232:at a former industrial site in
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205:North Quincy High School
77:Edward O’Brien (interim)
844:Massachusetts Democrats
345:Abington, Massachusetts
274:13,117 votes to 4,775.
223:Quincy school committee
193:Holbrook, Massachusetts
45:Holbrook, Massachusetts
203:Phelan graduated from
43:Town Administrator of
849:Massachusetts lawyers
195:, from 2011 to 2015.
189:Quincy, Massachusetts
158:Quincy, Massachusetts
86:Quincy, Massachusetts
33:Attorney, Phelan Law
719:. November 4, 2009.
289:Lieutenant Governor
252:Fore River Shipyard
808:The Patriot Ledger
437:The Patriot Ledger
404:The Patriot Ledger
389:The Patriot Ledger
209:Suffolk University
169:Town Administrator
715:"Mayoral Races".
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269:Second term
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63:Preceded by
828:Categories
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788:2015-09-25
354:References
299:Third term
245:First term
199:Early life
171:Politician
164:Occupation
148:Democratic
154:Residence
98:2002–2008
94:In office
53:In office
186:Mayor of
167:Attorney
138:American
83:Mayor of
741:July 2,
328:WCVB-TV
211:and a
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213:J.D.
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