Methuen Mayor Neil Perry was inaugurated for his third term of office on Wednesday January 3, 2024. The event was held at the beautiful Methuen Memorial Music Hall. In addition to Mayor Perry the newly elected members of the Methuen City Council, the Methuen School Committee, the Greater Lawrence Regional School Committee, the Methuen Housing Authority, and the Nevins Memorial Library Board of Trustees were all sworn in. The Master of Ceremonies was State Representative Ryan Hamilton, and the guest speaker was State Auditor Diana DiZoglio.

Mayor Perry is Methuen’s sixth Mayor of the modern era following the Charter change that brought us the Mayoral form of government in 1993. Methuen changed to a Town Administrator/Council form in 1973 and then a Town Manager/Council form of government after abandoning Town Meeting. After the 1993 change Methuen had its first Mayoral election since Samuel Rushton won the office before 1920. Mayors, by Charter, are limited to three two year terms. Let us take a look at the inaugurals of the five Mayors that preceded Mayor Neil Perry!

In 1994 Dennis DiZoglio led the ticket in the very large primary field, and then defeated a young upstart City Councilor named William Manzi in the final election to become Methuen’s first Mayor of the modern era. Mayor DiZoglio won three terms as Mayor, and during his tenure the school system built the three K-8 grammar schools (Marsh, Tenney, and the Timony schools.)

Mayor Sharon Pollard won the first of her three terms by defeating City Councilor Larry Giordano in her first run for that office. Mayor Pollard was a former State Senator, and a former Secretary of Energy for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, working for Governor Dukakis. A little remembered fact is that then City Councilor Steve Zanni was in that preliminary election for Mayor.

Following Mayor Pollard was Mayor William Manzi III. (Yes, the same one that lost to Mayor DiZoglio.) In my initial race I defeated Ellen Bahan for the office. In 2006 I was sworn in by none other than today’s Mayor-elect James P. Jajuga, outfitted in a regal set of Justice of the Peace robes. I also served three terms, and was very happy to secure the state financing for the High School project, and get that construction started.

Mayor Stephen Zanni was the fourth Mayor of the modern era. Mayor Zanni defeated Al Dinuccio in 2011, and twice won re-election. During his Administration the total renovation of Nicholson Stadium, including brand new artificial turf, occurred.

James P. Jajuga was Methuen’s fifth Mayor of the modern era, and won election in 2017 while running unopposed. Mayor Jajuga is a former State Senator, has served as the Massachusetts Secretary of Public Safety, as well as having a long and distinguished career as a Massachusetts State Trooper. Mayor Jajuga served one term as the Mayor of Methuen.