Woburn Council Seeks Legal Opinion Before Choosing Deputy DPW Superintendent

WOBURN -- September 29, 2025, Woburn's Personnel Committee interviewed three finalists for Deputy DPW Superintendent and voted 7-1 to seek a legal advisory before advancing any names to the full council. The committee, sitting as a committee of the whole under Council Chairman Campbell, heard from civil engineer Melissa Miguel of Cambridge, civil engineer Michael Page of Griffin Engineering Group, and two-year DPW highway crew member Anthony Paziali. DPW Superintendent Jay Rull, allowed to address the committee after a unanimous vote to suspend the rules, said his top priority is not operations, noting three experienced supervisors already on staff, but environmental compliance, telling members "I need assistance to keep this city out of non-compliance to environmental rules that are getting more stringent by the day." Councilor Toro's motion to ask City Solicitor Silvati whether the council's options extend beyond the three finalists passed 7-1 over the objections of Councilor Pappalato and Chairman Campbell. The matter was left in committee; under City Council Rule 34, no more than two of the three candidates may be referred to the full council for final action.