Mayor Michael P. Concannon delivered the annual state of the city address to the Woburn City Council and school committee on Jan. 7, 2025, saying “the state of the city of Woburn is strong” and outlining priorities for the year ahead.

In a speech lasting roughly an hour, Concannon emphasized increased cooperation among the mayor’s office, the city council and the school committee and described weekly project-update meetings that include department heads such as the city engineer, DPW superintendent, planning director and the city auditor. He said the city recently acquired the building at 6 Common Street and plans to use it as a City Hall annex and to provide office space for the city council president and members.

The mayor said the school budget drove most of the city’s FY25 operating increase, accounting for “more than 80% of the increase,” and cited a combination of factors including settled collective bargaining increases, the loss of ESSER COVID-era funds, state-mandated special-education costs and rising utility and transportation expenses. Dr. Crowley, identified in the address as the school superintendent, was described as attending regular school tours with the mayor and council members as part of efforts to improve budget transparency.

Concannon announced several grant and staffing items aimed at bolstering municipal and community services: a $46,000 state grant to study potential efficiencies in school and city facility maintenance, a three‑year grant funding an energy‑advocate position at $85,000 per year, and a community outreach and communications position created in the mayor’s office to connect residents to local service providers. The mayor said the new community resource center will be housed in donated space from Cummings Properties and will operate at no cost to the city.

On public safety and capital projects, the mayor recounted a recent city council approval (he said) of a $30 million bond authorization to build two new fire stations and to refurbish Station 1; he also described progress on a federally and state-funded $20 million downtown traffic improvement project. He noted an imminent PFAS water‑treatment plant project at Horn Pond and said construction has been awarded and will start soon (the council heard a separate PFAS update later in the meeting).

Concannon thanked city negotiators for settling five of seven expired union agreements and credited department heads, the city auditor and other staff for fiscal oversight. He closed by noting continued residential and commercial growth and by announcing the formation of a committee to plan Woburn’s participation in the nation’s 250th anniversary activities.

The council voted to receive a copy of the mayor’s address and to place it on the permanent record.