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Lynn City Council President Coco Alinsug outlines 100‑day gains: offices for councilors, open mic nights and a one‑term pledge
Summary
In a Lynn Lowdown interview marking her first 100 days, Council President Coco Alinsug said the council has secured desks/offices for all elected councilors, launched a ward map on the city website, instituted monthly open‑mic meetings and pledged to serve a single two‑year term as president.
Council President Coco Alinsug said she has used her first 100 days in office to change how the Lynn City Council connects with residents and runs its internal operations.
"I always believe in... promoting a different approach," Alinsug said, describing the presidency as a role that developed over time rather than a sought position. She told host Seth Albaum that one of her first wins was securing desks and offices for each elected councilor so they can meet constituents in person. "Each elected councilor will have a desk and an office where they could meet constituents," she said.
Alinsug also pointed to improvements on the Lynn City website intended to reduce confusion about representation: an online ward map now shows who represents each address. She described a new "open mic night," scheduled for the last Tuesday of every month, as another step to bring residents into council deliberations, and said the council has begun publicly interviewing nominees to boards and commissions on LCTV to increase appointment transparency.
The president framed the council as a partner and check on mayoral administration actions, saying the council supports ordinances that benefit the city while scrutinizing items that appear questionable. "We are the checks and balances," she said, noting that 11 council members represent "100 plus thousand people in Lynn."
Alinsug described practical adjustments she has made to balance ward duties with the presidency. With staff support from "Terry and Lisa," she said she will move her Ward 3 newsletter from a monthly to a quarterly schedule to free time for presidential responsibilities but that she will continue to handle constituent needs — including on days with severe weather.
On leadership succession, Alinsug reiterated a campaign promise to be a one‑term council president. She said she plans to serve in the role through 2026 and 2027 and return to full Ward 3 focus after a new president is elected for 2028. "I will be a one‑term president," she said.
Alinsug also noted smaller, visible changes already in place at City Hall: improved lighting in the council chamber credited to a staffer named Jacob and the relocation of her office to connect directly to the chamber.
On the personal side, Alinsug said the stress of the job produced a skin rash early in her tenure; following medical advice she set strict boundaries for work and family time, including setting aside evenings with her partner Peter and avoiding calls during television time as part of her self‑care routine.
Alinsug encouraged residents to bring issues to their ward councilors, sign up online or in person during meetings, and watch appointment interviews on LCTV. The Lynn Lowdown episode closed after roughly 100 days of her presidency with Alinsug describing the early changes as the start of a broader 10‑point agenda she is working to advance.
