Zambuto takes gavel as City Council President; Guarino-Sawaya named Vice President

By Barbara Taormina

The City Council met this week and elected Councillor-at-Large Anthony Zambuto as council president and Ward 5 Councillor Angela Guarino-Sawaya as vice president for the 2026 council session. The vote was swift and unanimous.

“I want to thank councillors for the confidence you’ve placed in me; I won’t let you down,” Zambuto said after taking the oath of office and being handed the President’s gavel by outgoing Council President Marc Silvestri.

“Everyone brings something to the council,” said Zambuto, adding that he intends to listen and encourage all fellow councillors.

“Everyone has the same goal: to make Revere better. We are going to make Revere great again this year,” he said, adding that he is honored, grateful and humbled to be elected council president.

Zambuto has more than 20 years of experience on the council, beginning in 2000. He led the push for a new police station and is known for his attention to fiscal stability and public safety. Zambuto is known for his straightforward and direct style and various roles within the community, having served as president of the Revere Rotary Club and Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce.

Guarino-Sawaya was first elected to the council in 2024, filling the seat of longtime Councillor John Powers. She is beginning her second term on the council. Guarino-Sawaya has been involved in issues in Ward 5, such as flooding, sewer upgrades, stormwater management and public safety improvements, such as better street lighting and traffic calming measures. She has also stressed her background as a cancer survivor to call for more health access and support services for residents.

Like Zambuto, Guarino-Sawaya thanked fellow councillors for their confidence and trust. “In the event that Councilor Zambuto can’t attend a meeting, I will be ready to step in,” she assured the council.

Prior to the vote for council leadership, City Clerk Ashley Melnick administered the oath of office to the City Council and School Committee members. The council welcomed James Mercurio, the new councilor for Ward 1. Mercurio is taking the seat of former Ward 1 Councillor Joanne McKenna, who is beginning her first term as a councillor-at-large.