Matewsky Resigns Citing Health Issues; Hanlon Accepts Council Seat

By Neil Zolot

EVERETT – Citing health-related issues, Councillor-at-Large Wayne Matewsky resigned from his position at the end of Tuesday’s May 26^th City Council meeting, called it his retirement in city government.

“It’s been a pleasure to serve,” he said in a telephone interview with The Advocate Wednesday, of his 44 years in Everett city government, including serving as councillor-at-large and ward 1’s representative.

To fill the vacancy, the seat has been offered to the runner-up candidate for the seat, if that candidate received at least 20% of the vote. According to Cornelio, that would be former Mayor and City Councillor John Hanlon, who City Clerk Sergio Cornelio has reported has accepted the position.

Wayne Matewsky has had a career in Everett and Massachusetts politics spanning more than four decades. Here’s an overview of his political career:

• 1981: First elected to Everett’s Common Council under the city’s former bicameral government system.
• 1981–2007: Served for decades as a Ward 1 Common Councilor, becoming one of Everett’s longest-serving elected officials.
• 2007–2013: Served as an Everett Alderman-at-Large before the city switched to its current unicameral City Council structure.
• 2013–2015: Elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives for the 28th Middlesex District in a special election after the resignation of Stephen Stat Smith. He served one term before losing the 2014 Democratic primary to Joe McGonagle.
• 2015–2026: Returned to Everett city government as a Councillor-at-Large and remained a prominent figure on the City Council.
• 2021: Elected President of the Everett City Council.

Matewsky was known as a longtime Ward 1 political figure and labor ally in Everett politics. Over the years, he was also involved in several public controversies during his time as state representative and city councillor.