Weymouth Mayor Robert Hedlund announces he will resign from office on July 15
Hedlund held the Plymouth and Norfolk Senate seat for more than two decades, from 1995 to 2016, representing the towns of Cohasset, Duxbury, Hingham, Hull, Marshfield, Norwell, Scituate, and Weymouth.
'Reflecting on my tenure as Mayor, it has been a privilege and honor to have repeatedly earned the trust of Weymouth residents, not only as Mayor but also during my 21 years as State Senator,' Hedlund wrote.
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Hedlund praised dedicated department heads and employees 'whose only goal has been to improve the lives of Weymouth residents, whether by honoring our history, improving our schools, public safety, roadways and public spaces, infrastructure upgrades, or revitalizing our economy and environment.'
In a nearly identical
'I am confident that I am leaving Weymouth in very good hands and that the future will only continue to get brighter,' Hedlund wrote.
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In a lengthy comment reacting to Hedlund's post, one town resident referred to the Mayor as 'a truly transformative leader.'
'When Bob first took office, our community was facing real challenges — underutilized spaces, aging infrastructure, blighted corridors, and limited vision,' the resident wrote. 'But under his leadership, we've witnessed nothing short of a renaissance. He helped turn a muddling community into a thriving, vibrant town that we're now proud to call home."
Hedlund could not be reached for comment Tuesday evening.
Hedlund said the timing of his resignation will allow for a mayoral election to occur in conjunction with Town Council races in November.
'This will preclude the need for additional costs that would have been necessary with a special election,' Hedlund said.
After July 15, Town Council President Michael Molisse will serve as acting mayor, and Chief of Staff Ted Langill will continue on in his current role, Hedlund said.
'While I am leaving the office of Mayor, I maintain my deep interest in what happens in town,' Hedlund said. 'I will remain an engaged citizen of Weymouth and available for advice should I be asked.'
'It has been a privilege serving beside you. Thank you!'
The Massachusetts Republican Party expressed 'gratitude' for Hedlund's years of public service in a statement.
Thank you for your tireless service to the City of Weymouth, Mayor Hedlund, and congratulations on your retirement! You are an irreplaceable friend and mentor to countless Republican activists who have learned what public service is all about.
— MassGOP (@massgop)
'I thank Bob for his tireless advocacy for the city that raised him, and one he's seen through both good times and bad,' MassGOP Chair Amy Carnevale said in the statement.
'Through effective leadership, responsive constituent services, and a dogged approach toward campaigning, he has demonstrated how Republicans may compete successfully in cities,' Carnevale said. 'He is an irreplaceable friend and mentor to countless Republican activists who have learned what public service is all about.'
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Massachusetts Republican National Committeewoman Janet Fogarty, who lives in Weymouth, said she first met Hedlund in 1992 while helping out on his Senate campaign and they have remained close friends.
In the state GOP statement, she wished Hedlund a 'restful retirement.'
'Bob has been a loyal public servant to Weymouth and the South Shore for decades,' Fogarty's statement said.
'Bob has strengthened the Republican Party both in Weymouth and across the South Shore where our Party is the strongest it has been in years,' Fogarty said. 'His service as Mayor and State Senator embodies the virtues of the Massachusetts Republican Party: putting residents first, honoring our veterans, and delivering critical services through effective leadership in local government.'
Earlier this year, Hedlund turned President Trump's renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America into an opportunity to make a tongue-in-cheek announcement that he was changing the name of Hingham Bay to the
Hedlund
'I am pleased to announce that today via Executive Order I have renamed Hingham Bay the Gulf of Weymouth,' Hedlund wrote in the post.
Tonya Alanez can be reached at
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