Council votes 6-3 to dissolve rules panel

Select Board · Meeting of October 27, 2026

WINTHROP — The Winthrop Town Council voted 6-3 to dissolve its Rules and Ordinance Committee for a six-month trial run after a special meeting that opened with a failed vote and a notice dispute. Councilors Costigan, Romano, Reardon, Finn, Swope and President Letary backed the change; Tassaneri, Malar and Dimes opposed it. Councilor Malar, the committee's chair, warned the move "creates an appearance that the process itself is being manipulated," while Councilor Tassaneri said the dissolution "reeks of manipulation." Councilor Romano said the shift would let "more people get involved" by moving debate to the full council.

Councilor Dimes withdrew her motion to temporarily ban councilors' use of AI tools after Councilor Reardon called a ban unenforceable. The council also referred several Center Business District zoning amendments, including cutting maximum building height from 48 feet to 35 feet, to the Planning Board, with Councilor Tassaneri warning of potential lawsuits over property devaluation.

In the full story:

• Opening: Election of a Temporary Chair
• Notice Dispute and Failed Motion to Adjourn
• Public Comment: Process Complaints and Policy Warnings
• Dissolving the Rules and Ordinance Committee
• Artificial Intelligence Use Motion Withdrawn
• Zoning Amendments Referred to the Planning Board
• Comprehensive Rules Rewrite and Committee-Referral Clarification Held Over
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 2,788 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of October 27, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript. It was corrected where it differed.