About Jeannette
Jeannette A. McCarthy
Education
A record of working for the children of Waltham.
Experience
Waltham High School, Class of 1971
Boston College, B.S. Biology, Magna Cum Laude, 1975
Suffolk University Law School, J.D. Cum Laude, 1983
Northeastern University, M.S. Criminal Justice, 1986
Public Service
Only mayor to have served on all three levels of local government.
Mayor, 2004-Present
Waltham City Councillor-at-Large, 2002-2004
Waltham School Committee, 1986-1991, 2004-2015 (Chair)
Prior Work Experience
City Solicitor, Assistant City Solicitor, Staff Attorney
City of Waltham Law Department (1992-2000)
Attorney, Private Practice
Instructor, Business Law, Mass. Bay Community College
Teaching Assistant, Northeastern University
Production Supervisor, Electronic Test Center
Electronic Tester, B.L.H. Electronics
Bookkeeper, Family business
Honors
Recipient, Woman of the Year Award, Waltham/Greater Boston Business and Professional Women’s Club
Recipient, Boston College Academic Grant
Honored by various local nonprofits, Rotary, Kiwanis, SEPAC, Breaking Barriers, Lodge of Elks, Waltham Cultural Council, Centennial Scholarship, Latinos en Accion
Featured in Suffolk Alumni Magazine
2014 - President, Massachusetts Mayors Association
(Elected unsolicited by her mayor colleagues statewide)
Senior Citizens
Waltham has a wonderful senior center, but there is not enough parking. Jeannette worked with property owners, their attorney, the City Council and the Council on Aging (COA) Director to purchase some adjacent land to provide 35 additional parking spaces. Title issues were resolved in the Spring of 2015. We can now proceed to hire an architect to prepare the bid documents for the parking lot construction.
Jeannette worked with the COA Director and staff and the city’s maintenance department to create additional recreation activities for seniors. The Great Escape at the center has bocce, ping pong, Wii exercise and bowling, a pool table and mini golf practice holes. The senior artists painted beautiful artwork to accentuate this new space.
The center’s roof and walls were fixed; a new kitchen floor and sound barrier system were installed. A new van was purchased. More senior meals have been made available by senior center staff. Jeannette enjoys “Serving the Seniors”.
Veterans
Waltham was named a Purple Heart City in 2015. One of Jeannette’s first priorities upon becoming mayor in 2004 was to get the design for the veterans project on the Common done. Jeannette worked with Veterans’ Agent Walter Hoyt, the Circle of Remembrance Committee, veterans and the City Council. The beautiful memorial was dedicated in 2005. Jeannette assisted veterans with the Vietnam Moving Wall project and has helped the American Legion Post 156 in honoring World War II, Korean and Vietnam veterans. Each year she helps veterans and children in placing flags on veterans’ graves at Waltham cemeteries.