Weymouth Town Council elects Melese president, Berga first female vice president

WEYMOUTH -- January 2, 2024, Weymouth Town Council unanimously elected new officers and made history at its January 2 organizational meeting. The council voted to elevate Michael Melese to Council President and District 1 Councilor Paschal Berga to Vice President, with Berga becoming the first woman to hold that office in the council's history. Town Clerk Kathy Dury presided over the officer elections, the only item of substantive business. Newly elected Councilor Rick Coughlin and two new School Committee members, Danielle Graziano and Mary Ellen Devine, were sworn in before the council session began. Councilor DeFazio was the lone absence, citing a family commitment. Melese called the unanimous backing "a lot of trust" and said the council has "a lot in front of us" over the next two years.