Week 1: How We’re Setting Up a Smooth, Serious Transition
Hi neighbors, the Mayor-Elect Jake Wilson transition here. One week into the transition, we wanted to share what we’ve done, what we’re building next, and how you can plug in. The headline: we’re treating this period like the foundation for a service-first, community-centered City Hall. Listen widely. Assess honestly. Keep services humming. Staff up the right way.
We launched the Steering Committee and got right to work
This week we announced our Transition Steering Committee and held our first working session. Jake has asked a diverse group of practitioners, civic leaders, and former public executives to help us (1) assess current strengths and challenges, (2) frame early focuses for the administration, (3) ensure an orderly handoff so basics don’t skip a beat, and (4) support recruitment and early org design.
“Our job is to listen hard, clarify priorities, and keep services steady during the handoff,” I told the group. “Thank you for lending your experience so we start strong.” Jake Wilson Mayor-Elect
What that looked like in Meeting #1:
Agreed on a simple information request for every department (active projects, deadlines, risks, resourcing needs).
Set a public cadence: weekly updates (like this), upcoming listening sessions, and a first-100-days framework you can read and react to.
Built a template for 100-day priorities: clear owner, metric, and milestone dates with no vague goals.
Policy committees are forming and they start with the community.
In parallel, we’re standing up issue-focused policy committees to lead structured conversations on the topics that matter most in year one. These groups will bring practitioners and community leaders from across Somerville into the room with people who deliver services, run programs, organize in neighborhoods, and know where the system helps or doesn’t.
Final rosters will be announced shortly as we confirm invitations.
Each committee will host at least one listening session and produce a short set of practical recommendations to inform the first-100-days plan.
This isn’t a one-off: it’s the start of a longer-term engagement model so our work reflects the priorities, knowledge, and aspirations of our community.
Department head briefings: continuity first
Jake will soon begun meeting with department heads and leadership teams. The goals are simple:
Understand active projects, deadlines, and any bottlenecks.
Hear staffing needs and where the Mayor’s Office can help unblock work.
Identify what we must do in the first 100 days to be most effective.
Bottom line: the phones keep getting answered, 311 stays predictable, inspections and permitting remain steady, and parks and public spaces are cared for, during and after the handoff.
What to expect next
Week 2 - 3: Ongoing department briefings; policy committees finalize rosters & schedules; first public listening sessions announced; recruitment for key roles underway.
Week 4: Publish an initial Transition Memo (operational handoff checklist, early-win actions, draft 100-day focus areas).
Pre-Inauguration: Release the First-100-Days Framework shaped by department input, policy committees, and public feedback; share how we’ll measure progress.
Day One: Launch a simple weekly progress dashboard and keep office hours going.
How you can plug in
Share your priorities. A short input form goes live next week, we’ll post and text it out.
Join a session. We’ll share dates/locations for committee listening sessions in the coming days.
Thanks to everyone who’s already stepped up and to our city staff who show up every day. This period matters — and we’re taking it seriously. Onward.
