Rourke Resigns From Lowell Council, Effective Immediately
Lowell Councilor Rourke resigned from the City Council effective immediately, triggering a special election.
City Council · Meeting of September 22, 2026
Lowell Councilor Rourke resigned from the City Council effective immediately, triggering a special election. Rourke announced the move without warning at the close of Tuesday's meeting, after colleagues credited him with securing state funding for the Rourke Bridge project and with the city's 'frontrunner city' economic development push. Mayor Eric Gitcheer directed Golden to "start the special election process." The same meeting, the council voted 9-1 to seek special state legislation raising Sergeant Vincent Fernandez's disability pension to 100 percent; Retirement Board Chairman William DeRozar estimated the annual increase would be roughly $18,000, with an immediate retroactive cost of approximately $180,000, plus a lump payment exceeding $250,000.
Councilors also sent a tenant rights notification ordinance to subcommittee and debated, without a clear resolution in the record, suspending the department's Flock license-plate camera system. The curb-cut zoning ordinance expanding driveways passed 11-0.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 3,234 words
Source: the City Council meeting of September 22, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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