Government

Winthrop is a strong, longstanding municipality of central, Maine. Winthrop was a town 5 years before the Declaration of Independence, and 50 years before Maine became a state. It lies just a few miles west of the capital Augusta, and covers an area of 38 square miles, 17% of which is water, which is why it was originally known as Pondtown. Since 1974, Winthrop has used the council/manager form of government. This form of government combines the leadership of elected officials with the managerial experience of an appointed manager.

The Town Council's role in this form of government is to make laws and broad policy decisions for the Town Manager and staff to carry out. The Manager oversees the day-to-day operations of the Town and serves as the key advisor to the Council. Our Council members are elected at large with staggered 3-year terms. Being elected "at large" means councillors are responsive to all residents of the Town. Its role is to adopt laws and policies to govern the Town, leaving implementation up to the Manager and the rest of the Town staff.

Throughout its long history, Winthrop has remained steadfast in providing municipal services that are responsive to the needs of the residents and businesses and are reliable, efficient and fiscally responsible.

In this section you will find information on municipal Boards and Committees, our Town Departments, the Town Charter and other ordinances, our staff, Town Manager, and Town Council.