Peter Christopher Appointed to Council

By Sue Ellen Woodcock

For the next six months Peter Christopher will have a secure seat on the Town Council, and then he’ll have to face an election race for to keep it.

Tuesday night the council voted 6-2 for Christopher to fill the vacant Precinct 5 seat. Also considered for the seat was Steve Koutalakis from Bartlett Road. Both men have taken out nomination papers for the November election.

The seat was once held by Russ Sanford, who had also been the council vice president. When Robert Driscoll Jr. stepped down Sanford became president of the Council, leaving the opening in Precinct 5.

Christopher lives on Cottage Park Road and his family is known for Christopher’s Flowers in the town center.

“I believe my experience helping my parents operate a business and living in the same neighborhood I will represent on the council gives me a unique perspective of the both the commercial and residential interests in the district.” said Christopher. “I don’t believe in weighing residential interests against commercial. We must aim to do both and that is what I’ll do as the councilor representing this precinct.”

The 29-year-old is a graduate of Winthrop High School and UMaine/Orono with a degree in political science. He is currently attending UMass School of Law. He has a background in advocacy for youth. Between college and law school, Christopher worked as a substitute teacher in the Winthrop Public Schools and as a child advocate with the Massachusetts Afterschool Partnership where he advocated on behalf of children and youth in both the state and federal legislatures, relevant state departments as well as municipalities across Massachusetts

He is a member of the Town and State Democratic Committee and Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care Advisory Committee.

Christopher would like to work on issues such as economic development, improving our schools, creating community partnerships throughout the town and transparency in government.