[1] On June 24, 1934, Cotter was elected State Commander of the VFW, receiving 376 votes to Frankland W. L. Miles’ 306 and Frank L. Carey’s 24.
In 1950, he was appointed Soldiers' Relief Commissioner and Director of Veterans' Services for the City of Boston by Mayor John Hynes.
[1] In July 1954, Cotter implemented a reorganization plan that resulted in the closure of two stations (one of which was only three years old), the deactivation of 3 fire companies, and the reassignment of 83 firemen.
The city’s consolidation efforts were opposed by the Boston Firefighters Union, who accused Cotter and Hynes of providing inadequate protection to Dorchester.
[7] On February 26, 1959, Cotter returned to his home at noon to eat lunch and tend to his ill wife.