[2] In 1911, Goodwin's letter to Mayor John F. Fitzgerald led the Boston Finance Commission to investigate the city's assessment on the estate of Joseph B.
[6] Goodwin and his fellow commissioners worked to alleviate downtown traffic by removing streetcars from several thoroughfares and converting a number of streets to one-ways.
[8] In 1920, public works commissioner John N. Cole appointed Goodwin to the newly created position of the Registrar of Motor Vehicles.
[2] After faulty brakes were found to have caused an accident that killed his 3-year-old grandson, Goodwin instituted semi-annual inspections for all motor vehicles.
[1] He met monthly with fellow registrars from New England, the Mid-Atlantic states, and Eastern Canada to discuss common issues and potential solutions, which helped lead to the creation of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators.
[10] Goodwin used his position to attack the state judicial system, which he felt was too lenient, as well as political figures, including those in his own party.
[2] On February 28, 1928, when speaking before a legislative committee on a bill regarding state employee salaries, Goodwin claimed that governor Alvan T. Fuller had acted in bad faith and told him that "nobody can cross me and get away with it".
His term ended on October 9, 1934, and Leonard wrote to Governor Ely that Goodwin's "continued presence on the commission is only an embarrassment to its work and proper functioning".
Former Mayor James Michael Curley crossed party lines and supported Goodwin over fellow Democrat Leonard.
[20] On January 25, 1935, Governor Curley asked public works commissioner William F. Callahan to fire registrar of motor vehicles Morgan Ryan and replace him with Goodwin.
In December 1946, Goodwin underwent a gallbladder operation and remained in ill health until his death on June 15, 1947, at his summer home in Fairhaven, Massachusetts.