[3] Russell launched his career as an independent candidate on a platform for a professional city management, and joined the bi-partisan coalition that was established to elect Walter J. Sullivan as mayor.
[2][6] Russell, this time in alliance with liberal council members,[2] nevertheless was elected after only four weeks of debate.
[2] He was immediately involved in clashes around the firing of long-term School Superintendent William Lannon, accused of political patronage but supported by the parents;[7] the situation temporarily defused only in the end of October[8] and was followed by a work-to-rule action by schoolteachers in November.
[11] Russell himself, speaking on the first anniversary of his mayoral election, claimed local ordinances on human rights and on suppression of smokers to be his most important achievements of the year.
[15] Harvard University established six,[15] now (2009) three Leonard Russell scholarships for local municipal employees.