Feeney would later recount that, when she was ten, her parents brought her to view Curley's open casket during his wake in the rotunda of the Massachusetts State House.

[5] Before being invited by Byrne to join his staff, Feeney had been the campaign treasurer of his election opponent, John Garland.

[4] When Byrne decided to retire from the council ahead of the 1993 election, he urged Feeney to run for his seat successor.

[3] She spent just shy of 18 years on the city council,[6] representing the district centered in Dorchester neighborhood.

In 1996, Feeney was a candidate for state representative in the 13th Suffolk District, but ultimately withdrew from the race.

[6] As a prominent member of the council herself, Feeney became seen as a potential contender to one day be elected as Menino's mayoral successor.

A wide field of candidates ran in the election that year to succeed her, with Frank Baker prevailing.

[4] Her resignation from the council (which occurred two months before the expiration of her elected term)[6] made her eligible for appointment before the end of the incumbent city council,[3] as state conflict of interest law required that her to be out of office for a minimum of 30 days before she could be appointed.

Councilor Tito Jackson voted present (abstention) to indicate his displeasure with the process behind her appointment as the new clerk.