City official, a mayoral confidante, dies of cancer

By Donovan Slack, Globe Staff

William "Bo" Holland, the city's director of intergovernmental relations and a longtime friend of Mayor Thomas M. Menino, died this morning after a long battle with cancer, city officials said.

Holland was a trouble shooter for Menino and had been in charge of negotiating the mayor's relationships with state and federal governments since massive cuts in state and federal aid in 2003 triggered one of the most difficult fiscal situations of Menino's tenure.

Known for his unwavering loyalty and political acumen, Holland was a valued aide and West Roxbury political operative of former Mayor Kevin White. He spent more than a decade working as a lobbyist and consultant for O'Neil and Associates, a downtown public relations firm, where he was a senior vice president, before returning to City Hall to work for Menino.

Holland had been undergoing chemotherapy treatment in recent months, but had been coming into work regularly.

"He was a true gentleman," Menino said through a spokeswoman today. "This is a huge loss for us. I'll miss him. He was a good friend."

Holland is survived by a son, Peter. His wife of 27 years, Betty, died from liver cancer in 2002.