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Municipal votes · 2019–2020 Board

Abington Select Board

How the Abington Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide. Kevin DiMarzio joined the board after the April 2019 town election; Bob Manning left. The posted minutes do not include a reorganization vote; later minutes name Tom Connolly as Chair and Tim Chapin as Vice Chair (Ken Coyle chaired on May 6, 2019 as acting chairman). We start this term at the first posted meeting after the election (May 6, 2019). Only some meetings have posted minutes, and none from January or March 2020. Covers 16 meetings, May 6 to June 4, 2020.

A monthly email on what it voted on, starting in November.

What does the Select Board do? It is the town’s executive board. It prepares the Town Meeting warrant (the list of articles voters decide), appoints members of many town boards, hires the town’s top staff, signs warrants to pay town bills, and grants licenses and permits.

Town Meeting, not the Select Board, votes the town budget and town bylaws.

Sources: Massachusetts Select Board Handbook (MMA) · Mass. Division of Local Services: the town budget
Election Day · Tuesday, Nov 3

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What Town Meeting decided

In Abington, Town Meeting — not the Select Board — votes the town budget, bylaws and zoning. Here is what it did with each article, in the Town Clerk’s own words. Any registered voter can take part, and most votes are by voice or show of hands, so there is no list of who voted which way.

Annual Town Meeting · April 7, 2025 26 votes: 22 passed, 2 failed, 2 no action
  • Art. 1 Raise $17,490 for out-of-district vocational school transportation, 2025-2026 (consent agenda) Passed “Unanimous”
  • Art. 2 Raise $5,000 for the Health Imperative violence prevention program, FY2026 (consent agenda) Passed “Unanimous”
  • Art. 3 Raise $2,500 for the Arc of the South Shore, FY2026 (consent agenda) Passed “Unanimous”
  • Art. 4 Transfer $25,000 from free cash for grant matching funds, FY2026 (consent agenda) Passed “Unanimous”
  • Art. 5 Transfer $20,000 from free cash for public safety overtime and details at the St. Patrick's Day Parade Passed “Passes”
  • Art. 6 Create a residential waste hauling enterprise fund and provide $1.2 million for its start-up Failed “Does Not Pass as Proposed · In favor (Yes) of the Article 124 / Apposed (No)to the Article 141”
  • Art. 7 FY2026 operating budget, $71,847,803, plus $1,200,000 from free cash for waste collection Passed “Passes”
  • Art. 8 Fund the capital plan, total $2,343,321.99 Passed “Unanimous”
  • Art. 9 FY2026 Community Preservation budget: $871,552 in projects and reserves plus a $150,000 Memorial Field bond payment Passed “Unanimous”
  • Art. 10 Transfer $50,000 from water retained earnings for sick leave buy back for two retiring Water Department employees Passed “Unanimous”
  • Art. 11 Transfer $106,161.85 from free cash for uses consistent with the FY23 opioid settlement Passed “Unanimous”
  • Art. 12 Transfer $1,000 to care for the abandoned Hillside Cemetery on Randolph Street Passed “Unanimous”
  • Art. 13 Accept a gift of about 20 acres on Ashland Street from the Trufant family for open space, agriculture and recreation Passed “Unanimous”
  • Art. 14 Transfer $125,000 from golf course retained earnings to demolish the building at 22 Bedford Street Passed “Passes”
  • Art. 15 Acquire land and easements for the Hancock/Chestnut Street intersection improvement project Passed “Passes”
  • Art. 16 Approve the amended South Shore Regional Vocational School District agreement Passed “Unanimous”
  • Art. 17 Create a revolving fund (limit $10,000) for maintenance of town EV charging stations Passed “Passes”
  • Art. 18 Add a general bylaw on security alarm systems and false alarm penalties Passed “Unanimous”
  • Art. 19 Lower the Town Meeting quorum from 150 to 75 registered voters Failed “Does Not Pass”
  • Art. 20 Replace the zoning section on accessory apartments with rules for protected-use accessory dwelling units (ADUs) Passed “Unanimous”
  • Art. 21 Remove "accessory apartments" from the zoning use table and change some single-family uses to "N" Passed “Unanimous”
  • Art. 22 Fix a typographical error for two-family/duplex use in the Transitional Commercial zoning district Passed “Unanimous”
  • Art. 23 Change abutter notice wording for Board of Appeals public hearings to match state law Passed “Unanimous”
  • Art. 24 Amend zoning rules for small-scale ground-mounted solar No action “Passed Over”
  • Art. 25 Require structures to be at least 10 feet from any easement (zoning) No action “Passed Over”
  • Art. 26 Transfer $200,000 from free cash to cover the FY2025 snow and ice deficit Passed “Unanimous”

Source: Town Clerk's certified record in the 2025 Annual Town Report.

Not here yet: the April 1, 2024 Annual Town Meeting, the November 25, 2024 Special Town Meeting and the May 4, 2026 Annual Town Meeting (the Town posts only warrants for these, and no 2024 Annual Town Report is online).

Titles are short descriptions of each article from the official record; the quoted words are the Town Clerk’s. A vote at Town Meeting is not the final word on everything: some articles also need a ballot vote (such as a tax override) or the Attorney General’s approval (bylaws).

Members

Ken CoyleMember · Elected townwide · at 16 of 16 meetingsKevin DiMarzioMember · Elected townwide · at 16 of 16 meetingsJames ConnollyMember · Elected townwide · at 16 of 16 meetings

"At X of Y meetings" counts the members the minutes list as present at the start of each meeting in this record. Members who step out are listed on each meeting page.

Meetings

About missing minutes

Loaded: every Select Board meeting (called the Board of Selectmen until 2025) with minutes posted on the town website: 2019, 2020 and January 2022 through July 20, 2026. Not here: anything from 2021 (the website has no 2021 minutes folder), meetings whose minutes the town has not posted (the board meets about twice a month, but only 10 to 16 sets of minutes are posted for each year), executive-session minutes, and minutes after July 20, 2026. Abington's minutes are typed by the Town Manager's office and usually give the mover, the seconder and the result in one line ("motion by Mr. X ..., seconded by Ms. Y, unanimous"); remote and Zoom-era votes are often roll calls by name. 57 of the 97 files are scans (every file from 2019 through September 2023 and nine later ones), which we read by computer text recognition. When the minutes say a vote was unanimous we show every member present as voting yes; when they give a roll call, or a count with the members who voted no or abstained named, we show each member's vote as recorded. Abington writes three-number counts as for-abstain-against (for example "4-1-0 (Mr. Bunker abstained)"). When the minutes record an action with no count, no names and no mention of a unanimous vote, we show the result only and never assume it was unanimous. Where the minutes give only a count without names, or the names and the count do not match, we show the count only and add a note. Members who had not yet arrived, had left, or stepped aside (recused) are left out of that vote. At joint meetings (Board of Assessors, Water and Sewer Commissioners) only the Select Board members' votes are shown, and a "choice" vote where each member named a candidate shows the result only. We will ask the town to confirm any noted vote.

Thursday, June 4, 2020 · Regular meeting2 recorded votes, 0 with disagreementAll 5 members presentMonday, May 18, 2020 · Regular meeting2 recorded votes, 0 with disagreementAll 5 members presentMonday, May 11, 2020 · Regular meeting2 recorded votes, 0 with disagreementAll 5 members presentMonday, May 4, 2020 · Regular meeting9 recorded votes, 0 with disagreementAll 5 members presentWednesday, April 22, 2020 · Regular meeting3 recorded votes, 0 with disagreementAll 5 members present

Votes where members disagreed

Most board votes are unanimous. These are the ones where at least one member voted no or abstained, newest first.

Apr 13Postpone the 2020 Special and Annual Town Meetings scheduled…Motion: To postpone the 2020 Special and Annual Town Meetings scheduled for…Passed Unanimous, 5 present · see note

April 13, 2020: Postpone the 2020 Special and Annual Town Meetings scheduled for May 18, 2020 to future date to be determined

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 5 present

To postpone the 2020 Special and Annual Town Meetings scheduled for May 18, 2020 to future date to be determined

The minutes then record a roll call on the same motion: Tim yes, Ken yes, Jim yes, Kevin yes, Tom yes.

From the minutes

“Motion by Jim to postpone the 2020 Special and Annual Town Meetings scheduled for May 18, 2020 to future date to be determined, seconded by Kevin, unanimous..” (Motion: James Connolly, second: DiMarzio)

Read it in the official minutes, page 1 (PDF)

Dec 17Approve Columbus Club of Abington pending receipt of all…Motion: To approve Columbus Club of Abington pending receipt of all paperwork,…Passed 3–0 · Abstained: Chapin, Thomas J. Connolly

December 17, 2019: Approve Columbus Club of Abington pending receipt of all paperwork, Satisfactory inspections and up-to-date taxes

ApprovePassed · 3–0

To approve Columbus Club of Abington pending receipt of all paperwork, Satisfactory inspections and up-to-date taxes

Yes: Coyle, DiMarzio, James ConnollyAbstained: Chapin, Thomas J. Connolly

From the minutes

“Motion to approve Columbus Club of Abington pending receipt of all paperwork, Satisfactory inspections and up-to-date taxes made by Ken, seconded by Jim, 3 ayes, 2 abstentions (Tim and Tom)..” (Motion: Coyle, second: James Connolly)

Read it in the official minutes, page 2 (PDF)

Dec 17Approve Trucchi's pending receipt of all Paperwork, satisfactory inspections…Motion: To approve Trucchi's pending receipt of all Paperwork, satisfactory inspections and…Passed 4–0 · Abstained: Coyle

December 17, 2019: Approve Trucchi's pending receipt of all Paperwork, satisfactory inspections and up-to-date taxes

ApprovePassed · 4–0

To approve Trucchi's pending receipt of all Paperwork, satisfactory inspections and up-to-date taxes

Yes: Chapin, DiMarzio, James Connolly, Thomas J. ConnollyAbstained: Coyle

From the minutes

“Motion to approve Trucchi's pending receipt of all Paperwork, satisfactory inspections and up-to-date taxes made by Jim, seconded by Tim, 4 ayes, 1 abstention (Ken)..” (Motion: James Connolly, second: Chapin)

Read it in the official minutes, page 2 (PDF)

Nov 25Form the Fire Station Building Committee as the Fire…Motion: Ken - go with Chief's recommendations, - 3 residents, 2 fire…Passed 4–1 · No: DiMarzio

November 25, 2019: Form the Fire Station Building Committee as the Fire Chief recommended (3 residents, 2 firefighters and the Chief)

ApprovePassed · 4–1

Ken - go with Chief's recommendations, - 3 residents, 2 fire fighters and chief

Yes: Chapin, Coyle, James Connolly, Thomas J. ConnollyNo: DiMarzio

From the minutes

“Ken - go with Chief's recommendations, seconded Tim, - 3 residents, 2 fire fighters and chief. Kevin suggested 5 residents, 2 fire fighters, Chief. Vote on Ken's motion - 4-1 (Kevin opposed).” (Motion: Coyle, second: Chapin)

Read it in the official minutes, page 3 (PDF)

Oct 8Extend special municipal employee status to the Board of…Motion: To extend special municipal employee status to the Board of AssessorsPassed 3–2 · No: Coyle, DiMarzio

October 8, 2019: Extend special municipal employee status to the Board of Assessors

ApprovePassed · 3–2

To extend special municipal employee status to the Board of Assessors

Yes: Chapin, James Connolly, Thomas J. ConnollyNo: Coyle, DiMarzio

From the minutes

“Motion by Jim Connolly to extend special municipal employee status to the Board of Assessors; Second by Tom Connolly 3-2 vote to approve (Coyle and Dimarzio opposed).” (Motion: James Connolly, second: Thomas J. Connolly)

Read it in the official minutes, page 1 (PDF)

Oct 8Appoint Joe Shea to the vacancy on the Board…Motion: To appoint Joe Shea to the vacancy on the Board of…Passed Unanimous, 5 present · see note

October 8, 2019: Appoint Joe Shea to the vacancy on the Board of Assessors

AppointPassed · Unanimous, 5 present

To appoint Joe Shea to the vacancy on the Board of Assessors

Joint vote with the Board of Assessors ("6-0 vote to approve (Larry Keough in favor)"); all five Select Board members were present.

From the minutes

“Motion by Coyle to appoint Joe Shea to the vacancy on the Board of Assessors Second by Jim Connolly 6-0 vote to approve (Larry Keough in favor).” (Motion: Coyle, second: James Connolly)

Read it in the official minutes, page 1 (PDF)

Sep 23Approve the license contingent upon receiving a new license…Motion: To approve the license contingent upon receiving a new license allocation…Passed Unanimous, 5 present · see note

September 23, 2019: Approve the license contingent upon receiving a new license allocation from South Shore Auto Gallery

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 5 present

To approve the license contingent upon receiving a new license allocation from South Shore Auto Gallery

An earlier motion to approve, made by Tim Chapin, was withdrawn.

From the minutes

“Motion to approve withdrawn by Tim Chapin. Ken Coyle made motion to approve the license contingent upon receiving a new license allocation from South Shore Auto Gallery, seconded by Jim Connolly, unanimous..” (Motion: Coyle, second: James Connolly)

Read it in the official minutes, page 2 (PDF)

Jul 15Move Action/Discussion items before candidate interviews for Town Manager…Motion: To move Action/Discussion items before candidate interviews for Town Manager Search…Passed Unanimous, 4 present · see note

July 15, 2019: Move Action/Discussion items before candidate interviews for Town Manager Search Committee

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 4 present

To move Action/Discussion items before candidate interviews for Town Manager Search Committee

Ken Coyle had not yet arrived, so is not counted in this vote.

From the minutes

“Motion by Tim Chapin to move Action/Discussion items before candidate interviews for Town Manager Search Committee, seconded by Jim Connolly, unanimous..” (Motion: Chapin, second: James Connolly)

Read it in the official minutes, page 1 (PDF)

Jul 15Recognize the license as forfeited (Update on F1 and…Motion: To recognize the license as forfeitedPassed Unanimous, 4 present · see note

July 15, 2019: Recognize the license as forfeited (Update on F1 and Steve's Auto)

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 4 present

To recognize the license as forfeited

Ken Coyle had not yet arrived, so is not counted in this vote.

From the minutes

“Motion by Jim Connolly to recognize the license as forfeited, seconded by Kevin DiMarzio, unanimous..” (Motion: James Connolly, second: DiMarzio)

Read it in the official minutes, page 1 (PDF)

Jul 15Nominate Samantha Hall LinnehanMotion: To nominate Samantha Hall LinnehanPassed 4–1 · No: Coyle

July 15, 2019: Nominate Samantha Hall Linnehan

AppointPassed · 4–1

To nominate Samantha Hall Linnehan

Yes: Chapin, DiMarzio, James Connolly, Thomas J. ConnollyNo: Coyle

From the minutes

“Motion to nominate Samantha Hall Linnehan made by Kevin DiMarzio, seconded by Tom Connolly, 4-1 (Coyle opposed)..” (Motion: DiMarzio, second: Thomas J. Connolly)

Read it in the official minutes, page 3 (PDF)

From the Abington Select Board’s (formerly Board of Selectmen) official minutes, posted in the Select Board minutes folders on the town website. We check every vote against the members present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Photos of current members: Abington News candidate articles (Emery, Eddy, Cormier) and Abington CAM candidate videos (Bunker, Coyle). Former members show initials.

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