MassVoter.com← AbingtonMunicipal votes · 2019–2020 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 budgetYour Abington ballot: 13 quizzes, about a minute each.
Start my ballot →MassVoter can’t read Abington’s meeting calendar automatically yet. See upcoming meetings on the official site →
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.
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).
"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.
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.
Most board votes are unanimous. These are the ones where at least one member voted no or abstained, newest first.
April 13, 2020: Postpone the 2020 Special and Annual Town Meetings scheduled for May 18, 2020 to future date to be determined
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.
“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)
December 17, 2019: Approve Columbus Club of Abington pending receipt of all paperwork, Satisfactory inspections and up-to-date taxes
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
“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)
December 17, 2019: Approve Trucchi's pending receipt of all Paperwork, satisfactory inspections and up-to-date taxes
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
“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)
November 25, 2019: Form the Fire Station Building Committee as the Fire Chief recommended (3 residents, 2 firefighters and the Chief)
Ken - go with Chief's recommendations, - 3 residents, 2 fire fighters and chief
Yes: Chapin, Coyle, James Connolly, Thomas J. ConnollyNo: DiMarzio
“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)
October 8, 2019: Extend special municipal employee status to the Board of Assessors
To extend special municipal employee status to the Board of Assessors
Yes: Chapin, James Connolly, Thomas J. ConnollyNo: Coyle, DiMarzio
“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)
October 8, 2019: Appoint Joe Shea to the vacancy on the Board of Assessors
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.
“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)
September 23, 2019: Approve the license contingent upon receiving a new license allocation from South Shore Auto Gallery
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.
“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)
July 15, 2019: Move Action/Discussion items before candidate interviews for Town Manager Search Committee
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.
“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)
July 15, 2019: Recognize the license as forfeited (Update on F1 and Steve's Auto)
To recognize the license as forfeited
Ken Coyle had not yet arrived, so is not counted in this vote.
“Motion by Jim Connolly to recognize the license as forfeited, seconded by Kevin DiMarzio, unanimous..” (Motion: James Connolly, second: DiMarzio)
July 15, 2019: Nominate Samantha Hall Linnehan
To nominate Samantha Hall Linnehan
Yes: Chapin, DiMarzio, James Connolly, Thomas J. ConnollyNo: Coyle
“Motion to nominate Samantha Hall Linnehan made by Kevin DiMarzio, seconded by Tom Connolly, 4-1 (Coyle opposed)..” (Motion: DiMarzio, second: Thomas J. Connolly)
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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