MassVoter.com← ActonMunicipal votes · 2026–2027 Board
Acton Select Board
How the Acton Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide for three-year terms. Pam Nourse joined the board after the spring 2026 town election (first meeting May 11, 2026); Jim Snyder-Grant left it (his last meeting was May 4, 2026). On May 11, 2026 the board chose Alissa Nicol as Chair, David D. Martin as Vice Chair and Francesca Arsenault as Clerk (each 5-0). Minutes after September 14, 2026 are not posted yet. The end date (May 2027) is a placeholder. Covers 11 meetings so far, May 11 to September 14, 2026.
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 budgetVote Transparency Score
Acton Select Board: 8.5 out of 10 · Mostly open
How easy Acton makes it to see, online, how each member votes. It scores the town’s records, not any official. Checked October 10, 2026.
- Minutes postedMinutes are posted for nearly every meeting more than three months old.Full points: 2/2
- Each vote namedThe minutes name the members who vote no or abstain, but do not list how each member voted.Part points: 2/3
- Posted quicklyMinutes are posted for every meeting more than a month old.Full points: 2/2
- Past years onlineSelect Board minutes from 1994 to today are online.Full points: 1/1
- Readable textThe minutes are text you can search and copy.Full points: 1/1
- Member photosThe town’s website shows a group photo of the members with each one named.Part points: 0.5/1
How the town can raise its score
- Each vote named (+1): On any vote that isn’t unanimous, write how each member voted. For example: “Motion passed 3–2. Yes: Smith, Jones, Lee. No: Brown, Silva.” A roll call on split votes is the simplest way to do this.
- Member photos (+0.5): Show a photo of each member on the board’s web page, with their name, the date their term ends and how to contact them. A group photo of the members, with everyone named in the caption or on the same page, earns half a point.
How we score · Something wrong, or has the town made a change? Email info@massvoter.com and we’ll re-check.
A monthly email on its votes, starting in November. We'll also tell you if this score changes.
Board years
Coming up
MassVoter can’t read Acton’s meeting calendar automatically yet. See upcoming meetings on the official site →
Members
ChairAlissa NicolChair · At-large · at 11 of 11 meetings✓ Every meeting 2026
Vice-ChairDavid D. MartinVice Chair · At-large · at 11 of 11 meetings
Francesca ArsenaultClerk · At-large · at 11 of 11 meetings✓ Every meeting 2026
Dean A. CharterMember · At-large · at 11 of 11 meetings✓ Every meeting 2026
Pam NourseMember · At-large · at 11 of 11 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.
Attendance
23 full-board meetings so far this year, through September 14. Ties share a rank.
1Dean A. Charter23 of 23 meetings Every meeting100%1David D. Martin23 of 23 meetings Every meeting100%1Pam Nourse11 of 11 meetings · served from May Every meeting100%4Alissa Nicol22 of 23 meetings96%5Jim Snyder-Grant11 of 12 meetings · served until May92%6Francesca Arsenault21 of 23 meetings91%35 full-board meetings in 2025. Ties share a rank.
1Alissa Nicol35 of 35 meetings Every meeting100%2Francesca Arsenault34 of 35 meetings97%2Dean A. Charter34 of 35 meetings97%2Jim Snyder-Grant34 of 35 meetings97%5David D. Martin33 of 35 meetings94%31 full-board meetings in 2024. Ties share a rank.
1Francesca Arsenault31 of 31 meetings Every meeting100%1David D. Martin31 of 31 meetings Every meeting100%1Alissa Nicol31 of 31 meetings Every meeting100%4Dean A. Charter30 of 31 meetings97%5Jim Snyder-Grant28 of 31 meetings90%30 full-board meetings in 2023. Ties share a rank.
1Francesca Arsenault30 of 30 meetings Every meeting100%1David D. Martin30 of 30 meetings Every meeting100%1Jim Snyder-Grant30 of 30 meetings Every meeting100%1Alissa Nicol17 of 17 meetings · served from Jun Every meeting100%5Dean A. Charter28 of 30 meetings93%6Himaja Nagireddy12 of 13 meetings · served until May92%30 full-board meetings in 2022. Ties share a rank.
1Francesca Arsenault30 of 30 meetings Every meeting100%1David D. Martin30 of 30 meetings Every meeting100%1Himaja Nagireddy30 of 30 meetings Every meeting100%1Jim Snyder-Grant30 of 30 meetings Every meeting100%5Dean A. Charter29 of 30 meetings97%33 full-board meetings in 2021. Ties share a rank.
1David D. Martin33 of 33 meetings Every meeting100%1Jon Benson19 of 19 meetings · served until Jun Every meeting100%1Joan Gardner19 of 19 meetings · served until Jun Every meeting100%1Himaja Nagireddy14 of 14 meetings · served from Jul Every meeting100%5Dean A. Charter32 of 33 meetings97%5Jim Snyder-Grant32 of 33 meetings97%7Francesca Arsenault13 of 14 meetings · served from Jul93%41 full-board meetings in 2020. Ties share a rank.
1Jon Benson41 of 41 meetings Every meeting100%1Dean A. Charter41 of 41 meetings Every meeting100%1Joan Gardner41 of 41 meetings Every meeting100%1David D. Martin41 of 41 meetings Every meeting100%5Peter J. Berry26 of 28 meetings · served until Jul93%6Jim Snyder-Grant12 of 13 meetings · served from Aug92%37 full-board meetings in 2019. Ties share a rank.
1Joan Gardner37 of 37 meetings Every meeting100%1Janet K. Adachi10 of 10 meetings · served until Apr Every meeting100%1Katie Green10 of 10 meetings · served until Apr Every meeting100%4Jon Benson35 of 37 meetings95%5Dean A. Charter25 of 27 meetings · served from Apr93%5David D. Martin25 of 27 meetings · served from Apr93%7Peter J. Berry32 of 37 meetings86%30 full-board meetings in 2018. Ties share a rank.
1Janet K. Adachi30 of 30 meetings Every meeting100%2Joan Gardner29 of 30 meetings97%2Katie Green29 of 30 meetings97%4Jon Benson21 of 22 meetings · served from Apr95%5Chingsung Chang7 of 8 meetings · served until Apr88%6Peter J. Berry24 of 30 meetings80%From the official minutes: full-board meetings only (committee meetings are not counted). Members are counted only for meetings held while they served, and arriving late counts as attending. The minutes rarely say why a member was absent.
A monthly email on its votes and who was there, starting in November.
Meetings
About missing minutes
Loaded: Acton Select Board minutes (the board was called the Board of Selectmen until April 2021) from January 8, 2018 through September 14, 2026: 290 meetings and 2,028 votes. The town’s Archive Center holds the board’s minutes back to 1994; MassVoter has loaded 2018 on. All the minutes loaded are typed documents with searchable text. Where the town posted more than one version of a meeting’s minutes (originals and amended versions), we use the latest version. Not here: executive-session minutes; meetings whose files say “Meeting Canceled” (May 1, 2024 and January 26, 2026); meetings with an agenda but no posted minutes, among them the regular meetings of July 6, 2020, April 3, May 8 and May 22, 2023, and February 23, 2026, several workshops and short sessions, and executive-session-only meetings; and meetings after September 14, 2026 (the September 28 and October 5, 2026 minutes are not posted yet). Acton’s minutes give the mover, the seconder and the count (“Mr. Martin moved, seconded by Ms. Nicol … and approved 4-1-0 (Arsenault)”), and name in brackets the member who voted no or abstained; in 2020 and 2021, when the board met remotely, most votes were roll calls by name. When the count and the names add up to the members present, each member is shown voting as recorded; “approved unanimously” and “All Ayes” are shown as every member present voting yes. Where the count does not match the members present, a split count names no one, or a roll call has a typing slip, we show the count only, with a note (60 votes); 6 votes record the result only. At the March 2, March 16 and April 6, 2026 meetings a name in brackets after a Town Meeting article marks the member assigned to present it, not a dissenter; split votes there show the count only. When members chose between two nominees for an office, we show the result only and quote who chose whom. Members who stepped aside (recused) are not shown as voting. Eight sets of minutes (mid-2022 and mid-2023) have no attendance list; all five members are named taking part, so all five are shown present. At joint meetings (Finance Committee budget workshops, Library Trustees, other boards) only the Select Board’s own votes are shown. We will ask the town to confirm any noted vote.
Votes where members disagreed
Most board votes are unanimous. These are the ones where at least one member voted no or abstained, newest first.
Jun 15Approved the SPSP subject to the recommendations, modifications, conditions…Motion: Mr. Martin moved, seconded by Ms. Nourse the Board approved the…Passed 3–2 · No: Arsenault, Nicol
June 15, 2026: Approved the SPSP subject to the recommendations, modifications, conditions and waivers listed in the decision in the packet
Mr. Martin moved, seconded by Ms. Nourse the Board approved the SPSP subject to the recommendations, modifications, conditions and waivers listed in the decision in the packet. In addition move that we under bylaw section 6.7.6 we find that the proposed landscaping in sheet C10 is to be sufficient, under section 5.3 bylaw section 5.3.5 we find the extent in the proposed plan the Board finds that the floor to area ratio, net floor area and open space appropriate for the site use in the site in question; under bylaw section 6.7.1 we find that the single parking cell containing 46 spaces is reasonable and that separating the parking spaces into two cells would unduly limit the use of the site; and, under bylaw sections 6.7.9.1 we find that a parking proof plan is unnecessary, to our review, given that the applicant would not be able to meet the requirement of the parking proof plan without significantly scaling down the use of the site
Yes: Charter, Martin, NourseNo: Arsenault, Nicol
From the minutes
“Mr. Martin moved, seconded by Ms. Nourse the Board approved the SPSP subject to the recommendations, modifications, conditions and waivers listed in the decision in the packet. In addition move that we under bylaw section 6.7.6 we find that the proposed landscaping in sheet C10 is to be sufficient, under section 5.3 bylaw section 5.3.5 we find the extent in the proposed plan the Board finds that the floor to area ratio, net floor area and open space appropriate for the site use in the site in question; under bylaw section 6.7.1 we find that the single parking cell containing 46 spaces is reasonable and that separating the parking spaces into two cells would unduly limit the use of the site; and, under bylaw sections 6.7.9.1 we find that a parking proof plan is unnecessary, to our review, given that the applicant would not be able to meet the requirement of the parking proof plan without significantly scaling down the use of the site and approved 3-2-0 (Nicol, Arsenault).” (Motion: Martin, second: Nourse)
Jun 1Approve consent item 13Motion: Ms. Arsenault moved, seconded by Ms. Nourse to approve consent item…Passed 4–0 · Abstained: Martin
June 1, 2026: Approve consent item 13
Ms. Arsenault moved, seconded by Ms. Nourse to approve consent item 13
Yes: Arsenault, Charter, Nicol, NourseAbstained: Martin
From the minutes
“Ms. Arsenault moved, seconded by Ms. Nourse to approve consent item 13 and approved 4- 0-1 (Martin).” (Motion: Arsenault, second: Nourse)
From the Acton Select Board’s official minutes, posted in the town’s Archive Center (Select Board Minutes). We check every vote against the Select Board members present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Photos: The Acton Exchange candidate profiles (Francesca Arsenault, April 2024, photo courtesy of Barrett Sotheby’s Realty; David D. Martin, April 2025; Alissa Nicol, April 2026; Pam Nourse, April 2026, photo by Maddie Freeman); Dean A. Charter from the Town of Acton’s Select Board group photo (May 11, 2026).
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