MassVoter.com← ActonMunicipal votes · 2018–2019 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. At its April 23, 2018 reorganization Janet K. Adachi moved to name Katie Green Chair, and Katie Green named Joan Gardner Vice Chair and Jon Benson Clerk; the minutes record no vote count. The same five members served all year. Covers 30 meetings, April 23 to April 1, 2019.
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 budgetBoard years
Coming up
MassVoter can’t read Acton’s meeting calendar automatically yet. See upcoming meetings on the official site →
Members
"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: 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.
Mar 4Have Town Manager finalize and execute the agreementMotion: Ms. Adachi motioned to have Town Manager finalize and execute the…Passed 4–1 · No: Gardner
March 4, 2019: Have Town Manager finalize and execute the agreement
Ms. Adachi motioned to have Town Manager finalize and execute the agreement Mr. Benson seconds.
Yes: Adachi, Benson, Berry, GreenNo: Gardner
From the minutes
“Ms. Adachi motioned to have Town Manager finalize and execute the agreement Mr. Benson seconds. The Board voted 4-1 (Ms. Gardner).” (Motion: Adachi, second: Benson)
Dec 3Approve November 19thMotion: JG moves to approve November 19th JA seconds,Passed 4–0 · Abstained: Berry
December 3, 2018 (Special meeting): Approve November 19th
JG moves to approve November 19th JA seconds,
Yes: Adachi, Benson, Gardner, GreenAbstained: Berry
From the minutes
“JG moves to approve November 19th JA seconds, 4-0-1 PB abstains.” (Motion: Gardner, second: Adachi)
Nov 5Take no actionMotion: Ms. Adachi moves to take no action, Mr. Berry secondsPassed 3–2 · see note
November 5, 2018: Take no action
Ms. Adachi moves to take no action, Mr. Berry seconds
The minutes give the count as 3-2 but do not say who voted no or abstained. Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“Ms. Adachi moves to take no action, Mr. Berry seconds 3 ayes, 2 nays.” (Motion: Adachi, second: Berry)
Nov 5RecommendMotion: Mr. Berry moves to recommend, Ms. Adachi seconds,Passed 4–1 · No: Gardner
November 5, 2018: Recommend
Mr. Berry moves to recommend, Ms. Adachi seconds,
Yes: Adachi, Benson, Berry, GreenNo: Gardner
From the minutes
“Mr. Berry moves to recommend, Ms. Adachi seconds, 4 ayes, 1 nay (Ms. Gardner).” (Motion: Berry, second: Adachi)
Nov 5Approve Jones Field Playground, Stabilization of the Asa Parlin…Motion: Ms. Adachi moves to approve Jones Field Playground, Stabilization of the…Passed 4–1 · No: Gardner
November 5, 2018: Approve Jones Field Playground, Stabilization of the Asa Parlin House, 53 River Street Historic Park, Acton Arboretum China Trail and Plantings, Acton Arboretum ADA Compliant Entrance
Ms. Adachi moves to approve Jones Field Playground, Stabilization of the Asa Parlin House, 53 River Street Historic Park, Acton Arboretum China Trail and Plantings, Acton Arboretum ADA Compliant Entrance, Mr. Benson seconds.
Yes: Adachi, Benson, Berry, GreenNo: Gardner
From the minutes
“Ms. Adachi moves to approve Jones Field Playground, Stabilization of the Asa Parlin House, 53 River Street Historic Park, Acton Arboretum China Trail and Plantings, Acton Arboretum ADA Compliant Entrance, Mr. Benson seconds. 4 ayes, 1 nay (Ms. Gardner).” (Motion: Adachi, second: Benson)
Oct 26Add the article to amend the zoning bylaw to…Motion: Ms. Adachi moves to add the article to amend the zoning…Passed 3–0 · see note
October 26, 2018: Add the article to amend the zoning bylaw to extend the marijuana establishment temporary moratorium to the Special Town Meeting Warrant
Ms. Adachi moves to add the article to amend the zoning bylaw to extend the marijuana establishment temporary moratorium to the Special Town Meeting Warrant, Mr. Benson seconds.
The minutes give the count as 3-0, but 4 members were at the meeting for this vote (Katie Green, Joan Gardner, Jon Benson and Janet K. Adachi). Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“Ms. Adachi moves to add the article to amend the zoning bylaw to extend the marijuana establishment temporary moratorium to the Special Town Meeting Warrant, Mr. Benson seconds. All Ayes (3-0).” (Motion: Adachi, second: Benson)
Aug 6(the minutes do not state the motion)Motion: (the minutes do not state the motion)Passed Unanimous, 5 present · see note
August 6, 2018: (the minutes do not state the motion)
(the minutes do not state the motion)
The minutes do not say who made this motion.
Jul 16ApproveMotion: Ms. Gardner moves to approve, Mr. Benson seconds.Passed 4–0 · see note
July 16, 2018: Approve
Ms. Gardner moves to approve, Mr. Benson seconds.
Yes: Adachi, Benson, Gardner, GreenPeter J. Berry arrived at 7:30 PM, and the minutes do not show whether this vote came before or after, so that member is left out of this vote.
From the minutes
“Ms. Gardner moves to approve, Mr. Benson seconds. All Ayes.” (Motion: Gardner, second: Benson)
Jul 16ApproveMotion: Ms. Gardner moves to approve, Ms. Adachi seconds,Passed 4–0 · see note
July 16, 2018: Approve
Ms. Gardner moves to approve, Ms. Adachi seconds,
Yes: Adachi, Benson, Gardner, GreenPeter J. Berry arrived at 7:30 PM, and the minutes do not show whether this vote came before or after, so that member is left out of this vote.
From the minutes
“Ms. Gardner moves to approve, Ms. Adachi seconds, all ayes.” (Motion: Gardner, second: Adachi)
Jul 16ApproveMotion: Ms. Gardner moves approve, Ms. Adachi seconds,Passed 4–0 · see note
July 16, 2018: Approve
Ms. Gardner moves approve, Ms. Adachi seconds,
Yes: Adachi, Benson, Gardner, GreenPeter J. Berry arrived at 7:30 PM, and the minutes do not show whether this vote came before or after, so that member is left out of this vote.
From the minutes
“Ms. Gardner moves approve, Ms. Adachi seconds, all ayes.” (Motion: Gardner, second: Adachi)
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).
How to read these pagesWhere the votes come from, how we check them against the official minutes, what isn't included yet, and how to report a mistake.About city pages →