MassVoter.com← ActonMunicipal votes · 2023–2024 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. Alissa Nicol joined the board after the spring 2023 town election (first meeting in the posted minutes June 5, 2023); Himaja Nagireddy left it (her last meeting was May 2, 2023). The board reorganized on May 8, 2023 (agenda item “Board Reorganization”), but the minutes of that meeting are not posted; Jim Snyder-Grant chaired the board’s meetings that year. The Vice Chair and Clerk for this year are not recorded in the posted minutes. Covers 31 meetings, June 5 to May 7, 2024.
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
Francesca ArsenaultMember · At-large · at 31 of 31 meetings
Dean A. CharterMember · At-large · at 29 of 31 meetings
David D. MartinMember · At-large · at 31 of 31 meetings
Alissa NicolMember · At-large · at 31 of 31 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: 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.
May 7Approve the letter as editedMotion: Ms. Nicol moved, seconded by Mr. Martin to approve the letter…Passed 4–1 · No: Charter
May 7, 2024: Approve the letter as edited
Ms. Nicol moved, seconded by Mr. Martin to approve the letter as edited
Yes: Arsenault, Martin, Nicol, Snyder-GrantNo: Charter
From the minutes
“Ms. Nicol moved, seconded by Mr. Martin to approve the letter as edited and approved 4-1 (Charter).” (Motion: Nicol, second: Martin)
Apr 12Recommend article 7, the Acton Boxborough Regional School District…Motion: Mr. Snyder-Grant moved, seconded by Mr. Martin to recommend article 7,…Passed 3–1 · No: Charter
April 12, 2024: Recommend article 7, the Acton Boxborough Regional School District Assessment
Mr. Snyder-Grant moved, seconded by Mr. Martin to recommend article 7, the Acton Boxborough Regional School District Assessment
Yes: Arsenault, Martin, Snyder-GrantNo: CharterThe minutes say Alissa Nicol stepped aside (recused), so that member is not shown as voting.
From the minutes
“Mr. Snyder-Grant moved, seconded by Mr. Martin to recommend article 7, the Acton Boxborough Regional School District Assessment and approved 3- 1 (Charter).” (Motion: Snyder-Grant, second: Martin)
Apr 12Recommend article 16Motion: Mr. Snyder-Grant moved, seconded by Ms. Nicol to recommend article 16Passed 3–2 · No: Charter, Martin
April 12, 2024: Recommend article 16
Mr. Snyder-Grant moved, seconded by Ms. Nicol to recommend article 16
Yes: Arsenault, Nicol, Snyder-GrantNo: Charter, Martin
From the minutes
“Mr. Snyder-Grant moved, seconded by Ms. Nicol to recommend article 16 and approved 3-2 by roll call vote (Martin/Charter).” (Motion: Snyder-Grant, second: Nicol)
Apr 12Approve plan for next steps for sewer extension project…Motion: Mr. Snyder-Grant moved, seconded by Ms. Arsenault to approve plan for…Passed 4–0 · Abstained: Nicol
April 12, 2024: Approve plan for next steps for sewer extension project which includes rebidding the project, seeking additional grant funds, and committing approximately $175,000 from ARPA reallocations as a...
Mr. Snyder-Grant moved, seconded by Ms. Arsenault to approve plan for next steps for sewer extension project which includes rebidding the project, seeking additional grant funds, and committing approximately $175,000 from ARPA reallocations as a grant match for MassWorks funding if the amendment requesting additional funding is approved
Yes: Arsenault, Charter, Martin, Snyder-GrantAbstained: Nicol
From the minutes
“Mr. Snyder-Grant moved, seconded by Ms. Arsenault to approve plan for next steps for sewer extension project which includes rebidding the project, seeking additional grant funds, and committing approximately $175,000 from ARPA reallocations as a grant match for MassWorks funding if the amendment requesting additional funding is approved and approved 4-0-1 (Nicol).” (Motion: Snyder-Grant, second: Arsenault)
Apr 1Not recommend article one for the Special Town MeetingMotion: Mr. Martin moved, seconded by Mr. Charter to not recommend article…Passed 4–1 · No: Nicol
April 1, 2024: Not recommend article one for the Special Town Meeting
Mr. Martin moved, seconded by Mr. Charter to not recommend article one for the Special Town Meeting
Yes: Arsenault, Charter, Martin, Snyder-GrantNo: Nicol
From the minutes
“Mr. Martin moved, seconded by Mr. Charter to not recommend article one for the Special Town Meeting and approved 4-1-0 (Nicol).” (Motion: Martin, second: Charter)
Mar 18Ask the Town Manager to move forward with an…Motion: Mr. Martin moved, seconded by Ms. Nicol to ask the Town…Passed 4–1 · No: Snyder-Grant
March 18, 2024: Ask the Town Manager to move forward with an grant application for a partial breach for the Bellows Farm Dam and authorize the chair to sign a letter of support…
Mr. Martin moved, seconded by Ms. Nicol to ask the Town Manager to move forward with an grant application for a partial breach for the Bellows Farm Dam and authorize the chair to sign a letter of support for dam and seawall grant application
Yes: Arsenault, Charter, Martin, NicolNo: Snyder-Grant
From the minutes
“Mr. Martin moved, seconded by Ms. Nicol to ask the Town Manager to move forward with an grant application for a partial breach for the Bellows Farm Dam and authorize the chair to sign a letter of support for dam and seawall grant application and approved 4-1-0 (Snyder-Grant).” (Motion: Martin, second: Nicol)
Mar 18Publish the format of the document the Town Manager…Motion: Mr. Martin moved, seconded by Ms. Arsenault to publish the format…Passed 4–0 · Abstained: Charter
March 18, 2024: Publish the format of the document the Town Manager had on the screen with word improvements made by the Town Manager
Mr. Martin moved, seconded by Ms. Arsenault to publish the format of the document the Town Manager had on the screen with word improvements made by the Town Manager
Yes: Arsenault, Martin, Nicol, Snyder-GrantAbstained: Charter
From the minutes
“Mr. Martin moved, seconded by Ms. Arsenault to publish the format of the document the Town Manager had on the screen with word improvements made by the Town Manager and approved 4-0-1 (Charter).” (Motion: Martin, second: Arsenault)
Jan 8Direct the Town Manager to reduce the level service…Motion: Mr. Martin moved, seconded by Ms. Nicol that the Board direct…Passed 4–0 · Abstained: Charter
January 8, 2024: Direct the Town Manager to reduce the level service budget after having heard feedback from the budget workshop and contingent on the outcome of the ALG
Mr. Martin moved, seconded by Ms. Nicol that the Board direct the Town Manager to reduce the level service budget after having heard feedback from the budget workshop and contingent on the outcome of the ALG
Yes: Arsenault, Martin, Nicol, Snyder-GrantAbstained: Charter
From the minutes
“Mr. Martin moved, seconded by Ms. Nicol that the Board direct the Town Manager to reduce the level service budget after having heard feedback from the budget workshop and contingent on the outcome of the ALG and approved 4-0-1 (Charter).” (Motion: Martin, second: Nicol)
Dec 18Authorize the Town Manager to sign the memorandum of…Motion: Mr. Martin moved. Seconded by Ms. Arsenault to authorize the Town…Passed 4–0 · Abstained: Nicol
December 18, 2023: Authorize the Town Manager to sign the memorandum of agreement between the schools and the Health Insurance Trust an
Mr. Martin moved. Seconded by Ms. Arsenault to authorize the Town Manager to sign the memorandum of agreement between the schools and the Health Insurance Trust an
Yes: Arsenault, Charter, Martin, Snyder-GrantAbstained: Nicol
From the minutes
“Mr. Martin moved. Seconded by Ms. Arsenault to authorize the Town Manager to sign the memorandum of agreement between the schools and the Health Insurance Trust an approved 4-0-1 (Nicol abstain).” (Motion: Martin, second: Arsenault)
Nov 20Approve Site Plan Special Permit Application 2-27-2023-490, including the…Motion: Mr. Charter moved, seconded by Mr. Martin approve Site Plan Special…Passed 4–1 · No: Arsenault
November 20, 2023: Approve Site Plan Special Permit Application 2-27-2023-490, including the waivers under section 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3 as amended tonight; and further, the Board determines the plan proposes 2.26 - 2.31
Mr. Charter moved, seconded by Mr. Martin approve Site Plan Special Permit Application 2-27-2023-490, including the waivers under section 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3 as amended tonight; and further, the Board determines the plan proposes 2.26 - 2.31
Yes: Charter, Martin, Nicol, Snyder-GrantNo: Arsenault
From the minutes
“Mr. Charter moved, seconded by Mr. Martin approve Site Plan Special Permit Application 2-27-2023-490, including the waivers under section 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3 as amended tonight; and further, the Board determines the plan proposes 2.26 - 2.31 and approved 4-1-0 (Arsenault).” (Motion: Charter, second: Martin)
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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