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Arlington Select Board
How the Arlington Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide for three-year terms. Len Diggins joined the board after the June 6, 2020 town election; Daniel Dunn left it. On June 8, 2020 the board chose John Hurd as Chair and Joseph Curro as Vice Chair. Joseph Curro resigned effective February 12, 2021 (his last meeting was February 8, 2021); on February 22, 2021 the board and the Town Moderator appointed Daniel Dunn as interim member until the April 10, 2021 election (4 votes for Dunn, 1 for another applicant). Covers 29 meetings, June 8 to April 5, 2021.
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 Arlington ballot: 13 quizzes, about a minute each.
Start my ballot →Board years
Coming up
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Under the state Open Meeting Law, boards post notice at least 48 hours ahead, not counting weekends and legal holidays.
Members
ChairJohn HurdChair · At-large · at 29 of 29 meetingsVice-ChairJoseph CurroVice Chair · At-large · at 20 of 22 meetings · until Feb 2021
Stephen DeCourceyMember · At-large · at 29 of 29 meetingsLen DigginsMember · At-large · at 29 of 29 meetingsDaniel DunnMember · At-large · at 7 of 7 meetings · from Feb 2021
Eric HelmuthMember · At-large · at 0 of 0 meetings
Diane MahonMember · At-large · at 29 of 29 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: Arlington Select Board minutes (the board was called the Board of Selectmen until 2018; the minutes use the new name from September 2018) from January 8, 2018 through September 14, 2026: 249 meetings and 2,454 votes. The town’s PrimeGov portal holds the board’s minutes back to January 2014 (MassVoter has loaded 2018 on). All the minutes are typed documents with searchable text; the March 30, 2026 minutes were posted as a web page instead of a PDF. Where the only minutes posted for a date are released executive-session minutes, the meeting is listed as Special. Emergency-addendum minutes for October 19, 2020, January 25, 2021 and January 23, 2023 are shown with that night’s meeting. Not here: 2018–2025 meetings that have an agenda but no posted minutes (August 7 and November 26, 2018; August 1 and November 4, 2019; September 10, 2020; June 7, November 1, December 9 and December 15, 2021; June 15, 2022; August 21, 2025), the September 10, 2026 goal-setting session, and meetings after September 14, 2026 (the September 28 and October 5, 2026 minutes are not posted yet). How votes were read: since 2026 the minutes list every member’s vote by name; from 2018 to 2025 they give the mover and a count (“SO VOTED (5-0)”), naming any member who voted no or abstained, and during remote meetings (2020–2022) a roll call by name. A count that equals the members present is shown as each member voting yes; a split where the minutes name who voted which way is shown by name. Where the count does not add up to the members present, a roll call leaves out or adds a member, or a split gives no names, we show the count only, with a note (25 votes); 5 votes give no count and show the result only. Where the Town Manager or members of another board voted with the Select Board (joint meetings and a few items the Town Manager votes on by law), only the Select Board members’ 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 22No action: Article 19 Vote/Establishment of Town Committee onMotion: Mr. Dunn moved no action.Passed 4–1 · No: Diggins
March 22, 2021: No action: Article 19 Vote/Establishment of Town Committee on
Mr. Dunn moved no action.
Yes: DeCourcey, Dunn, Hurd, MahonNo: Diggins
From the minutes
“Mr. Dunn moved no action. A roll call vote was taken on the motion by Mr. Heim. Mrs. Mahon: yes Mr. DeCourcey: yes Mr. Diggins: no Mr. Hurd: yes Mr. Dunn yes SO VOTED (4-1).” (Motion: Dunn)
Mar 22No action: Article 20 Vote/Public Remote ParticipationMotion: Mrs. Mahon moved no action.Failed 1–4 · No: DeCourcey, Diggins, Dunn, Hurd
March 22, 2021: No action: Article 20 Vote/Public Remote Participation
Mrs. Mahon moved no action.
Yes: MahonNo: DeCourcey, Diggins, Dunn, Hurd
From the minutes
“Mrs. Mahon moved no action. A roll call vote was taken on the motion by Mr. Heim. Mrs. Mahon: yes Mr. DeCourcey: no Mr. Diggins: no Mr. Hurd: no Mr. Dunn no SO VOTED (1-4) This motion was denied.” (Motion: Mahon)
Mar 22Favorable action on the proposal specifically the majoritarian versionMotion: Mr. Dunn moved favorable action on the proposal specifically the majoritarian…Passed 4–1 · No: DeCourcey
March 22, 2021: Favorable action on the proposal specifically the majoritarian version
Mr. Dunn moved favorable action on the proposal specifically the majoritarian version.
Yes: Diggins, Dunn, Hurd, MahonNo: DeCourcey
From the minutes
“Mr. Dunn moved favorable action on the proposal specifically the majoritarian version. A roll call vote was taken on the motion by Mr. Heim. Mrs. Mahon: yes Mr. DeCourcey: no Mr. Diggins: yes Mr. Hurd: yes Mr. Dunn yes SO VOTED (4-1).” (Motion: Dunn)
Mar 22Approval of the first category in the CDBG Application…Motion: Mrs. Mahon moved approval of the first category in the CDBG…Passed 4–0 · Abstained: DeCourcey
March 22, 2021: Approval of the first category in the CDBG Application "Rehabilitation and Housing"
Mrs. Mahon moved approval of the first category in the CDBG Application "Rehabilitation and Housing".
Yes: Diggins, Dunn, Hurd, MahonAbstained: DeCourceyThe minutes write the count as 5-1; the record shows Stephen DeCourcey abstaining, so the second number is the abstention, not a no vote. This vote included Mr. Chapdelaine (yes), who is not on the Select Board; the minutes’ count (5-1) includes this vote. Only the Select Board members’ votes are shown.
From the minutes
“Mrs. Mahon moved approval of the first category in the CDBG Application "Rehabilitation and Housing". A roll call vote was taken on the motion by Mr. Heim. Mrs. Mahon: yes Mr. DeCourcey: abstained Mr. Diggins: yes Mr. Hurd: yes Mr. Dunn yes Mr. Chapdelaine yes SO VOTED (5-1) Mr. DeCourcey abstained..” (Motion: Mahon)
Mar 22Approval on the remaining CDBG ApplicationMotion: Mrs. Mahon moved approval on the remaining CDBG Application.Passed Unanimous, 5 present · see note
March 22, 2021: Approval on the remaining CDBG Application
Mrs. Mahon moved approval on the remaining CDBG Application.
This vote included Mr. Chapdelaine (yes), who is not on the Select Board; the minutes’ count (6-0) includes this vote. Only the Select Board members’ votes are shown.
From the minutes
“Mrs. Mahon moved approval on the remaining CDBG Application. A roll call vote was taken on the motion by Mr. Heim. Mrs. Mahon: yes Mr. DeCourcey: yes Mr. Diggins: yes Mr. Hurd: yes Mr. Dunn yes Mr. Chapdelaine yes SO VOTED (6-0).” (Motion: Mahon)
Mar 8No action: Article 23 Vote/Provision of Town Email Addresses…Motion: Mrs. Mahon moved no action.Passed 4–1 · No: Diggins
March 8, 2021: No action: Article 23 Vote/Provision of Town Email Addresses for Town Meeting Members
Mrs. Mahon moved no action.
Yes: DeCourcey, Dunn, Hurd, MahonNo: Diggins
From the minutes
“Mrs. Mahon moved no action. A roll call vote was taken on the motion by Mr. Heim. Mrs. Mahon: yes Mr. DeCourcey: yes Mr. Diggins: no Mr. Hurd: yes Mr. Dunn yes SO VOTED (4-1).” (Motion: Mahon)
Mar 8Favorable action: Article 24 Vote/Town Clerk StudyMotion: Mr. Dunn moved favorable action.Passed 4–1 · No: Mahon
March 8, 2021: Favorable action: Article 24 Vote/Town Clerk Study
Mr. Dunn moved favorable action.
Yes: DeCourcey, Diggins, Dunn, HurdNo: Mahon
From the minutes
“Mr. Dunn moved favorable action. A roll call vote was taken on the motion by Mr. Heim. Mrs. Mahon: no Mr. DeCourcey: yes Mr. Diggins: yes Mr. Hurd: yes Mr. Dunn yes SO VOTED (4-1).” (Motion: Dunn)
Mar 1Approve: Minutes of Meetings: February 8, 2021Motion: Mrs. Mahon moved approval.Passed 4–0 · Abstained: Dunn
March 1, 2021: Approve: Minutes of Meetings: February 8, 2021
Mrs. Mahon moved approval.
Yes: DeCourcey, Diggins, Hurd, MahonAbstained: Dunn
From the minutes
“Mrs. Mahon moved approval. A roll call vote was taken on the motion by Mr. Heim. Mrs. Mahon: yes Mr. DeCourcey: yes Mr. Diggins: yes Mr. Hurd: yes Mr. Dunn abstain SO VOTED (4-0-1) Mr. Dunn abstained..” (Motion: Mahon)
Feb 22Approve: Minutes of Meetings: January 25, 2021; January 25,…Motion: Mr. DeCourcey moved approval.Passed 4–0 · Abstained: Dunn
February 22, 2021: Approve: Minutes of Meetings: January 25, 2021; January 25, 2021 Emergency Addendum
Mr. DeCourcey moved approval.
Yes: DeCourcey, Diggins, Hurd, MahonAbstained: DunnThe minutes write the count as 4-1; the record shows Daniel Dunn abstaining, so the second number is the abstention, not a no vote.
From the minutes
“Mr. DeCourcey moved approval. Mrs. Mahon: yes Mr. DeCourcey: yes Mr. Diggins: yes Mr. Hurd: yes Mr. Dunn abstain SO VOTED (4-1).” (Motion: DeCourcey)
Feb 22No action: Article 78 Resolution/Tree Canopy As A Public…Motion: Mr. Dunn moved no action.Passed 4–1 · No: Diggins
February 22, 2021: No action: Article 78 Resolution/Tree Canopy As A Public Health Resource
Mr. Dunn moved no action.
Yes: DeCourcey, Dunn, Hurd, MahonNo: Diggins
From the minutes
“Mr. Dunn moved no action. A roll call vote was taken on the motion by Mr. Heim. Mrs. Mahon: yes Mr. DeCourcey: yes Mr. Diggins: no Mr. Hurd: yes Mr. Dunn yes SO VOTED (4-1).” (Motion: Dunn)
From the Arlington Select Board’s official minutes, posted on the town’s PrimeGov meeting portal (linked from the town’s Agendas and Minutes page). We check every vote against the Select Board members present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Photos: Arlington Community Media (ACMi) candidate profile and news videos (John Hurd, 2018; Stephen DeCourcey, 2019); Arlington Patch candidate profile (Eric Helmuth, 2021, courtesy of the candidate); YourArlington (Joseph Solomon, June 2026, photo by Marjorie Howard; Diane Mahon, March 2026 candidate profile, photo submitted by the candidate).
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