MassVoter.com← ArlingtonMunicipal votes · 2022–2023 Board
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. On April 4, 2022 the board chose Len Diggins as Chair and Diane Mahon as Vice Chair. The same five members served all year. Covers 35 meetings, April 4 to March 27, 2023.
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
No upcoming meeting is posted yet. Check the official calendar →
Under the state Open Meeting Law, boards post notice at least 48 hours ahead, not counting weekends and legal holidays.
Members
Vice-ChairDiane MahonVice Chair · At-large · at 31 of 35 meetings
Stephen DeCourceyMember · At-large · at 32 of 35 meetings
Eric HelmuthMember · At-large · at 33 of 35 meetings
John HurdMember · At-large · at 32 of 35 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 27Favorable action: Article 24 Endorsement of CDBG ApplicationMotion: Mrs. Mahon moved favorable action.Passed Unanimous, 5 present · see note
March 27, 2023: Favorable action: Article 24 Endorsement of CDBG Application
Mrs. Mahon moved favorable action.
This vote included Mr. Pooler (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 favorable action. A roll call vote was taken on the motion by Mr. Heim. Mr. Hurd: yes Mr. Diggins: yes Mr. Helmuth: yes Mrs. Mahon: yes Mr. DeCourcey: yes Mr. Pooler: yes SO VOTED (6-0).” (Motion: Mahon)
Mar 20Approve: Provide a process by which the Select Board…Motion: Mrs. Mahon moved to approve.Passed 3–0 · see note
March 20, 2023: Approve: Provide a process by which the Select Board and School Committee would by vote elect which means of publication will be utilized, including print, for their respective
Mrs. Mahon moved to approve.
Yes: Diggins, Hurd, MahonThe third number in the count (3-0-1) is Eric Helmuth, who did not vote. Eric Helmuth stepped aside (recused) and is not shown as voting (the minutes say: “Mr. Helmuth recused himself.”).
From the minutes
“Mrs. Mahon moved to approve. A roll call vote was taken on the motion by Mr. Heim. Mr. Hurd: yes Mr. Diggins: yes Mr. Helmuth: Mrs. Mahon: yes SO VOTED (3-0-1) Mr. Helmuth recused himself..” (Motion: Mahon)
Mar 13Approve: Resolution Requesting that National Grid Repair Significant EnvironmentalMotion: Mrs. Mahon moved to approve.Passed 4–0 · see note
March 13, 2023: Approve: Resolution Requesting that National Grid Repair Significant Environmental
Mrs. Mahon moved to approve.
Yes: Diggins, Helmuth, Hurd, MahonStephen DeCourcey stepped aside (recused) and is not shown as voting (the minutes say: “Mr. DeCourcey recused himself.”).
From the minutes
“Mrs. Mahon moved to approve. A roll call vote was taken on the motion by Mr. Heim. Mr. Hurd: yes Mr. Diggins: yes Mr. Helmuth: yes Mrs. Mahon: yes Mr. DeCourcey: SO VOTED (4-0) Mr. DeCourcey recused himself..” (Motion: Mahon)
Mar 13Favorable action: Should it prove impractical to make a…Motion: Mrs. Mahon moved favorable action.Passed 4–0 · see note
March 13, 2023: Favorable action: Should it prove impractical to make a permanent appointment within the 180-day period, appoint an "Acting Town Manager" for no more than one year
Mrs. Mahon moved favorable action.
Yes: DeCourcey, Diggins, Hurd, MahonEric Helmuth stepped aside (recused) and is not shown as voting (the minutes say: “Mr. Helmuth recused himself.”).
From the minutes
“Mrs. Mahon moved favorable action. A roll call vote was taken on the motion by Mr. Heim. Mr. Hurd: yes Mr. Diggins: yes Mr. Helmuth: Mrs. Mahon: yes Mr. DeCourcey: yes SO VOTED (4-0) Mr. Helmuth recused himself..” (Motion: Mahon)
Mar 13Favorable action: Article 64 Resolution / State Extended Producer…Motion: Mr. Hurd moved favorable action.Passed 3–0 · Abstained: Diggins
March 13, 2023: Favorable action: Article 64 Resolution / State Extended Producer Responsibility and Bottle Bill
Mr. Hurd moved favorable action.
Yes: DeCourcey, Hurd, MahonAbstained: DigginsEric Helmuth stepped aside (recused) and is not shown as voting (the minutes say: “Mr. Helmuth recused himself and Mr. Diggins abstained.”).
From the minutes
“Mr. Hurd moved favorable action. A roll call vote was taken on the motion by Mr. Heim. Mr. Hurd: yes Mr. Diggins: abstain Mr. Helmuth: Mrs. Mahon: yes Mr. DeCourcey: yes SO VOTED (3-0-1) Mr. Helmuth recused himself and Mr. Diggins abstained..” (Motion: Hurd)
Mar 6Favorable action: Article 67 Resolution/Affordable Housing OverlayMotion: Mr. Hurd moved favorable action.Passed 4–0 · Abstained: Diggins
March 6, 2023: Favorable action: Article 67 Resolution/Affordable Housing Overlay
Mr. Hurd moved favorable action.
Yes: DeCourcey, Helmuth, Hurd, MahonAbstained: Diggins
From the minutes
“Mr. Hurd moved favorable action. A roll call vote was taken on the motion by Mr. Heim. Mr. Hurd: yes Mr. Diggins: abstain Mr. Helmuth: yes Mrs. Mahon: yes Mr. DeCourcey: yes SO VOTED (4-0-1) Mr. Diggins abstained..” (Motion: Hurd)
Feb 27Send a letter of support for the March initial…Motion: Mr. Helmuth moved to send a letter of support for the…Passed 4–0 · see note
February 27, 2023: Send a letter of support for the March initial submission deadline
Mr. Helmuth moved to send a letter of support for the March initial submission deadline.
Yes: Diggins, Helmuth, Hurd, MahonStephen DeCourcey stepped aside (recused) and is not shown as voting (the minutes say: “Mr. DeCourcey recused himself.”).
From the minutes
“Mr. Helmuth moved to send a letter of support for the March initial submission deadline. A roll call vote was taken on the motion by Mr. Heim. Mr. Hurd: yes Mr. Diggins: yes Mr. Helmuth: yes Mrs. Mahon: yes Mr. DeCourcey: SO VOTED (4-0) Mr. DeCourcey recused himself..” (Motion: Helmuth)
Feb 27Approve: Save the Alewife BrookMotion: Mr. Hurd moved to approve.Passed 4–0 · see note
February 27, 2023: Approve: Save the Alewife Brook
Mr. Hurd moved to approve.
Yes: DeCourcey, Diggins, Hurd, MahonEric Helmuth stepped aside (recused) and is not shown as voting (the minutes say: “Mr. Helmuth recused himself.”).
From the minutes
“Mr. Hurd moved to approve. A roll call vote was taken on the motion by Mr. Heim. Mr. Hurd: yes Mr. Diggins: yes Mr. Helmuth: Mrs. Mahon: yes Mr. DeCourcey: yes SO VOTED (4-0) Mr. Helmuth recused himself..” (Motion: Hurd)
Feb 27Favorable action: Articles for ReviewMotion: Mr. DeCourcey moved favorable action.Passed 3–0 · Abstained: Diggins
February 27, 2023: Favorable action: Articles for Review
Mr. DeCourcey moved favorable action.
Yes: DeCourcey, Hurd, MahonAbstained: DigginsThe minutes write the count as 3-1; the record shows Len Diggins abstaining, so the second number is the abstention, not a no vote. Eric Helmuth stepped aside (recused) and is not shown as voting (the minutes say: “Mr. Helmuth recused himself and Mr. Diggins abstained.”).
From the minutes
“Mr. DeCourcey moved favorable action. A roll call vote was taken on the motion by Mr. Heim. Mr. Hurd: yes Mr. Diggins: abstain Mr. Helmuth: Mrs. Mahon: yes Mr. DeCourcey: yes SO VOTED (3-1) Mr. Helmuth recused himself and Mr. Diggins abstained. Article Special Legislation/Repeal MBTA Prohibition Mr. Helmuth recused himself from this discussion..” (Motion: DeCourcey)
Feb 27Favorable action: Articles for ReviewMotion: Mr. Hurd moved favorable action.Passed 3–1 · No: DeCourcey
February 27, 2023: Favorable action: Articles for Review
Mr. Hurd moved favorable action.
Yes: Diggins, Hurd, MahonNo: DeCourceyEric Helmuth stepped aside (recused) and is not shown as voting (the minutes say: “Mr. Helmuth recused himself and Mr. DeCourcey voted in the negative.”).
From the minutes
“Mr. Hurd moved favorable action. A roll call vote was taken on the motion by Mr. Heim. Mr. Hurd: yes Mr. Diggins: yes Mr. Helmuth: Mrs. Mahon: yes Mr. DeCourcey: no SO VOTED (3-1) Mr. Helmuth recused himself and Mr. DeCourcey voted in the negative. Article Special Legislation/Police Officer Age Waiver James M. Looney Mr. Helmuth recused himself from this discussion..” (Motion: Hurd)
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).
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 →