MassVoter.com← AshbyMunicipal votes · 2019–2020 Board
Ashby Selectboard
How the Ashby Selectboard voted, from the Selectboard’s official minutes. 3 Selectboard members elected townwide for three-year terms. Scott Sweeney joined the board after the April 22, 2019 town election, succeeding Mark Haines. On May 1, 2019 the board chose Janet Flinkstrom as Chairman and Scott Sweeney as Clerk. The 2020 town election was moved to June 29, 2020 (COVID-19). Janet Flinkstrom retired at the end of her term; her last meeting was June 24, 2020. Covers 29 meetings, May 1 to June 24, 2020.
A monthly email on what it voted on, starting in November.
What does the Selectboard 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 Selectboard, 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 Ashby’s meeting calendar automatically yet. See upcoming meetings on the official site →
What Town Meeting decided
In Ashby, Town Meeting — not the Selectboard — votes the town budget, bylaws and zoning. Here is what it did with each article, in the Town Clerk’s own words. Any registered voter can take part, and most votes are by voice or show of hands, so there is no list of who voted which way.
Special Town Meeting · December 1, 2025 1 votes: 1 passed
- Art. 1 Transfer $184,984.44 from free cash to reduce the FY2026 tax levy Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
Special Town Meeting · May 3, 2025 3 votes: 3 passed
- Art. 1 Transfer $253.85 from free cash to pay prior-year bills Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 2 Transfer $100,000 from free cash to cover the winter operations deficit Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 3 Transfer $856 from recycling center free cash and $2,144 from free cash for recycling center (ARCTS) expenses Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
Annual Town Meeting · May 3, 2025 19 votes: 16 passed, 3 failed
- Art. 1 Elect all other town officers not elected on the ballot Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 2 Hear reports of town officials and committees Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 3 Authorize the Treasurer to borrow in anticipation of revenue Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 4 Accept sums in trust for perpetual care of cemetery lots Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 5 Appropriate $32,000 from recycling center revenues and $8,000 from free cash for FY2026 recycling center operations Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 6 Appropriate $40,000 from the PEG Access fund for FY2026 PEG Access operations Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 7 Set FY2026 revolving fund spending limits Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 8 Appropriate state Chapter 90 road funds Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 9 FY2026 town budget: raise $10,169,748.44 and transfer $549,655.86 from free cash; set elected officials' salaries Passed “VOTE (on original motion): PASSED”
- Art. 10 Lease-purchase a Ford F-550 highway truck; $50,000 first-year payment from ARPA funds Passed “VOTE: PASSED (2/3 VOTE MAJORITY DECLARED BY MODERATOR)”
- Art. 11 Amend the Town Meeting bylaw: post warrant copies at town buildings and online instead of delivering to each home Failed “VOTE (on original motion): DEFEATED”
- Art. 12 Accept G.L. c.44 §54(b) so town trust funds can be invested under the prudent investor rule Passed “VOTE: PASSED MAJORITY”
- Art. 13 Add an MBTA Communities multi-family overlay district to the zoning map (Map 15, Parcels 63, 64 and 64.1) Passed “VOTE: PASSED (2/3 VOTE MAJORITY DECLARED BY MODERATOR)”
- Art. 14 Replace the floodplain district zoning bylaw (Section 9.1) Passed “VOTE: PASSED (2/3 VOTE DECLARED BY MODERATOR)”
- Art. 15 Amend zoning for accessory dwelling units Passed “VOTE: PASSED (2/3 VOTE MAJORITY DECLARED BY MODERATOR)”
- Art. 16 Accept G.L. c.40 §22D (removal of vehicles parked in violation of rules) Failed “VOTE: DEFEATED (STANDING COUNT 25 YES / 32 NO) · 25 YES / 32 NO”
- Art. 17 New bylaw: winter overnight parking ban on public ways (Dec. 1 - Apr. 15) Failed “VOTE: DEFEATED”
- Art. 18 Amend bylaw: no plowing or depositing snow and ice onto sidewalks or public ways Passed “VOTE: PASSED”
- Art. 19 New bylaw: abutting owners must clear snow and ice from sidewalks Passed “VOTE: PASSED”
Special Town Meeting · March 10, 2025 1 votes: 1 failed
- Art. 1 Appropriate $278,000 more for the FY2026 North Middlesex Regional School District assessment, contingent on a Proposition 2 1/2 override Failed “VOTE: DEFEATED”
Special Town Meeting · December 3, 2024 7 votes: 7 passed
- Art. 1 Redo two earlier free cash votes ($675,262 for the FY2025 budget, $50,103.49 for the winter deficit) using certified free cash Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 2 Raise the demand fee on overdue tax and excise bills from $5 to $15 Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 3 Transfer $15,000 from the PEG Access account for FY2025 PEG Access operations Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 4 Transfer $10,000 from free cash for FY2025 recycling center (ARCTS) operations Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 5 Transfer $4,134.80 from free cash to pay FY2024 software licensing invoices Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 6 Appropriate $10,500 from free cash for the first year of the police patrol officers' union contract Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 7 Move $3,200 within the FY2025 police budget from college reimbursement to college incentive expenses Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
Special Town Meeting · August 20, 2024 1 votes: 1 passed
- Art. 1 Appropriate $256,133 more for the FY2025 North Middlesex Regional School District assessment, from stabilization and budget transfers Passed “VOTE ON ORIGINAL MOTION: PASSED (2/3 MAJORITY DECLARED BY MODERATOR)”
Special Town Meeting · May 4, 2024 3 votes: 3 passed
- Art. 1 Transfer $50,103.49 from free cash to cover the FY2024 winter operations deficit Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 2 Transfer $2,000 from recycling center (ARCTS) free cash for FY2024 recycling center expenses Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 3 Lease-purchase a new police vehicle; $22,941.73 first-year payment in the FY2025 police budget Passed “VOTE: PASSED (2/3 VOTE DECLARED BY MODERATOR)”
Annual Town Meeting · May 4, 2024 23 votes: 16 passed, 2 passed as amended, 3 failed, 2 no action
- Art. 1 Elect all other town officers not elected on the ballot Passed “VOTE: PASSED MAJORITY”
- Art. 2 Hear reports of town officials and committees Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 3 Authorize the Treasurer to borrow in anticipation of revenue Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 4 Accept sums in trust for perpetual care of cemetery lots Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 5 Appropriate $40,000 from recycling center revenues and $250 from its free cash for FY2025 recycling center operations Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 6 Appropriate $25,000 from the PEG Access fund for FY2025 PEG Access operations Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 7 Set FY2025 revolving fund spending limits Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 8 Appropriate state Chapter 90 road funds Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 9 FY2025 town budget: raise $9,698,052.81 and transfer $675,262 from free cash; set elected officials' salaries Passed as amended “VOTE (on original motion with amendment): UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 10 Appropriate $595,693 more for the FY2025 North Middlesex Regional School District budget, contingent on a Proposition 2 1/2 override Passed “VOTE: PASSED MAJORITY”
- Art. 11 Transfer money to the Stabilization Fund No action “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 12 Amend zoning Section 8.2.5 to allow one or more marijuana establishments in the Industrial district by special permit Failed “VOTE: DEFEATED”
- Art. 13 Amend the Town Meeting bylaw: post warrant copies at town buildings and online instead of delivering to each home Failed “VOTE: DEFEATED”
- Art. 14 Allow leasing of the town land at 1140 Greenville Road for telecommunications Passed “VOTE: PASSED (2/3 VOTE DECLARED BY MODERATOR)”
- Art. 15 Allow leasing of the town land at 1093 Main Street for battery energy storage and solar (telecommunications removed by amendment) Passed as amended “VOTE (on original motion with amendment): PASSED (2/3 VOTE DECLARED BY MODERATOR)”
- Art. 16 Accept a 5% increase in the motor vehicle excise (G.L. c.60A §10(a)), contingent on the Municipal Empowerment Act Passed “VOTE: PASSED (STANDING COUNT 52 YES / 31 NO) · 52 YES / 31 NO”
- Art. 17 Accept G.L. c.40 §22F allowing town boards to set reasonable fees Passed “VOTE: PASSED MAJORITY”
- Art. 18 Amend the Scenic Roads bylaw to designate all municipal ways as scenic roads Failed “VOTE: DEFEATED (STANDING COUNT 42 YES / 43 NO) · 42 YES / 43 NO”
- Art. 19 Amend zoning: add light and heavy industrial use definitions and rename the Industrial district Light Industrial Passed “VOTE: PASSED (2/3 VOTE DECLARED BY MODERATOR)”
- Art. 20 Replace the Earth Removal general bylaw Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 21 Zoning amendments deleting Sections 5.1.2 and 6.1.5 No action “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 22 Combine the elected Treasurer and Collector into one appointed Treasurer-Collector, subject to a town election vote Passed “VOTE: PASSED (STANDING COUNT 43 YES / 37 NO) · 43 YES / 37 NO”
- Art. 23 Accept G.L. c.166 §32A on the Inspector of Wires and an assistant inspector Passed “VOTE: UNANIMOUS”
Not here yet: The May 2, 2026 Special and Annual Town Meetings are not here because their results are not posted (only the warrants are); no Town Meeting after May 2, 2026 is posted.
Titles are short descriptions of each article from the official record; the quoted words are the Town Clerk’s. A vote at Town Meeting is not the final word on everything: some articles also need a ballot vote (such as a tax override) or the Attorney General’s approval (bylaws).
Members
Mike McCallumMember · At-large · at 24 of 29 meetingsScott SweeneyClerk · At-large · at 28 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: Ashby Selectboard minutes from January 10, 2018 through September 9, 2026: 354 meetings and 2,373 votes. The town’s Selectboard Meeting Agendas and Minutes page holds the board’s minutes back to 2007 (files from 2007 to 2019 on the town’s older ashbyma.gov site, from 2020 on in Google Drive); MassVoter has loaded 2018 on. The minutes call the board the Board of Selectmen until May 2021 and the Selectboard from May 12, 2021 (the town also writes “Select Board”). The minutes from 2018 to 2021 are typed; most minutes since 2022 are scanned images of the signed copies, which MassVoter read with text recognition and checked where names or counts were unclear. The minutes usually name members by first name or initials (“Dave,” “Jessica,” “MM”); MassVoter matched each to the member on the board at the time using the attendance lines, the reorganization votes and the Annual Town Reports. When two members attend another body’s meeting (the Public Safety Building Committee, the Town Administrator Search Committee, the Finance Committee, the Earth Removal Board and others), Ashby posts Selectboard minutes for it; these 34 meetings are shown as joint meetings with only the Selectboard’s own votes. Not here: executive-session minutes (the April 21, 2023 and February 1, 2024 meetings, whose only posted minutes are executive-session minutes, are loaded from those); cancelled and no-quorum meetings; votes of other boards at joint meetings; meetings with an agenda but no posted minutes: February 20, 2019 (the minutes link is broken), March 12, 21, 26 and 31, 2025, and the executive-session meetings of December 9 and 28, 2022, February 17, 2023 (8 AM), August 19 and 22, 2024 and May 5, 2026; the Selectboard’s attendance at other bodies’ meetings on May 25, 2023 and November 12, 2024 (agenda only) and on February 8, May 13 and November 18, 2024 (short notes with no attendance list and no votes); files that are the wrong document (the January 24, 2018 minutes link opens the agenda; the February 22, 2022 file is a copy of the February 2, 2022 minutes; the February 17, 2023 8 AM file is a copy of the 10 AM minutes); and meetings after September 9, 2026 (the September 23, 2026 minutes are not posted yet). How votes are written: from 2018 to early 2022, a table line (“Motion: Janet Flinkstrom Seconded: Mike McCallum Vote: Unan”) with initials when members differ (“Vote: JF/MM – Aye SS – Nay”); from 2022 to mid-2025, each member by first name (“Doug voted yes. Jessica voted yes. David voted yes. Motion passes.”) or “All in favor”; since mid-2025, “Motion made by Jessica, Dave 2nd. Vote was unanimous.” Unanimous wording is shown as every member present voting yes. On this three-member board, when the minutes name one member voting no, the other members are shown voting yes. Since mid-2025 the minutes often list no attendance or only the absent member; members are then counted present when the minutes record them taking part, with a note. Where the minutes give only a count we show the count only (2 votes), and where they give no count or names, name a member twice, or a member joined at a time the minutes do not tie to the vote, we show the result only (15 votes). Members who abstained are shown abstaining; a member who recused is left out of that vote with a note. A motion with no recorded outcome is not counted as a vote. 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 24Approve minutes of June 18, 2020 as recordedMotion: 3) Selectmen approve minutes of June 18, 2020 as recorded. Motion:…Passed 2–0 · Abstained: Flinkstrom
June 24, 2020: Approve minutes of June 18, 2020 as recorded
3) Selectmen approve minutes of June 18, 2020 as recorded. Motion: Mike McCallum Seconded: Scott Sweeney Vote: MM/SS - Aye JF - Abstain
Yes: McCallum, SweeneyAbstained: Flinkstrom
From the minutes
“3) Selectmen approve minutes of June 18, 2020 as recorded. Motion: Mike McCallum Seconded: Scott Sweeney Vote: MM/SS - Aye JF - Abstain.” (Motion: McCallum, second: Sweeney)
Jun 10Approve minutes of June 2, 2020 as recordedMotion: 3) Selectmen approve minutes of June 2, 2020 as recorded. Motion:…Passed 2–0 · Abstained: Flinkstrom
June 10, 2020: Approve minutes of June 2, 2020 as recorded
3) Selectmen approve minutes of June 2, 2020 as recorded. Motion: Mike McCallum Seconded: Scott Sweeney Vote: MM/SS - Aye JF - Abstain
Yes: McCallum, SweeneyAbstained: Flinkstrom
From the minutes
“3) Selectmen approve minutes of June 2, 2020 as recorded. Motion: Mike McCallum Seconded: Scott Sweeney Vote: MM/SS - Aye JF - Abstain.” (Motion: McCallum, second: Sweeney)
Jun 10Approve minutes of June 4, 2020 as recordedMotion: 4) Selectmen approve minutes of June 4, 2020 as recorded. Motion:…Passed 2–0 · Abstained: Flinkstrom
June 10, 2020: Approve minutes of June 4, 2020 as recorded
4) Selectmen approve minutes of June 4, 2020 as recorded. Motion: Mike McCallum Seconded: Scott Sweeney Vote: MM/SS - Aye JF - Abstain
Yes: McCallum, SweeneyAbstained: Flinkstrom
From the minutes
“4) Selectmen approve minutes of June 4, 2020 as recorded. Motion: Mike McCallum Seconded: Scott Sweeney Vote: MM/SS - Aye JF - Abstain.” (Motion: McCallum, second: Sweeney)
Jun 10Have the OPM and Architect proceed with the USDA…Motion: 8) Selectmen vote to have the OPM and Architect proceed with…Passed 2–1 · No: Sweeney
June 10, 2020: Have the OPM and Architect proceed with the USDA Application in the amount of $7.2 million
8) Selectmen vote to have the OPM and Architect proceed with the USDA Application in the amount of $7.2 million. Motion: Mike McCallum Seconded: Janet Flinkstrom Vote: JF/MM - Aye SS - Nay
Yes: Flinkstrom, McCallumNo: Sweeney
From the minutes
“8) Selectmen vote to have the OPM and Architect proceed with the USDA Application in the amount of $7.2 million. Motion: Mike McCallum Seconded: Janet Flinkstrom Vote: JF/MM - Aye SS - Nay.” (Motion: McCallum, second: Flinkstrom)
May 13Approve minutes of May 7, 2020 as recordedMotion: 3) Selectmen approve minutes of May 7, 2020 as recorded. Motion:…Passed 2–0 · Abstained: Flinkstrom
May 13, 2020: Approve minutes of May 7, 2020 as recorded
3) Selectmen approve minutes of May 7, 2020 as recorded. Motion: Mike McCallum Seconded: Scott Sweeney Vote: MM/SS - Aye JF - Abstain
Yes: McCallum, SweeneyAbstained: Flinkstrom
From the minutes
“3) Selectmen approve minutes of May 7, 2020 as recorded. Motion: Mike McCallum Seconded: Scott Sweeney Vote: MM/SS - Aye JF - Abstain.” (Motion: McCallum, second: Sweeney)
Oct 30Approve minutes of October16, 2019 as recordedMotion: 2) Selectmen approve minutes of October16, 2019 as recorded. Motion: Mike…Passed 2–0 · Abstained: Sweeney
October 30, 2019: Approve minutes of October16, 2019 as recorded
2) Selectmen approve minutes of October16, 2019 as recorded. Motion: Mike McCallum Seconded: Scott Sweeney Vote: JF/MM - Aye SS - Abstain
Yes: Flinkstrom, McCallumAbstained: Sweeney
From the minutes
“2) Selectmen approve minutes of October16, 2019 as recorded. Motion: Mike McCallum Seconded: Scott Sweeney Vote: JF/MM - Aye SS - Abstain.” (Motion: McCallum, second: Sweeney)
Oct 2Approve minutes of June 8, 2019Motion: 2) Selectmen approve minutes of June 8, 2019. Motion: Mike McCallum…Passed 2–0 · Abstained: Flinkstrom
October 2, 2019: Approve minutes of June 8, 2019
2) Selectmen approve minutes of June 8, 2019. Motion: Mike McCallum Seconded: Scott Sweeney Vote: MM/SS - Aye JF - Abstain
Yes: McCallum, SweeneyAbstained: Flinkstrom
From the minutes
“2) Selectmen approve minutes of June 8, 2019. Motion: Mike McCallum Seconded: Scott Sweeney Vote: MM/SS - Aye JF - Abstain.” (Motion: McCallum, second: Sweeney)
Oct 2Approve minutes of September 18, 2019Motion: 3) Selectmen approve minutes of September 18, 2019. Motion: Scott Sweeney…Passed 2–0 · Abstained: McCallum
October 2, 2019: Approve minutes of September 18, 2019
3) Selectmen approve minutes of September 18, 2019. Motion: Scott Sweeney Seconded: Janet Flinkstrom Vote: JF/SS - Aye MM - Abstain
Yes: Flinkstrom, SweeneyAbstained: McCallum
From the minutes
“3) Selectmen approve minutes of September 18, 2019. Motion: Scott Sweeney Seconded: Janet Flinkstrom Vote: JF/SS - Aye MM - Abstain.” (Motion: Sweeney, second: Flinkstrom)
Aug 8Approve minutes of June 27, 2019 as recordedMotion: 2) Selectmen approve minutes of June 27, 2019 as recorded. Motion:…Passed 2–0 · Abstained: Flinkstrom
August 8, 2019: Approve minutes of June 27, 2019 as recorded
2) Selectmen approve minutes of June 27, 2019 as recorded. Motion: Mike McCallum Second: Scott Sweeney Vote: MM/SS - Aye JF - Abstain
Yes: McCallum, SweeneyAbstained: Flinkstrom
From the minutes
“2) Selectmen approve minutes of June 27, 2019 as recorded. Motion: Mike McCallum Second: Scott Sweeney Vote: MM/SS - Aye JF - Abstain.” (Motion: McCallum, second: Sweeney)
Aug 8Approve minutes of July 24, 2019 as recordedMotion: 6) Selectmen approve minutes of July 24, 2019 as recorded. Motion:…Passed 2–0 · Abstained: McCallum
August 8, 2019: Approve minutes of July 24, 2019 as recorded
6) Selectmen approve minutes of July 24, 2019 as recorded. Motion: Janet Flinkstrom Second: Scott Sweeney Vote: JF/SS - Aye MM - Abstain
Yes: Flinkstrom, SweeneyAbstained: McCallum
From the minutes
“6) Selectmen approve minutes of July 24, 2019 as recorded. Motion: Janet Flinkstrom Second: Scott Sweeney Vote: JF/SS - Aye MM - Abstain.” (Motion: Flinkstrom, second: Sweeney)
From the Ashby Selectboard’s official minutes, posted on the town’s Selectboard Meeting Agendas and Minutes page. We check every vote against the Selectboard members present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Photos (the town’s website has no Selectboard photos): Ashby MA Studio “Knowing Your Town” interviews — David Nadeau and Jessica Kallin (2026). Cropped by MassVoter. Former members show initials.
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