MassVoter.com← BraintreeMunicipal votes · 2020–2021 Council
Braintree Town Council
How the Braintree Town Council voted, from the Town Council’s official minutes. 9 members: 3 elected townwide (at-large) and 6 by district, for two-year terms. Sworn in on January 2, 2020, with five new members (Julia Flaherty, Steven Sciascia, Donna Connors, Meredith Boericke, Lawrence Mackin). Shannon Hume was elected Council President over Stephen O'Brien (5 to 4) and David Ringius Vice-President. David Ringius moved from District 5 to an at-large seat. Covers 40 meetings, January 2 to December 7, 2021.
A monthly email on what it voted on, starting in November.
What does the Town Council do? It is the town’s lawmaking body (this town has no Town Meeting). It passes local laws (bylaws or ordinances), votes on the yearly budget, and approves borrowing and zoning changes.
The mayor runs the town day to day and proposes the budget.
Sources: Mass. General Laws c. 44 § 32 (city budgets)Your Braintree ballot: 13 quizzes, about a minute each.
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From the agendas Braintree posts on its official site. Agendas can change; the posted agenda is the official one.
Members
Vice PresidentDavid RingiusVice President · Member at-large (District 5 Member 2018–2019) · at 38 of 40 meetings
Meredith BoerickeMember · District 5 Member · at 40 of 40 meetingsDonna ConnorsMember · District 3 Member · at 37 of 40 meetings
Julia FlahertyMember · Member at-large (District 1 Member 2020–2025) · at 40 of 40 meetingsLawrence MackinMember · District 6 Member · at 38 of 40 meetingsStephen O'BrienMember · District 4 Member · at 39 of 40 meetingsCharles RyanMember · Member at-large · at 39 of 40 meetingsSteven SciasciaMember · District 2 Member · at 40 of 40 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: Braintree Town Council minutes from January 2, 2018 through June 16, 2026, full-board meetings only (council committee meetings, such as Ways & Means, are not included). Minutes through September 16, 2025 come from the Minutes column of the town’s Agenda Center, which holds the board’s minutes back to 2015. The town has not posted minutes in that column for any meeting after September 16, 2025. For October 7, 2025 through June 16, 2026, the Clerk of the Council sent MassVoter the approved minutes on October 6, 2026 (the town plans to post them on its website); each of those meeting pages links to MassVoter’s copy, and they match, word for word, the drafts in the board’s agenda packets. Not held: January 22, 2019 and February 24, 2026 (both cancelled because of snow) and the September 21, 2022 special meeting, according to the Clerk of the Council. Not here yet: July 7, 2026 and later (the town is still preparing these minutes). Braintree’s minutes record nearly every vote with names, such as “Vote: For (7 – Boericke, Flaherty, Maglio, Morin, Quilty, Reynolds, Ryan), Against (0), Absent (2 – Hume, Ringius), Abstain (0)”, and we show each member’s vote as recorded. In early 2018 the minutes give the yes votes as a count only, such as “For (8), Against (0), Absent (1 - Whalen)”; when every other member is named and the numbers add up, the rest are shown as voting yes. Where the names and counts disagree, a name is listed twice, or a member listed as voting is not on the meeting’s attendance line, we show the count only and add a note. The minutes record adjournment as “It was unanimously voted to adjourn”; we show it as a yes vote by the members on the last roll call of the meeting. The votes choosing the Council President in 2020 and 2024 (two nominees each time) are shown as results, with a note quoting the minutes. 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.
Dec 7Approve Order 21 054: 21 054 Planning Board/ZBA: Zoning…Motion: Motion: by Member Ringius to Approve Order 21 054Passed 8–1 · No: O'Brien
December 7, 2021: Approve Order 21 054: 21 054 Planning Board/ZBA: Zoning Bylaw Text Amendment
Motion: by Councilor Ringius to Approve Order 21 054
Yes: Boericke, Connors, Flaherty, Hume, Mackin, Ringius, Ryan, SciasciaNo: O'Brien
From the minutes
“Motion: by Councilor Ringius to Approve Order 21 054 Second: by Councilor Ryan Roll Call Vote: For (8 – Boericke, Connors, Flaherty, Hume, Mackin, Ringius, Ryan, Sciascia), Against (1 – O'Brien), Absent (0), Abstain (0).” (Motion: Ringius, second: Ryan)
Dec 7Approve Order 21 057 (1): 21 057 Mayor: Tax…Motion: Motion: by Member Ryan to Approve Order 21 057 (1)Passed Unanimous, 8 present · see note
December 7, 2021: Approve Order 21 057 (1): 21 057 Mayor: Tax Rate Classification
Motion: by Councilor Ryan to Approve Order 21 057 (1)
The vote line lists David Ringius as absent for this vote (this councilor was at the meeting but not in the room, or arrived later).
From the minutes
“Motion: by Councilor Ryan to Approve Order 21 057 (1) Second: by Councilor Boericke Roll Call Vote: For (8 – Boericke, Connors, Flaherty, Hume, Mackin, O'Brien, Ryan, Sciascia), Against (0), Absent (1 - Ringius), Abstain (0).” (Motion: Ryan, second: Boericke)
Dec 7Approve Order 21 057 (2): 21 057 Mayor: Tax…Motion: Motion: by Member Ryan to Approve Order 21 057 (2)Passed Unanimous, 8 present · see note
December 7, 2021: Approve Order 21 057 (2): 21 057 Mayor: Tax Rate Classification
Motion: by Councilor Ryan to Approve Order 21 057 (2)
The vote line lists David Ringius as absent for this vote (this councilor was at the meeting but not in the room, or arrived later).
From the minutes
“Motion: by Councilor Ryan to Approve Order 21 057 (2) Second: by Councilor Boericke Roll Call Vote: For (8 – Boericke, Connors, Flaherty, Hume, Mackin, O'Brien, Ryan, Sciascia), Against (0), Absent (1 - Ringius), Abstain (0).” (Motion: Ryan, second: Boericke)
Dec 7Approve Order 21 057 (3): 21 057 Mayor: Tax…Motion: Motion: by Member Ryan to Approve Order 21 057 (3)Passed Unanimous, 8 present · see note
December 7, 2021: Approve Order 21 057 (3): 21 057 Mayor: Tax Rate Classification
Motion: by Councilor Ryan to Approve Order 21 057 (3)
The vote line lists David Ringius as absent for this vote (this councilor was at the meeting but not in the room, or arrived later).
From the minutes
“Motion: by Councilor Ryan to Approve Order 21 057 (3) Second: by Councilor Boericke Roll Call Vote: For (8 – Boericke, Connors, Flaherty, Hume, Mackin, O'Brien, Ryan, Sciascia), Against (0), Absent (1 - Ringius), Abstain (0).” (Motion: Ryan, second: Boericke)
Dec 7Approve Order 21 057 (4): 21 057 Mayor: Tax…Motion: Motion: by Member Ryan to Approve Order 21 057 (4)Passed Unanimous, 8 present · see note
December 7, 2021: Approve Order 21 057 (4): 21 057 Mayor: Tax Rate Classification
Motion: by Councilor Ryan to Approve Order 21 057 (4)
The vote line lists David Ringius as absent for this vote (this councilor was at the meeting but not in the room, or arrived later).
From the minutes
“Motion: by Councilor Ryan to Approve Order 21 057 (4) Second: by Councilor Boericke Roll Call Vote: For (8 – Boericke, Connors, Flaherty, Hume, Mackin, O'Brien, Ryan, Sciascia), Against (0), Absent (1 - Ringius), Abstain (0).” (Motion: Ryan, second: Boericke)
Dec 7Approve Order 21 058: 21 058 Mayor: CPA Appropriation–Request…Motion: Motion: by Member Ryan to Approve Order 21 058Passed Unanimous, 8 present · see note
December 7, 2021: Approve Order 21 058: 21 058 Mayor: CPA Appropriation–Request for Appropriation-Windjammer Cove Affordable Conversion Project
Motion: by Councilor Ryan to Approve Order 21 058
The vote line lists David Ringius as absent for this vote (this councilor was at the meeting but not in the room, or arrived later).
From the minutes
“Motion: by Councilor Ryan to Approve Order 21 058 Second: by Councilor Boericke Roll Call Vote: For (8 – Boericke, Connors, Flaherty, Hume, Mackin, O'Brien, Ryan, Sciascia), Against (0), Absent (1 - Ringius), Abstain (0).” (Motion: Ryan, second: Boericke)
Dec 7Approve Order 21 059: 21 059 Mayor: Request for…Motion: Motion: by Member Ryan to Approve Order 21 059Passed Unanimous, 8 present · see note
December 7, 2021: Approve Order 21 059: 21 059 Mayor: Request for Authorization - to Spend $1,102,960.00 from the Turtle Crossing Settlement Fund for...
Motion: by Councilor Ryan to Approve Order 21 059
The vote line lists David Ringius as absent for this vote (this councilor was at the meeting but not in the room, or arrived later).
From the minutes
“Motion: by Councilor Ryan to Approve Order 21 059 Second: by Councilor Boericke Roll Call Vote: For (8 – Boericke, Connors, Flaherty, Hume, Mackin, O'Brien, Ryan, Sciascia), Against (0), Absent (1 - Ringius), Abstain (0).” (Motion: Ryan, second: Boericke)
Nov 3Approve Order 21 028: 21 028 Mayor: Ordinance to…Motion: Motion: by Member Ringius to Approve Order 21 028Passed 7–1 · No: O'Brien
November 3, 2021: Approve Order 21 028: 21 028 Mayor: Ordinance to Establish Anti Blight Program
Motion: by Councilor Ringius to Approve Order 21 028
Yes: Boericke, Flaherty, Hume, Mackin, Ringius, Ryan, SciasciaNo: O'Brien
From the minutes
“Motion: by Councilor Ringius to Approve Order 21 028 Second: by Councilor Ryan Roll Call Vote: For (7 – Boericke, Flaherty, Hume, Mackin, Ringius, Ryan, Sciascia), Against (1 – O'Brien), Absent (1 - Connors), Abstain (0).” (Motion: Ringius, second: Ryan)
Oct 19Approve Council Order 21 051: 21 051 Mayor: Appointment…Motion: Motion: by Member Ringius to Approve Council Order 21 051Passed 7–1 · No: O'Brien · Abstained: Boericke
October 19, 2021: Approve Council Order 21 051: 21 051 Mayor: Appointment – Planning Board, Jennifer Connolly
Motion: by Councilor Ringius to Approve Council Order 21 051
Yes: Connors, Flaherty, Hume, Mackin, Ringius, Ryan, SciasciaNo: O'BrienAbstained: Boericke
From the minutes
“Motion: by Councilor Ringius to Approve Council Order 21 051 Second: by Councilor Ryan Roll Call Vote: For (7 –Connors, Flaherty, Hume, Mackin, Ringius, Ryan, Sciascia), Against (1 - O'Brien), Absent (0), Abstain (1 - Boericke).” (Motion: Ringius, second: Ryan)
Oct 19Approve Council Order 21 052: 21 052 Mayor: Appointment…Motion: Motion: by Member Ringius to Approve Council Order 21 052Passed 8–1 · No: O'Brien
October 19, 2021: Approve Council Order 21 052: 21 052 Mayor: Appointment – Conservation Commission, Giles Parker
Motion: by Councilor Ringius to Approve Council Order 21 052
Yes: Boericke, Connors, Flaherty, Hume, Mackin, Ringius, Ryan, SciasciaNo: O'Brien
From the minutes
“Motion: by Councilor Ringius to Approve Council Order 21 052 Second: by Councilor Ryan Roll Call Vote: For (8 – Boericke, Connors, Flaherty, Hume, Mackin, Ringius, Ryan, Sciascia), Against (1 - O'Brien), Absent (0), Abstain (0).” (Motion: Ringius, second: Ryan)
From the Braintree Town Council’s official minutes, posted in the town’s Agenda Center (the newest minutes, October 2025 through June 2026, are approved copies sent to MassVoter by the Clerk of the Council). We check every vote against the members present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Photos: Town of Braintree (Town Council page).
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