MassVoter.com← BridgewaterMunicipal votes · 2021–2022 Council
Bridgewater Town Council
How the Bridgewater Town Council voted, from the Town Council’s official minutes. 9 members. Dr. Kevin Perry and Erik Moore joined in May 2021, when Matthew Rushton was elected President. Fred Chase presides in the minutes from August 2022. The town has not posted minutes for March 15 to July 2022. Covers 29 meetings, May 11 to December 20, 2022.
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 council hires the town manager or administrator, who runs the town day to day and proposes the budget.
Sources: Mass. General Laws c. 44 § 32 (city budgets)Your Bridgewater ballot: 13 quizzes, about a minute each.
Start my ballot →Board years
Coming up
- Tue, Oct 20Town Council →
From the agendas Bridgewater posts on its official site. Agendas can change; the posted agenda is the official one.
Members
Peter ColombotosTown Member · Town Council · at 25 of 29 meetingsDennis GallagherTown Member · Town Council · at 28 of 29 meetingsShawn GeorgeTown Member · Town Council · at 26 of 29 meetingsErik MooreTown Member · Town Council · at 27 of 29 meetings
Dr. Kevin PerryTown Member · Town Council · at 27 of 29 meetingsMatthew RushtonTown Member · Town Council · at 25 of 29 meetingsFrancis SousaTown Member · Town Council · at 28 of 29 meetingsWilliam (Bill) WoodTown Member · Town Council · at 27 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
Not here yet: we have loaded the Town Council’s minutes from January 2020 on. The town has not posted minutes for March 15 to July 2022. Five meetings from early 2022 are scanned documents; we read them with text recognition. Almost every vote is recorded by name. Some votes in 2020 were recorded only as a count and are not listed. Where the names in the minutes do not match the recorded count, we show only the count and note it. 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 6Approve Order O-FY23-032Motion: to approve Order O-FY23-032Passed 7–0 · Abstained: Sousa
December 6, 2022 · Item O-FY23-032: Approve Order O-FY23-032
To approve Order O-FY23-032
Yes: Chase, Colombotos, Gallagher, George, Moore, Perry, WoodAbstained: SousaAbsent: RushtonFrancis Sousa recused (shown as abstained).
From the minutes
“Councilor Gallagher made a motion to approve Order O-FY23-032, which was duly seconded. results recorded as follows: Perry - Yea; Sousa - Recused; George - Yea; Moore - Yea; Chase - Yea; Gallagher -Yea; Colombotos - Yea; Wood - Yea; Rushton - Absent. The motion passed 7-0.” (Motion: Gallagher)
Nov 15Amend Ordinance D-FY23-002 by adding as the last paragraph:…Motion: to amend Ordinance D-FY23-002 by adding as the last paragraph: “Business…Passed 4–3 · No: Chase, Moore, Wood
November 15, 2022 · Item D-FY23-002: Amend Ordinance D-FY23-002 by adding as the last paragraph: “Business Owners and Real Property Owners Notwithstanding the foregoing, the owner of record of a business, real property or leasehold inter
To amend Ordinance D-FY23-002 by adding as the last paragraph: “Business Owners and Real Property Owners Notwithstanding the foregoing, the owner of record of a business, real property or leasehold interest in real property located within the Town who is a non-resident of the Town shall be permitted to address the Town Council.” This amendment
Yes: George, Perry, Rushton, SousaNo: Chase, Moore, WoodAbsent: Colombotos, Gallagher
From the minutes
“Councilor Perry made a motion to amend Ordinance D-FY23-002 by adding as the last paragraph: “Business Owners and Real Property Owners Notwithstanding the foregoing, the owner of record of a business, real property or leasehold interest in real property located within the Town who is a non-resident of the Town shall be permitted to address the Town Council.” This amendment was duly seconded. results recorded as follows on the first amendment made by Councilor Wood: Perry - Yea; Sousa - Yea; George - Yea; Moore - No; Chase - No; Gallagher -Absent; Colombotos - Absent; Wood - No; Rushton - Yea. The motion passed 4-3-0.” (Motion: Perry)
Nov 15Refer Ordinance D-FY23-002 to advertisingMotion: to refer Ordinance D-FY23-002 to advertisingPassed 6–1 · No: Moore
November 15, 2022 · Item D-FY23-002: Refer Ordinance D-FY23-002 to advertising
To refer Ordinance D-FY23-002 to advertising
Yes: Chase, George, Perry, Rushton, Sousa, WoodNo: MooreAbsent: Colombotos, Gallagher
From the minutes
“Councilor George made a motion to refer Ordinance D-FY23-002 to advertising, which was duly seconded. results recorded as follows: Perry - Yea; Sousa - Yea; George - Yea; Moore - No; Chase - Yea; Gallagher -Absent; Colombotos - Absent; Wood - Yea; Rushton - Yea. The motion passed 6-1.” (Motion: George)
Nov 15Refer Order O-FY23-031 to Budget & Finance and FinComMotion: to refer Order O-FY23-031 to Budget & Finance and FinComPassed 6–0 · Abstained: Sousa
November 15, 2022 · Item O-FY23-031: Refer Order O-FY23-031 to Budget & Finance and FinCom
To refer Order O-FY23-031 to Budget & Finance and FinCom
Yes: Chase, George, Moore, Perry, Rushton, WoodAbstained: SousaAbsent: Colombotos, GallagherFrancis Sousa recused (shown as abstained).
From the minutes
“Councilor George made a motion to refer Order O-FY23-031 to Budget & Finance and FinCom, which was duly seconded. results recorded as follows: Perry - Yea; Sousa - Recused; George - Yea; Moore - Yea; Chase - Yea; Gallagher -Absent; Colombotos - Absent; Wood - Yea; Rushton - Yea. The motion passed 6-0.” (Motion: George)
Sep 13Approve the transfer of the Class II license for…Motion: to approve the transfer of the Class II license for Fritz…Passed 7–0 · Abstained: Sousa
September 13, 2022 · Item P-2023-001: Approve the transfer of the Class II license for Fritz Auto Body located at 567 Main Street
To approve the transfer of the Class II license for Fritz Auto Body located at 567 Main Street
Yes: Chase, Colombotos, Gallagher, George, Moore, Rushton, WoodAbstained: SousaAbsent: PerryFrancis Sousa recused (shown as abstained).
From the minutes
“Councilor George made a motion to approve the transfer of the Class II license for Fritz Auto Body located at 567 Main Street. The motion was duly seconded. results recorded as follows: Perry - Absent at the time of the hearing; Sousa - Recused; George - Yea; Moore - Yea; Chase - Yea; Gallagher - Yea; Colombotos - Yea; Wood - Yea; Rushton - Yea. The motion passed 7- 0.” (Motion: George)
Sep 13Approve the transfer of the Class II license for…Motion: to approve the transfer of the Class II license for Auto…Passed 7–0 · see note
September 13, 2022 · Item P-2023-004: Approve the transfer of the Class II license for Auto Nation located at 183 Old Plymouth Street
To approve the transfer of the Class II license for Auto Nation located at 183 Old Plymouth Street
The minutes record the result as 7–0, but the list of names does not match that count, so individual votes are not shown.
From the minutes
“Councilor George made a motion to approve the transfer of the Class II license for Auto Nation located at 183 Old Plymouth Street. The motion was duly seconded. results recorded as follows: Perry - Absent at the time of the hearing; Sousa - Yea; George - Yea; Moore - Yea; Chase - Yea; Gallagher - Yea; Colombotos - Yea; Wood - Yea; Rushton - Yea. The motion passed 7-0.” (Motion: George)
Sep 13Suspend the board rules so Order O-FY23-012 can be…Motion: to suspend the board rules so Order O-FY23-012 can be sent…Passed 8–1 · No: Moore
September 13, 2022 · Item O-FY23-012: Suspend the council rules so Order O-FY23-012 can be sent to two different committees
To suspend the council rules so Order O-FY23-012 can be sent to two different committees
Yes: Chase, Colombotos, Gallagher, George, Perry, Rushton, Sousa, WoodNo: Moore
From the minutes
“Councilor George made a motion to suspend the council rules so Order O-FY23-012 can be sent to two different committees. The motion was duly seconded. results recorded as follows: Perry - Yea; Sousa - Yea; George - Yea; Moore - No; Chase - Yea; Gallagher - Yea; Colombotos - Yea; Wood - Yea; Rushton - Yea. The motion passed 8-1.” (Motion: George)
Sep 13Retain Petition P-2023-005 at Town Council levelMotion: to retain Petition P-2023-005 at Town Council levelPassed 8–0 · see note
September 13, 2022 · Item P-2023-005: Retain Petition P-2023-005 at Town Council level
To retain Petition P-2023-005 at Town Council level
The minutes record the result as 8–0, but the list of names does not match that count, so individual votes are not shown.
From the minutes
“Councilor Gallagher made a motion to retain Petition P-2023-005 at Town Council level, which was duly seconded. results recorded as follows: Perry - Yea; Sousa - Yea; George - Yea; Moore - No; Chase - Yea; Gallagher - Yea; Colombotos - Yea; Wood - Yea; Rushton - Absent. The motion passed 8-0.” (Motion: Gallagher)
Sep 13Retain Resolution R-FY23-001 at Town Council levelMotion: to retain Resolution R-FY23-001 at Town Council levelPassed 8–0 · see note
September 13, 2022 · Item R-FY23-001: Retain Resolution R-FY23-001 at Town Council level
To retain Resolution R-FY23-001 at Town Council level
The minutes record the result as 8–0, but the list of names does not match that count, so individual votes are not shown.
From the minutes
“Councilor Moore made a motion to retain Resolution R-FY23-001 at Town Council level, which was duly seconded. results recorded as follows: Perry - Yea; Sousa - Yea; George - Yea; Moore - No; Chase - Yea; Gallagher - Yea; Colombotos - Yea; Wood - Yea; Rushton - Absent. The motion passed 8-0.” (Motion: Moore)
Aug 2Approve Order O-FY22-057Motion: to approve Order O-FY22-057Passed 6–0 · Abstained: Colombotos, Sousa
August 2, 2022 · Item O-FY22-057: Approve Order O-FY22-057
To approve Order O-FY22-057
Yes: Chase, Gallagher, George, Moore, Perry, RushtonAbstained: Colombotos, SousaAbsent: Wood
From the minutes
“Councilor George made a motion to approve Order O-FY22-057, which was duly seconded. results recorded as follows: Perry - Yea; Sousa - Abstained; George - Yea; Moore - Yea; Chase - Yea; Gallagher - Yea; Colombotos - Abstained; Wood - Absent; Rushton - Yea. The motion passed 6-0-2.” (Motion: George)
From the Bridgewater Town Council’s official minutes, posted on the town’s CivicClerk portal. We check every roll call against the recorded count and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades officials; votes and attendance are shown exactly as the minutes record them. Member photos: Town of Bridgewater Town Council page (bridgewaterma.gov); Paul Murphy from his MIT staff page. Mark Linde from a BTV (Bridgewater access TV) “Candidate’s Corner” video. Mary McGrath and Michaela Spagone from the Town of Bridgewater video of the September 15, 2026 Town Council meeting (identified by the nameplate in front of each member).
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