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Bridgewater Town Council
How the Bridgewater Town Council voted, from the Town Council’s official minutes. 9 members. Mary McGrath, Adelene Ellenberg and Sonya Striggles were sworn in on May 7, 2024, and Dr. Kevin Perry was elected President. Susan Robinson’s last recorded vote was October 15, 2024. Johnny Loreti first appears in January 2025. Covers 23 meetings, May 7 to April 22, 2025.
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
Fred ChaseTown Member · Town Council · at 23 of 23 meetings
Adelene EllenbergTown Member · Town Council · at 23 of 23 meetings
Mark LindeTown Member · Town Council · at 23 of 23 meetingsJohnny LoretiTown Member · Town Council · at 7 of 7 meetings · from Jan 2025
Mary McGrathTown Member · Town Council · at 23 of 23 meetingsBradford McKinnonTown Member · Town Council · at 16 of 23 meetings
Dr. Paul MurphyTown Member · Town Council · at 23 of 23 meetingsSusan RobinsonTown Member · Town Council · at 13 of 13 meetings · until Oct 2024Sonya StrigglesTown Member · Town Council · at 23 of 23 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.
Apr 22Approve the appointment of Joshua Earley to the DEIB…Motion: to approve the appointment of Joshua Earley to the DEIB CommitteePassed 7–1 · No: Ellenberg
April 22, 2025: Approve the appointment of Joshua Earley to the DEIB Committee
To approve the appointment of Joshua Earley to the DEIB Committee
Yes: Chase, Linde, Loreti, McGrath, Murphy, Perry, StrigglesNo: Ellenberg
From the minutes
“Councilor Chase made a motion to approve the appointment of Joshua Earley to the DEIB Committee, which was duly seconded by Councilor Striggles. results as follows: Loretti - Yea; Ellenberg - No; Murphy - Yea; Perry - Yea; Linde - Yea; Chase - Yea; Striggles - Yea; McGrath - Yea, Motion passed 7-1.” (Motion: Chase, second: Striggles)
Apr 22Approve Order O-FY25-048Motion: to approve Order O-FY25-048Passed 7–1 · No: Linde
April 22, 2025 · Item O-FY25-048: Approve Order O-FY25-048
To approve Order O-FY25-048
Yes: Chase, Ellenberg, Loreti, McGrath, Murphy, Perry, StrigglesNo: Linde
From the minutes
“Councilor Chase made a motion to approve Order O-FY25-048, which was duly seconded by Councilor Striggles. A voice vote was taken with the results as follows: Loretti - Yea; Ellenberg - Yea; Murphy - Yea; Perry - Yea; Linde - No; Chase - Yea; Striggles - Yea; McGrath - Yea, Motion passed 7-1.” (Motion: Chase, second: Striggles)
Apr 22Approve Order O-FY25-051Motion: to approve Order O-FY25-051Passed 6–2 · No: Ellenberg, Loreti
April 22, 2025 · Item O-FY25-051: Approve Order O-FY25-051
To approve Order O-FY25-051
Yes: Chase, Linde, McGrath, Murphy, Perry, StrigglesNo: Ellenberg, Loreti
From the minutes
“Councilor Striggles made a motion to approve Order O-FY25-051, which was duly seconded by Councilor Chase. results as follows: Loretti - No; Ellenberg - No; Murphy - Yea; Perry - Yea; Linde - Yea; Chase - Yea; Striggles - Yea; McGrath - Yea, Motion passed 6-2.” (Motion: Striggles, second: Chase)
Apr 22Change the dollar amount on the “Fund Critical Roadway…Motion: to change the dollar amount on the “Fund Critical Roadway Repairs”…Failed 2–6 · No: Ellenberg, Linde, Loreti, McGrath, Murphy, Striggles
April 22, 2025 · Item O-FY25-055: Change the dollar amount on the “Fund Critical Roadway Repairs” line item to $1M
To change the dollar amount on the “Fund Critical Roadway Repairs” line item to $1M
Yes: Chase, PerryNo: Ellenberg, Linde, Loreti, McGrath, Murphy, Striggles
From the minutes
“Councilor Chase made a motion to change the dollar amount on the “Fund Critical Roadway Repairs” line item to $1M, which was duly seconded by Councilor Chase. A voice vote was taken with the results as follows: Loretti - No; Ellenberg - No; Murphy - No; Perry - Yea; Linde - No; Chase - Yea; Striggles - No; McGrath - No, Motion failed 2-6.” (Motion: Chase, second: Chase)
Apr 22Change the dollar amount on the “Fund Critical Roadway…Motion: to change the dollar amount on the “Fund Critical Roadway Repairs”…Passed 6–2 · No: Ellenberg, Loreti
April 22, 2025: Change the dollar amount on the “Fund Critical Roadway Repairs” line item to $500k
To change the dollar amount on the “Fund Critical Roadway Repairs” line item to $500k
Yes: Chase, Linde, McGrath, Murphy, Perry, StrigglesNo: Ellenberg, Loreti
From the minutes
“Councilor Striggles made a motion to change the dollar amount on the “Fund Critical Roadway Repairs” line item to $500k, which was duly seconded by Councilor Murphy. A voice vote was taken with the results as follows: Loretti - No; Ellenberg - No; Murphy - Yea; Perry - Yea; Linde - Yea; Chase - Yea; Striggles - Yea; McGrath - Yea, Motion passes 6-2.” (Motion: Striggles, second: Murphy)
Apr 22Suspend the Council Rules to allow Tim Fitzgibbons to…Motion: to suspend the Council Rules to allow Tim Fitzgibbons to speakPassed 6–2 · No: Ellenberg, McGrath
April 22, 2025: Suspend the Council Rules to allow Tim Fitzgibbons to speak
To suspend the Council Rules to allow Tim Fitzgibbons to speak
Yes: Chase, Linde, Loreti, Murphy, Perry, StrigglesNo: Ellenberg, McGrath
From the minutes
“Councilor Linde made a motion to suspend the Council Rules to allow Tim Fitzgibbons to speak, which was duly seconded by Councilor Striggles. A voice vote was taken with the results as follows: Loretti - Yea; Ellenberg - No; Murphy - Yea; Perry - Yea; Linde - Yea; Chase - Yea; Striggles - Yea; McGrath - No, Motion Passed 6-2.” (Motion: Linde, second: Striggles)
Apr 22Approve the amount of $6,034,614.95 for the SchoolMotion: to approve the amount of $6,034,614.95 for the SchoolPassed 6–2 · No: Ellenberg, Loreti
April 22, 2025: Approve the amount of $6,034,614.95 for the School
To approve the amount of $6,034,614.95 for the School
Yes: Chase, Linde, McGrath, Murphy, Perry, StrigglesNo: Ellenberg, Loreti
From the minutes
“Councilor Striggles made a motion to approve the amount of $6,034,614.95 for the School, which was duly seconded by Councilor Chase. A voice vote was taken with the results as follows: Loretti - No; Ellenberg - No; Murphy - Yea; Perry - Yea; Linde - Yea; Chase - Yea; Striggles - Yea; McGrath - Yea Motion Passed 6-2.” (Motion: Striggles, second: Chase)
Apr 22Change the dollar amount on the “Restore Budgetary Cuts…Motion: to change the dollar amount on the “Restore Budgetary Cuts Services…Passed 6–2 · No: Ellenberg, Loreti
April 22, 2025: Change the dollar amount on the “Restore Budgetary Cuts Services FY2026” line item to $422,658.33
To change the dollar amount on the “Restore Budgetary Cuts Services FY2026” line item to $422,658.33
Yes: Chase, Linde, McGrath, Murphy, Perry, StrigglesNo: Ellenberg, Loreti
From the minutes
“Councilor Murphy made a motion to change the dollar amount on the “Restore Budgetary Cuts Services FY2026” line item to $422,658.33, which was duly seconded by Councilor Striggles. A voice vote was taken with the results as follows: Loretti - No; Ellenberg - No; Murphy - Yea; Perry - Yea; Linde - Yea; Chase - Yea; Striggles - Yea; McGrath - Yea, Motion passes 6-2.” (Motion: Murphy, second: Striggles)
Apr 22Amend 1) in paragraph 2 change “haven” to “town”;…Motion: to amend 1) in paragraph 2 change “haven” to “town”; 2)…Failed 3–5 · No: Chase, Linde, Murphy, Perry, Striggles
April 22, 2025 · Item R-FY25-009: Amend 1) in paragraph 2 change “haven” to “town”; 2) in paragraph 2 delete the word “all” between where and individuals; and 3) in paragraph 5, remove “for all” at…
To amend 1) in paragraph 2 change “haven” to “town”; 2) in paragraph 2 delete the word “all” between where and individuals; and 3) in paragraph 5, remove “for all” at the end
Yes: Ellenberg, Loreti, McGrathNo: Chase, Linde, Murphy, Perry, Striggles
From the minutes
“Councilor McGrath made a motion to amend 1) in paragraph 2 change “haven” to “town”; 2) in paragraph 2 delete the word “all” between where and individuals; and 3) in paragraph 5, remove “for all” at the end. This was duly seconded by Councilor Loreti. results as follows: Loretti - Yea; Ellenberg - Yea; Murphy - No; Perry - No; Linde - No; Chase - No; Striggles - No; McGrath - Yea, Motion failed 3-5.” (Motion: McGrath, second: Loreti)
Apr 22Approve Resolution R-FY25-009Motion: to approve Resolution R-FY25-009Passed 6–2 · No: Ellenberg, Loreti
April 22, 2025 · Item R-FY25-009: Approve Resolution R-FY25-009
To approve Resolution R-FY25-009
Yes: Chase, Linde, McGrath, Murphy, Perry, StrigglesNo: Ellenberg, Loreti
From the minutes
“Councilor Chase made a motion to approve Resolution R-FY25-009, which was duly seconded by Councilor Striggles. A voice vote was taken with the results as follows: Loretti - No; Ellenberg - No; Murphy - Yea; Perry - Yea; Linde - Yea; Chase - Yea; Striggles - Yea; McGrath - Yea, Motion passes 6-2.” (Motion: Chase, second: Striggles)
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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