MassVoter.com← CantonMunicipal votes · 2018–2019 Board
Canton Select Board
How the Canton Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide. Same five members. On May 29, 2018 the board chose Mark J. Porter as Chairman, Christopher J. Connolly as Vice Chairman and Kevin T. Feeney as Clerk. Kevin Feeney’s last meeting was October 16, 2018; his seat stayed empty until the April 2019 town election, and on October 30, 2018 the board chose Thomas W. Theodore as Clerk. Covers 24 meetings, May 29 to April 2, 2019.
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 budgetBoard years
Coming up
MassVoter can’t read Canton’s meeting calendar automatically yet. See upcoming meetings on the official site →
Members
"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: Select Board minutes (called the Board of Selectmen until 2020) from January 9, 2018 through August 25, 2026, from the town’s Laserfiche records archive, which holds Select Board minutes back to 2002 (MassVoter has loaded 2018 on). The town has not posted open-session minutes for 62 meeting dates from 2021 to August 2026 that are listed in its Agenda Center (most of them from June to December 2021, February to December 2022 and February to September 2023, plus three in 2024, six in 2025 and two in 2026), or for any meeting after August 25, 2026. For 27 of those dates the town has posted only the executive-session minutes; we load those as the record of that meeting and say so. Joint meetings with other boards are included, but only the Select Board’s own votes. The minutes are scanned pages with a text layer; ten 2021 files had no text layer, so MassVoter read them with text recognition. Canton’s minutes give the mover, the seconder and the count for almost every vote (“Motion: Mr. J. McCourt Second: Ms. T. Boyden Vote: 5-0”), and split votes name the members who voted no, abstained or stepped aside in brackets (“Vote: 3-2 (Ms. Harrington and Ms. Boyden opposed)”). Remote meetings in 2020–2021 and executive-session votes use roll calls listing each member’s vote. When the count matches the members present, or every member answered in the affirmative, we show every member present as voting yes; when the minutes name the members who voted no or abstained and the count adds up, everyone else present as voting yes. Where the minutes give a split count without names, a roll call leaves out a member who was there or names one the attendance line does not show, or the count does not match the members present, we show the count only and add a note. Motions written down with no vote are shown with the result only. Two members named Connolly (John J. and Christopher J.) served together until 2023; where the minutes say only “Mr. Connolly” we do not guess which one. Members who stepped aside (recused), had not yet arrived or had left are left out of that 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.
Apr 2Rescind the previous vote to hold a special town…Motion: the Board vote to rescind the previous vote to hold a…Passed Unanimous, 3 present · see note
April 2, 2019: Rescind the previous vote to hold a special town election on May 21St and to hold a special town election on May 28`h, 2019 and approve the Ballot question for…
The Board vote to rescind the previous vote to hold a special town election on May 21St and to hold a special town election on May 28`h, 2019 and approve the Ballot question for the Special Town Election as follows
Christopher J. Connolly had not yet arrived.
From the minutes
“Motion was made that the Board vote to rescind the previous vote to hold a special town election on May 21St and to hold a special town election on May 28`h, 2019 and approve the Ballot question for the Special Town Election as follows: Shall the Town of Canton be allowed to exempt from the provisions of proposition two and one half, so called, the amount required to pay for the bond issued in order to pay for the designing, permitting, environmental clean-up, reconstructing, constructing, repairing and equipping of the Bolivar Pool Aquatic Center located at 199 Bolivar Street in the Town of Canton. Yes No Motion: T. Theodore Second: Mr. J. Connolly Vote: 3-0.” (Motion: Theodore, second: John J. Connolly)
Apr 2Approve the language for the motion for Article 11,…Motion: the Board approve the language for the motion for Article 11,…Passed Unanimous, 3 present · see note
April 2, 2019: Approve the language for the motion for Article 11, motions 1,2,3 relative to Paul Revere Heritage Site revolving funds, for the May 13 ATM
The Board approve the language for the motion for Article 11, motions 1,2,3 relative to Paul Revere Heritage Site revolving funds, for the May 13 ATM
Christopher J. Connolly had not yet arrived.
From the minutes
“Motion was made that the Board approve the language for the motion for Article 11, motions 1,2,3 relative to Paul Revere Heritage Site revolving funds, for the May 13 ATM. Motion: T. Theodore Second: Mr. J. Connolly Vote: 3-0.” (Motion: Theodore, second: John J. Connolly)
Apr 2Approve the PEC agreement and related budget recommendationsMotion: the Board approve the PEC agreement and related budget recommendationsPassed Unanimous, 3 present · see note
April 2, 2019: Approve the PEC agreement and related budget recommendations
The Board approve the PEC agreement and related budget recommendations
Christopher J. Connolly had not yet arrived.
From the minutes
“Motion was made that the Board approve the PEC agreement and related budget recommendations Motion: T. Theodore Second: Mr. J. Connolly Vote: 3-0.” (Motion: Theodore, second: John J. Connolly)
Mar 19Ratify the amendments to the contract between the Town…Motion: the Board ratify the amendments to the contract between the Town…Passed 3–0 · Abstained: Theodore
March 19, 2019: Ratify the amendments to the contract between the Town and Police Superiors Officers for the term of July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2021
The Board ratify the amendments to the contract between the Town and Police Superiors Officers for the term of July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2021
Yes: Christopher J. Connolly, John J. Connolly, PorterAbstained: Theodore
From the minutes
“Motion was made that the Board ratify the amendments to the contract between the Town and Police Superiors Officers for the term of July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2021. Motion: Mr. C. Connolly Second: Mr. J. Connolly Vote 3-0-1 (Mr. Theodore).” (Motion: Christopher J. Connolly, second: John J. Connolly)
Jan 22Ratify the MOA between the Town and the Canton…Motion: to ratify the MOA between the Town and the Canton Police…Passed 2–0 · see note
January 22, 2019: Ratify the MOA between the Town and the Canton Police Association
To ratify the MOA between the Town and the Canton Police Association
The minutes give only the count (2-0-1), not how each member voted.
From the minutes
“Motion was made to ratify the MOA between the Town and the Canton Police Association. Motion: Mr. T. Theodore Second: Mr. J. Connolly Vote: 2-0-1 Mr. Theodore abstained.” (Motion: Theodore, second: John J. Connolly)
Jan 8Appoint William Theodore as a Full Time PatrolmanMotion: to appoint William Theodore as a Full Time PatrolmanPassed 2–0 · see note
January 8, 2019: Appoint William Theodore as a Full Time Patrolman
To appoint William Theodore as a Full Time Patrolman
The minutes give only the count (2-0-1), not how each member voted.
From the minutes
“Motion was made to appoint William Theodore as a Full Time Patrolman Motion: Mr. J. Connolly Second: Mr. C. Connolly Vote: 2-0-1 Mr. Theodore abstained.” (Motion: John J. Connolly, second: Christopher J. Connolly)
Dec 4Approve the Water/Sewer Abatement request for 15 Raven Road…Motion: to approve the Water/Sewer Abatement request for 15 Raven Road in…Passed 3–0 · see note
December 4, 2018: Approve the Water/Sewer Abatement request for 15 Raven Road in the amount of $700.00
To approve the Water/Sewer Abatement request for 15 Raven Road in the amount of $700.00
The minutes give the vote as 3-0, but 4 members were present (Mark J. Porter, Christopher J. Connolly, Thomas W. Theodore and John J. Connolly). Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“Motion was made to approve the Water/Sewer Abatement request for 15 Raven Road in the amount of $700.00. Motion: Mr. Theodore Second: Mr. J. Connolly Vote: 3-0.” (Motion: Theodore, second: John J. Connolly)
Nov 27Waive building permit fees, pending Building Commissioner approvalMotion: to waive building permit fees, pending Building Commissioner approvalPassed 4–0 · see note
November 27, 2018: Waive building permit fees, pending Building Commissioner approval
To waive building permit fees, pending Building Commissioner approval
The minutes give the vote as 4-0, but 3 members were present (Mark J. Porter, Thomas W. Theodore and John J. Connolly). Showing the count only. Christopher J. Connolly stepped aside (recused) and did not take part in this vote.
From the minutes
“Motion was made to waive building permit fees, pending Building Commissioner approval. Motion Mr. T. Theodore Second: Mr. C. Connolly Vote: 4-0.” (Motion: Theodore, second: Christopher J. Connolly)
Nov 13Approve a letter of Support for CPC Application for…Motion: to approve a letter of Support for CPC Application for Paul…Passed · see note
November 13, 2018: Approve a letter of Support for CPC Application for Paul Revere Heritage Site Signage Project
To approve a letter of Support for CPC Application for Paul Revere Heritage Site Signage Project
The minutes record this motion but no vote on it.
From the minutes
“Motion was made to approve a letter of Support for CPC Application for Paul Revere Heritage Site Signage Project. Motion: Mr. Theodore Second: Mr. C. Connolly.” (Motion: Theodore, second: Christopher J. Connolly)
Oct 2Approve the orders of taking relative to 20 Old…Motion: to approve the orders of taking relative to 20 Old Shephard…Passed · see note
October 2, 2018: Approve the orders of taking relative to 20 Old Shephard Street, 14 Old Shephard Street, 281 Washington Street, 95 Messinger Street and to adopt the resolutions regarding damage awards for…
To approve the orders of taking relative to 20 Old Shephard Street, 14 Old Shephard Street, 281 Washington Street, 95 Messinger Street and to adopt the resolutions regarding damage awards for the proposed takings shown on Exhibit A
The minutes record this motion but no vote on it.
From the minutes
“Motion was made to approve the orders of taking relative to 20 Old Shephard Street, 14 Old Shephard Street, 281 Washington Street, 95 Messinger Street and to adopt the resolutions regarding damage awards for the proposed takings shown on Exhibit A..”
From the Canton Select Board’s official minutes, posted in the town’s Laserfiche records archive. We check every vote against the Select Board members present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Photos: The Canton Citizen (Susan M. Harrington, John R. McCourt, Michael C. Loughran and Julie Beckham, from their candidacy announcements; Patricia M. Boyden cropped from a captioned photo of the board by Moira Sweetland, February 2026).
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