MassVoter.com← CarverMunicipal votes · 2021–2022 Board
Carver Select Board
How the Carver Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide. Same five members. On May 4, 2021 the board chose Mark Townsend as Chair (3-2) and Sarah Hewins as Vice Chair (4-1). Covers 31 meetings, May 4 to April 8, 2022.
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
- Thu, Oct 15SB sub committee 10/15/26 agenda →
From the agendas Carver posts on its official site. Agendas can change; the posted agenda is the official one.
What Town Meeting decided
In Carver, Town Meeting — not the Select Board — 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 · April 7, 2026 2 votes: 2 passed
- Art. 1 Transfer $60,000 from ambulance receipts to the FY2026 EMS salary budget Passed “ARTICLE 1 PASSES · 125 YES/ 5 NO”
- Art. 2 Transfer $250,000 from free cash to the FY2026 North Carver Water District budget Passed “ARTICLE 1 PASSES · 94 YES/ 40 NO”
Source: Town Clerk's minutes, April 7, 2026 Special Town Meeting (scanned).
Annual Town Meeting · April 7, 2026 20 votes: 17 passed, 1 passed as amended, 2 failed
- Art. 1 Accept the 2025 Annual Town Report Passed “VOICE VOTE WAS UNANIMOUS ARTICLE 1 PASSES”
- Art. 2 Transfer $217,500 from free cash; amended to $50,000 radios, $130,000 compensated absences, $27,500 tree removal, $10,000 fireworks Passed as amended “PASSES · 131 YES/ 21 NO”
- Art. 3 Pay a $150 prior-year stipend to a Redevelopment Authority member Passed “VOICE VOTE ARTICLE 3 PASSES UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 4 Raise $150,000 for the Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) fund Passed “PASSES · 113 YES / 32 NO”
- Art. 5 FY2027 operating budget: total appropriation of $54,517,039 for town and school Passed “PASSES · 119 YES/ 23 NO”
- Art. 6 FY2027 North Carver Water District Enterprise Fund budget of $650,000, incl. $400,000 subsidy from free cash Passed “PASSES · 92 YES/ 49 NO”
- Art. 7 · motion 1 Raise $1,510,295 to supplement the FY2027 health insurance budget Passed “PASSES · 118 YES/ 30 NO”
- Art. 7 · motion 2 Transfer $2,489,705 ($1,465,785 free cash, $1,023,920 solar fund) to cover the FY2026 health insurance shortfall Passed “PASSES · 120 YES/ 17 NO”
- Art. 8 · motion 1 Capital: borrow $800,000 for fire personal protective equipment Passed “PASSES · 106 YES/ 13 NO”
- Art. 8 · motion 2 Capital: borrow $75,000 for a police cruiser Passed “PASSES · 91 YES/ 42 NO”
- Art. 8 · motion 3 Capital: borrow $30,000 for a police fingerprint scanner Passed “PASSES · 141 YES/ 15 NO”
- Art. 8 · motion 4 Capital: borrow $110,000 for state-required municipal well upgrades Passed “PASSES · 122 YES/ 30 NO”
- Art. 8 · motion 5 Capital: borrow $95,000 to replace a dump truck with plow Passed “PASSES · 107 YES/ 44 NO”
- Art. 8 · motion 6 Capital: borrow $80,000 for a Middle-High School weight room Failed “FAILS · 67 YES/ 82 NO”
- Art. 8 · motion 7 Capital: borrow $141,750 for a 71-passenger school bus Failed “FAILS · 96 YES/ 51 NO”
- Art. 8 · motion 8 Capital: $70,000 from ambulance receipts for an EMS command vehicle Passed “PASSES BY SIMPLE MAJORITY · 128 YES/ 19 NO”
- Art. 9 Set revolving fund spending limits and add a Council on Aging (GATRA) revolving fund with a $250,000 limit Passed “PASSES · 115 YES/ 6 NO”
- Art. 10 Community Preservation FY2027 budget of $932,000, incl. $50,000 for 44 Lakeview Street and $2,500 for 250th anniversary flags Passed “PASSES · 108 YES/ 11 NO”
- Art. 11 Let the School Committee sign an agreement with state agencies for student transportation reimbursement Passed “PASSES · 111 YES/ 6 NO”
- Art. 12 Swap Town land off South Main Street with the South Carver Union Society, gaining land for Union Cemetery Passed “PASSES · 107 YES/ 7 NO”
Source: Town Clerk's minutes, 2026 Annual Town Meeting (scanned).
Special Town Meeting · October 7, 2025 12 votes: 7 passed, 1 passed as amended, 3 failed, 1 indefinitely postponed
- Art. 1 Pay $1,349.42 in prior-year bills Passed “PASSES BY UNANIMOUS VOICE VOTE”
- Art. 2 Add $9,268 to FY2026 Fire Department salaries; amended to take the sum from the Town Planner salary line Passed as amended “PASSES · 275 YES/65 NO”
- Art. 3 Appropriate $37,630.25 for alarms and chemical pumps at municipal and school wells Passed “PASSES · 372 YES/44 NO”
- Art. 4 Accept veterans' property tax exemption for homes held in trust (Clause 22G) Passed “PASSES · 379 YES/40 NO”
- Art. 5 Approve a battery energy storage PILOT agreement with Cranberry Point Energy Storage, LLC Passed “PASSES · 347 YES/ 64 NO”
- Art. 6 Zoning: allow earth removal as a permitted use in the Green Business Park district Indefinitely postponed “VOTE TO INDEFINETLY POSTPONE: PASSES · 223 YES/180 NO”
- Art. 7 Zoning: further changes to the accessory apartment (ADU) bylaw after Attorney General review Passed “PASSES · 335 YES/ 83 NO”
- Art. 8 Zoning: create an MBTA Communities multifamily overlay district Failed “FAILS · 26 YES/ 394 NO”
- Art. 9 Non-binding: recommend the regional refuse district start the process to sell the Rochester landfill property Passed “PASSES · 211 YES/ 37 NO”
- Art. 10 Non-binding: recommend starting the process to dissolve the Carver-Marion-Wareham Regional Refuse Disposal District Passed “PASSES · 228 YES/ 21 NO”
- Art. 11 Citizen petition: rezone three Shoestring Road parcels from Residential-Agricultural to General Business and add them to the tourist overlay district Failed “FAILS BY 2/3RDS VOTE · 33 YES/ 216 NO”
- Art. 12 Citizen petition: ask the Select Board to challenge the 40B affordable housing law Failed “FAILS · 53 YES/ 104 NO”
Source: Town Clerk's minutes, October 7, 2025 Special Town Meeting.
Annual Town Meeting · April 8, 2025 29 votes: 24 passed, 3 passed as amended, 2 failed
- Art. 1 Accept the 2024 Annual Town Report Passed “VOICE VOTE WAS UNANIMOUS ARTICLE 1 PASSES”
- Art. 2 Transfer $1,675,918 from free cash to reserves and funds (stabilization, OPEB, water district subsidy and others) Passed “ARTICLE 2 PASSES · 138 YES/ 17 NO”
- Art. 3 FY2026 operating budget: total appropriation of $52,283,431 for town and school Passed “ARTICLE 3 PASSES · 135 YES/ 40 NO”
- Art. 4 FY2026 North Carver Water District Enterprise Fund budget of $650,000 Passed “ARTICLE 4 PASSES · 131 YES/ 66 NO”
- Art. 5A Capital budget part A: $1,300,000 from free cash for 18 items and $350,000 from ambulance receipts for a new ambulance Passed “PART A PASSES · 169 YES/ 25 NO”
- Art. 5B Capital budget part B: borrow $2,400,000 for a fire ladder truck Passed “PART B PASSES · 157 YES/ 48 NO”
- Art. 6 Put $1,038,926.60 into the Middle High School Building Stabilization Fund Passed “ARTICLE 6 PASSES · 155 YES/ 31 NO”
- Art. 7 Cancel unused borrowing authority for three finished projects ($96,760; $1,854,058; $1,063,200) Passed “ARTICLE 7 PASSES · 180 YES/ 10 NO”
- Art. 8 Set revolving fund spending limits (motion raised the Fire Department limit to $30,000) Passed “ARTICLE 8 PASSES · 134 YES/ 17 NO”
- Art. 9 Community Preservation FY2026 budget of $1,255,000, incl. $375,000 for Weweantic River conservation restrictions Passed “ARTICLE 9 PASSES · 139 YES/ 8 NO”
- Art. 10 Pay prior-year bills, amended to a total of $1,896.54 Passed as amended “ARTICLE 10 PASSES · 165 YES/19 NO”
- Art. 11 Ask the Legislature to dissolve the North Carver Water District and move its duties to the Town Passed “ARTICLE 11 PASSES · 110 YES/ 81 NO”
- Art. 12 Allow Town trust funds to be invested under the "Prudent Investment Rule" Passed “ARTICLE 12 PASSES · 177 YES/ 8 NO”
- Art. 13 Allow licensed individuals to carry firearms in Town administrative buildings Passed “ARTICLE 13 PASSES · 144 YES/ 41 NO”
- Art. 14 Accept the "Mullin Rule" (G.L. c.39, s.23D) for adjudicatory hearings Passed “ARTICLE 14 PASSES · 101 YES/ 51 NO”
- Art. 15 Accept yearly cost-of-living increases for veterans' property tax exemptions (Clause 22I) Passed “ARTICLE 15 PASSES · 156 YES/ 7 NO”
- Art. 16 Accept an additional veterans' property tax exemption equal to 100% of other exemptions (Clause 22J) Passed “ARTICLE 16 PASSES · 151 YES/ 10 NO”
- Art. 17 Approve four solar payment-in-lieu-of-tax (PILOT) agreements Passed “ARTICLE 17 PASSES · 136 YES/ 20 NO”
- Art. 18 Amend the bylaw on denying licenses to delinquent taxpayers (drop the 12-month waiting period) Passed “ARTICLE 18 PASSES · 133 YES/ 18 NO”
- Art. 19 Wetlands bylaw: add a definition of "cranberry bog" Passed “ARTICLE 19 PASSES · 88 YES/ 61 NO”
- Art. 20 Wetlands bylaw: add "cranberry bog" to the areas the bylaw covers Passed “ARTICLE 20 PASSES · 99 YES/ 46 NO”
- Art. 21 Wetlands bylaw: reference the state exemptions for land in agricultural use Passed “ARTICLE 21 PASSES · 122 YES/ 25 NO”
- Art. 22 Wetlands bylaw: change the maximum fine for violations Passed “ARTICLE 22 PASSES · 97 YES/ 32 NO”
- Art. 23 Zoning: update the accessory apartment (ADU) bylaw to match new state law Passed as amended “ARTICLE 23 PASSES AS AMENDED · 96 YES/ 38 NO”
- Art. 24 Zoning: correct the use table for mixed-use structures and dwelling units above commercial uses Passed “ARTICLE 24 PASSES · 116 YES/ 21 NO”
- Art. 25 Zoning: delete the expired "Rate of Development" section Passed “ARTICLE 25 PASSES · 118 YES/ 19 NO”
- Art. 26 Zoning: raise minimum residential lot size from 60,000 to 80,000 sq. ft. and frontage from 150 to 200 feet Failed “ARTICLE 26 FAILS · 32 YES/ 115 NO”
- Art. 27 Citizen petition: change local election hours (amended to 9 A.M.-4 P.M. plus an early voting day) Passed as amended “CITIZENS PETITION ARTICLE 27 AS AMENDED PASSES · 118 YES/ 23 NO”
- Art. 28 Citizen petition: create an elected Earth Removal Committee with limits on who may serve Failed “CITIZENS PETITION ARTICLE 28 FAILS · 14 YES/ 124 NO”
Source: Town Clerk's minutes in the 2025 Annual Town Report.
Annual Town Meeting · June 4, 2024 16 votes: 12 passed, 1 failed, 3 indefinitely postponed
- Art. 1 Accept the 2023 Annual Town Report Passed “BY VOICE VOTE WAS UNANIMOUS”
- Art. 2 FY2025 operating budget: total appropriation of $53,197,609.96 for town and school Passed “ARTICLE PASSES · 129 YES/29 NO”
- Art. 3 FY2025 North Carver Water District Enterprise Fund budget of $636,221 Passed “ARTICLE PASSES · 113 YES / 54 NO”
- Art. 4 Capital improvements budget of $1,260,000 (fire, police, schools, IT, maintenance) from free cash, capital balances and solar revenue Passed “ARTICLE PASSES · 145 YES/18 NO”
- Art. 5 Create a school athletics advertising revolving fund with a $50,000 spending limit Passed “ARTICLE PASSES · 139 YES/20 NO”
- Art. 6 Community Preservation FY2025 budget: $1,004,750 in appropriations and reserves, incl. $105,425 for cleanup at 11 Green Street Passed “ARTICLE PASSES · YES 146/12 NO”
- Art. 7 Accept donated land at 56 Fosdick Road for conservation Passed “PASSES · 152 YES/13 NO”
- Art. 8 Raise the maximum senior and veteran tax work-off credit from $1,000 to $1,500 Passed “PASSES · 157 YES/ 5 NO”
- Art. 9 Ask the Legislature to let the Town keep paying 75% (instead of 50%) of health insurance premiums for employees retiring after June 30, 2025 Passed “PASSES · 127 YES/ 35 NO”
- Art. 10 Adopt the renumbered and revised General Bylaws as the Code of the Town of Carver Passed “ARTICLE PASSES · 143 YES/17 NO”
- Art. 11 Accept the "Mullin Rule" (G.L. c.39, s.23D) for adjudicatory hearings Indefinitely postponed “TO INDEFINETLY POSTPONE. · 135 YES/ 22 NO”
- Art. 12 Amend the Finance Committee bylaw (role, member stipend, eligibility to serve) Passed “ARTICLE PASSES AS WRITTEN · 87 YES/62 NO”
- Art. 13 Adopt the renumbered and revised Zoning Bylaw as Chapter 290 of the Town Code Passed “ARTICLE PASSES · 148 YES/9 NO”
- Art. 14 Citizen petition: change Finance Committee eligibility rules (bylaw 4.3.7) Indefinitely postponed “PASSES TO INDEFINETLY POSTPONE · 147 YES/ 4 NO”
- Art. 15 Citizen petition: replace Finance Committee eligibility bylaw 4.3.7 Indefinitely postponed “VOICE VOTE TO INDEFINETLY POSTPONE PASSES”
- Art. 16 Citizen petition: require a Planning Board permit for lithium-ion battery storage of 10 megawatts or more Failed “FAILS BY MAJORITY VOTE · 71 YES/ 91 NO”
Source: Town Clerk's minutes in the 2024 Annual Town Report.
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
ChairMark TownsendChair · Elected townwide · at 31 of 31 meetings
Vice-ChairSarah HewinsVice Chair · Elected townwide · at 29 of 31 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: Select Board minutes from January 16, 2018 through September 8, 2026. Minutes from 2025 on come from the town’s online Agenda Center; earlier minutes come from the Select Board folder of the town’s Document Center, which holds minutes back to 2013 (MassVoter has loaded 2018 on). Not here: executive-session minutes; minutes of the board’s two-member subcommittee; minutes the town has not posted, including October 21, 2025, May 28, 2026 (an executive session) and July 9, 2026 (a dog hearing); and meetings after September 8, 2026. The archive holds fewer meetings for 2018 (16) and 2019 (24) than for later years, and none between August 15 and October 6, 2023. Most minutes are typed; 21 are scanned copies, which MassVoter read with text-recognition software and checked by hand. Carver’s minutes usually give a count such as “Vote 5-0” or “Vote 4 to 1 (Cotter)”; from mid-2024 many also list each member’s vote, and executive-session votes are roll calls. When the count matches the members present, we show every member present as voting yes, and when the minutes name the members who voted no or abstained, everyone else present as voting yes. Where the minutes give only a split count without names, list a member as absent who then makes or votes on motions, or the names and the count do not match, we show the count only and add a note. Votes taken by other boards at joint meetings (such as the Finance Committee and Planning Board), and joint votes of the Select Board with another board to fill a vacancy, are not included. 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 8Approve: Clerical contractMotion: approvePassed 3–1 · No: Bogart
April 8, 2022: Approve: Clerical contract
Approve
Yes: Belbin, Hewins, TownsendNo: Bogart
From the minutes
“Motion to approve by Hewins, second by Belbin. Vote 3-1 (Bogart).” (Motion: Hewins, second: Belbin)
Apr 8Approve: Operations & MaintenanceMotion: approvePassed 3–1 · No: Bogart
April 8, 2022: Approve: Operations & Maintenance
Approve
Yes: Belbin, Hewins, TownsendNo: Bogart
From the minutes
“Motion to approve by Hewins, second by Belbin. Vote 3-1 (Bogart).” (Motion: Hewins, second: Belbin)
Apr 8Recommend article: Annual Town Meeting Article #7 - Collective…Motion: recommend articlePassed 3–1 · No: Bogart
April 8, 2022: Recommend article: Annual Town Meeting Article #7 - Collective Bargaining Agreements
Recommend article
Yes: Belbin, Hewins, TownsendNo: Bogart
From the minutes
“Motion to recommend article by Hewins, second by Belbin. Vote 3-1 (Bogart).” (Motion: Hewins, second: Belbin)
Apr 5Not exercise the right of purchaseMotion: not exercise the right of purchasePassed 3–1 · No: Bogart
April 5, 2022: Not exercise the right of purchase
Not exercise the right of purchase
Yes: Belbin, Hewins, TownsendNo: Bogart
From the minutes
“Motion by Belbin to not exercise the right of purchase, second by Hewins. Vote 3-1 (Bogart).” (Motion: Belbin, second: Hewins)
Mar 15Approve: Section 3.1.1.2Motion: approvePassed 4–1 · No: Belbin
March 15, 2022: Approve: Section 3.1.1.2
Approve
Yes: Bogart, Hewins, Hoffman, TownsendNo: Belbin
From the minutes
“Motion to approve by Hewins, second by Hoffman. Vote 4-1 (Belbin).” (Motion: Hewins, second: Hoffman)
Mar 15Approve: Section 3.3.3.4Motion: approvePassed 3–2 · No: Hoffman, Townsend
March 15, 2022: Approve: Section 3.3.3.4
Approve
Yes: Belbin, Bogart, HewinsNo: Hoffman, Townsend
From the minutes
“Motion to approve by Hewins, second by Belbin. Vote 3-2 (Townsend, Hoffman).” (Motion: Hewins, second: Belbin)
Mar 10Put Article 19 on the warrantMotion: put Article 19 on the warrantPassed 3–1 · No: Belbin
March 10, 2022: Put Article 19 on the warrant
Put Article 19 on the warrant
Yes: Hewins, Hoffman, TownsendNo: Belbin
From the minutes
“Motion to put Article 19 on the warrant by Hoffman, second by Hewins. Vote 3-1 (Belbin).” (Motion: Hoffman, second: Hewins)
Mar 10Put Article #20 on the warrantMotion: put Article #20 on the warrant. Belbin stated he is not…Passed 3–1 · No: Belbin
March 10, 2022: Put Article #20 on the warrant
Put Article #20 on the warrant. Belbin stated he is not in favor of bypassing the Earth Removal fees and process. Hoffman asked what projects this would affect. Savery stated any projects that meet the criteria and are approved through site plan review would be exempt. Savery stated there are conflicting laws between the site plan review and Earth Removal, and two different governing bodies would need to act on the same request. Savery read the 4 exemptions in the Earth Removal general bylaws. There is nothing that exempts removal for a site plan review for over 1,000 cu. ft. Belbin stated the Earth Removal Committee could be in a joint meeting for the site plan review so that separate meetings are not necessary. Savery stated this size of the project also falls under special permitting. Hoffman asked what projects would need to go before Earth Removal. Savery stated any kind of sand removal operation
Yes: Hewins, Hoffman, TownsendNo: Belbin
From the minutes
“Motion to put Article #20 on the warrant by Townsend, second by Belbin. Belbin stated he is not in favor of bypassing the Earth Removal fees and process. Hoffman asked what projects this would affect. Savery stated any projects that meet the criteria and are approved through site plan review would be exempt. Savery stated there are conflicting laws between the site plan review and Earth Removal, and two different governing bodies would need to act on the same request. Savery read the 4 exemptions in the Earth Removal general bylaws. There is nothing that exempts removal for a site plan review for over 1,000 cu. ft. Belbin stated the Earth Removal Committee could be in a joint meeting for the site plan review so that separate meetings are not necessary. Savery stated this size of the project also falls under special permitting. Hoffman asked what projects would need to go before Earth Removal. Savery stated any kind of sand removal operation. Vote 3-1 (Belbin).” (Motion: Townsend, second: Belbin)
Mar 10Put Article #30 on the warrantMotion: put Article #30 on the warrantPassed 3–1 · No: Belbin
March 10, 2022: Put Article #30 on the warrant
Put Article #30 on the warrant
Yes: Hewins, Hoffman, TownsendNo: Belbin
From the minutes
“Motion to put Article #30 on the warrant by Hoffman, second by Townsend. Vote 3-1 (Belbin).” (Motion: Hoffman, second: Townsend)
Mar 1Put Article #12 on the warrantMotion: put Article #12 on the warrant. Belbin stated that without having…Passed 3–2 · No: Belbin, Bogart
March 1, 2022: Put Article #12 on the warrant
Put Article #12 on the warrant. Belbin stated that without having the actual verbiage, he is not comfortable voting to put the article on the warrant. Townsend stated the wording as written will be put on the warrant and any changes will be done at Town Meeting
Yes: Hewins, Hoffman, TownsendNo: Belbin, Bogart
From the minutes
“Motion to put Article #12 on the warrant by Hoffman, second by Hewins. Belbin stated that without having the actual verbiage, he is not comfortable voting to put the article on the warrant. Townsend stated the wording as written will be put on the warrant and any changes will be done at Town Meeting. Vote 3-2 (Belbin, Bogart).” (Motion: Hoffman, second: Hewins)
From the Carver Select Board’s official minutes, posted in the town’s Agenda Center (2025 on) and its Document Center archive (earlier years). We check every vote against the Select Board members present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Photos of current members: Mark Townsend and Sarah Hewins from Wareham Week (January 2026); Jim Elliman from Area 58 video of the October 6, 2026 Select Board meeting (identified by the nameplate in front of each member). Members without a photo show initials.
How to read these pagesWhere the votes come from, how we check them against the official minutes, what isn't included yet, and how to report a mistake.About city pages →