How the Dennis Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide. Paul McCormick chaired the board (then called the Board of Selectmen). MassVoter has loaded this board's minutes from January 9, 2018 on. The town's online archive has only five sets of minutes for January and February 2018 and none from February 7 to November 5, 2018, so the spring 2018 reorganization is not online. Covers 5 meetings, January 9 to February 6, 2018.
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.
Under the state Open Meeting Law, boards post notice at least 48 hours ahead, not counting weekends and legal holidays.
What Town Meeting decided
In Dennis, 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.
Annual Town Meeting · May 5, 2026 47 votes: 44 passed, 2 failed, 1 indefinitely postponed
Not here yet: the October 6, 2026 Special Town Meeting (results not posted yet).
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).
"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 9, 2018 through September 8, 2026. Minutes from February 28, 2023 on come from the town’s online Agenda Center; earlier minutes come from the Select Board folder of the town’s Laserfiche records archive, which holds minutes back to the 1960s (MassVoter has loaded 2018 on). Not here: executive-session minutes; minutes the town has not posted online, including February 7 to November 5, 2018, June 26 to September 23, 2019, October 22, 2019, June 13 to August 10, 2020, 18 meetings from 2023 to 2025 that have an agenda but no minutes online (mostly workshops and joint sessions), and meetings after September 8, 2026 (the August 11, 2026 minutes are not posted yet either). The 2018 to 2022 minutes are scanned copies, which MassVoter read with text-recognition software; a few unclear numbers were checked against the page images. Dennis’s minutes usually give a count such as “The Board voted 4-1-0 (McMahon)” or “VOTE: 4-0-1 (Paul McCormick abstained)”, and many votes, especially in 2020 and 2021, are roll calls listing each member’s vote. 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. Members the minutes say stepped aside (recused), left or had not yet arrived are left out of those votes. Where the minutes give only a split count without names, the count does not match the members present, a roll call lists a member the minutes do not show as present, or the names and the count do not match, we show the count only and add a note. A few votes have no count written down; we show those as passed with no count. Votes taken by other boards at joint meetings (such as the Finance Committee) are not included. We will ask the town to confirm any noted vote.
Most board votes are unanimous. These are the ones where at least one member voted no or abstained, newest first.
Feb 6Tentative approval of the Street Lighting Budget #424 in…Motion: tentative approval of the Street Lighting Budget #424 in the amount…Passed 5–0 · see note
February 6, 2018: Tentative approval of the Street Lighting Budget #424 in the amount of $83,000
ApprovePassed · 5–0
Tentative approval of the Street Lighting Budget #424 in the amount of $83,000
The minutes give the count as 5-0-0, but 4 members were present for this vote (Paul McCormick, Sheryl McMahon, John Terrio and Bob Mezzadri). Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“Sheryl McMahon moved tentative approval of the Street Lighting Budget #424 in the amount of $83,000. Bob Mezzadri seconded. The Board of Selectmen voted 5-0-0.” (Motion: McMahon, second: Mezzadri)
Feb 6Approve the request for 15 parking spaces at Sesuit…Motion: to approve the request for 15 parking spaces at Sesuit Harbor…Passed 5–0 · see note
February 6, 2018: Approve the request for 15 parking spaces at Sesuit Harbor for Independence House on August 4", 2018
ApprovePassed · 5–0
To approve the request for 15 parking spaces at Sesuit Harbor for Independence House on August 4", 2018
The minutes give the count as 5-0-0, but 4 members were present for this vote (Paul McCormick, Sheryl McMahon, John Terrio and Bob Mezzadri). Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“Bob Mezzadri moved to approve the request for 15 parking spaces at Sesuit Harbor for Independence House on August 4", 2018. John Terrio seconded. The Board of Selectmen voted 5-0-0.” (Motion: Mezzadri, second: Terrio)
Jan 30Tentative approval of Department of Natural Resources Budget #171…Motion: tentative approval of Department of Natural Resources Budget #171 in the…Passed 4–1 · No: McMahon
January 30, 2018: Tentative approval of Department of Natural Resources Budget #171 in the amount of $433,593.00
ApprovePassed · 4–1
Tentative approval of Department of Natural Resources Budget #171 in the amount of $433,593.00
“Bob moved tentative approval of Department of Natural Resources Budget #171 in the amount of $433,593.00. Cleon Turner seconded. The Board of Selectmen voted 4-1-0 (SM).” (Motion: Mezzadri, second: Turner)
Jan 30Approve the change of class for Sapori d'Italia from…Motion: the Board approve the change of class for Sapori d'Italia from…Passed Unanimous, 4 present · see note
January 30, 2018: Approve the change of class for Sapori d'Italia from an annual to a seasonal license
ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 4 present
The Board approve the change of class for Sapori d'Italia from an annual to a seasonal license
Paul McCormick stepped aside (recused) and did not take part in this vote.
From the minutes
“Bob Mezzadri moved that the Board approve the change of class for Sapori d'Italia from an annual to a seasonal license. Cleon Turner seconded. The Board of Selectmen voted 4-0-0.” (Motion: Mezzadri, second: Turner)
Paul McCormick stepped aside (recused) and did not take part in this vote.
From the minutes
“Sheryl McMahon moved that the manager remain Lynne Whiting Hamlyn. Bob Mezzadri seconded. The Board of Selectmen voted 4-0-0.” (Motion: McMahon, second: Mezzadri)
Jan 30Approve an annual all alcohol restaurant license for Horsefoot…Motion: the Board approve an annual all alcohol restaurant license for Horsefoot…Passed Unanimous, 4 present · see note
January 30, 2018: Approve an annual all alcohol restaurant license for Horsefoot Cove LLC d/b/a Sundancer's located 116 Main St., West Dennis for food and beverage service Monday thru Saturday 8am - 1am…
ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 4 present
The Board approve an annual all alcohol restaurant license for Horsefoot Cove LLC d/b/a Sundancer's located 116 Main St., West Dennis for food and beverage service Monday thru Saturday 8am - 1am and on Sunday from 10am thru Lam
Paul McCormick stepped aside (recused) and did not take part in this vote.
From the minutes
“Cleon Turner moved that the Board approve an annual all alcohol restaurant license for Horsefoot Cove LLC d/b/a Sundancer's located 116 Main St., West Dennis for food and beverage service Monday thru Saturday 8am - 1am and on Sunday from 10am thru Lam . Bob Mezzadri seconded. The Board of Selectmen voted 4-0-0.” (Motion: Turner, second: Mezzadri)
Paul McCormick stepped aside (recused) and did not take part in this vote.
From the minutes
“Cleon Turner moved that be Diane Kelley be appointed as the manager. Bob Mezzadri seconded. The Board of Selectmen voted 4-0-0.” (Motion: Turner, second: Mezzadri)
Jan 30The entertainment license as requested for indoor entertainment licenses…Motion: the entertainment license as requested for indoor entertainment licenses for Monday…Passed Unanimous, 4 present · see note
January 30, 2018: The entertainment license as requested for indoor entertainment licenses for Monday thru Saturday from 5pm - lam and Sunday from 1pm thru 12am for a total of up to 5…
ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 4 present
The entertainment license as requested for indoor entertainment licenses for Monday thru Saturday from 5pm - lam and Sunday from 1pm thru 12am for a total of up to 5 musicians, dancing, and jukebox be approved
Paul McCormick stepped aside (recused) and did not take part in this vote.
From the minutes
“Cleon Turner moved that the entertainment license as requested for indoor entertainment licenses for Monday thru Saturday from 5pm - lam and Sunday from 1pm thru 12am for a total of up to 5 musicians, dancing, and jukebox be approved. Bob Mezzadri seconded. The Board of Selectmen voted 4-0-0.” (Motion: Turner, second: Mezzadri)
Jan 30Appoint Paul Fowler as the Local Building InspectorMotion: to appoint Paul Fowler as the Local Building InspectorPassed 4–0 · see note
January 30, 2018: Appoint Paul Fowler as the Local Building Inspector
AppointPassed · 4–0
To appoint Paul Fowler as the Local Building Inspector
The minutes give the count as 4-0-0, but 5 members were present for this vote (Paul McCormick, Sheryl McMahon, Cleon Turner, John Terrio and Bob Mezzadri). Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“Cleon Turner moved to appoint Paul Fowler as the Local Building Inspector. Bob Mezzadri seconded. The Board of Selectmen voted 4-0-0.” (Motion: Turner, second: Mezzadri)
Jan 23Appoint John Simpson to the Waterways Commission with a…Motion: to appoint John Simpson to the Waterways Commission with a term…Passed 3–2 · No: Terrio, Turner
January 23, 2018: Appoint John Simpson to the Waterways Commission with a term to expire 3/31/18
AppointPassed · 3–2
To appoint John Simpson to the Waterways Commission with a term to expire 3/31/18
“Bob Mezzadri moved to appoint John Simpson to the Waterways Commission with a term to expire 3/31/18. Sheryl McMahon seconded. The Board of Selectmen voted 3-2-0 (JT, CT).” (Motion: Mezzadri, second: McMahon)
From the Dennis Select Board’s official minutes, posted in the town’s Agenda Center (2023 on) and its Laserfiche records 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: Town of Dennis (Select Board page)