How the Dennis Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide. Chris Lambton joined the board after the May 2019 town election; Paul McCormick left. On May 28, 2019 the board chose Chris Flanagan as Chair (4-1, after a 2-3 vote on Bob Mezzadri), John Terrio as Vice Chair (4-1) and Licensing Vice Chair (4-0-1), Bob Mezzadri as Licensing Chair and Chris Lambton as Clerk (each 5-0). Covers 28 meetings, May 28 to June 12, 2020.
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.
“Mr. Mezzadri moved to support the article; Mr. Terrio seconded. The Board voted: Mr. Terrio "aye", Mr. Lambton "aye"; Ms. McMahon "no", Mr. Mezzadri "aye" and Mr. Flanagan "aye".” (Motion: Mezzadri, second: Terrio)
Mar 24The CPC Budget as outlined as the by the…Motion: the CPC Budget as outlined as the by the Finance Director;…Passed 4–0 · see note
March 24, 2020: The CPC Budget as outlined as the by the Finance Director; Mr. Lambton seconded
ApprovePassed · 4–0
The CPC Budget as outlined as the by the Finance Director; Mr. Lambton seconded. Ms. McMahon amended her motion to place the article and subsequently support the budget as outlined by the Finance Director
Yes: Lambton, McMahon, Mezzadri, TerrioThe roll call does not list Chris Flanagan, who was on the attendance line; this member is not shown as voting.
From the minutes
“Ms. McMahon moved the CPC Budget as outlined as the by the Finance Director; Mr. Lambton seconded. Ms. McMahon amended her motion to place the article and subsequently support the budget as outlined by the Finance Director; Mr. Terrio seconded. The Board voted: Mr. Terrio "aye", Mr. Lambton "aye", Ms. McMahon "aye", Mr. Mezzadri "aye".” (Motion: McMahon, second: Terrio)
Mar 24Reappoint Jeff Eldredge to the Planning Board for a…Motion: to reappoint Jeff Eldredge to the Planning Board for a three-year…Passed 3–2 · No: McMahon, Mezzadri
March 24, 2020: Reappoint Jeff Eldredge to the Planning Board for a three-year term to expire on 03/31/2023
AppointPassed · 3–2
To reappoint Jeff Eldredge to the Planning Board for a three-year term to expire on 03/31/2023
“Mr. Lambton moved to reappoint Jeff Eldredge to the Planning Board for a three-year term to expire on 03/31/2023; Mr. Terrio seconded. The Board voted: Mr. Terrio "aye", Mr. Lambton "aye", Ms. McMahon "no", Mr. Mezzadri "no" and Mr. Flanagan "aye".” (Motion: Lambton, second: Terrio)
Mar 24Reappoint Josh Mason as an alternate to the Planning…Motion: to reappoint Josh Mason as an alternate to the Planning Board…Passed 4–0 · see note
March 24, 2020: Reappoint Josh Mason as an alternate to the Planning Board with a term to expire on 03/31/201
AppointPassed · 4–0
To reappoint Josh Mason as an alternate to the Planning Board with a term to expire on 03/31/201
Yes: Flanagan, Lambton, Mezzadri, TerrioThe roll call does not list Sheryl McMahon, who was on the attendance line; this member is not shown as voting.
From the minutes
“Mr. Lambton moved to reappoint Josh Mason as an alternate to the Planning Board with a term to expire on 03/31/201; Mr. Terrio seconded. The Board voted: Mr. Terrio "aye", Mr. Lambton "aye", Mr. Mezzadri "aye" and Mr. Flanagan "aye".” (Motion: Lambton, second: Terrio)
Mar 20Pursuant to the Governor's recent orders and the continued…Motion: pursuant to the Governor's recent orders and the continued escalation of…Passed 5–0 · see note
March 20, 2020: Pursuant to the Governor's recent orders and the continued escalation of COVID-19 the Board effective today issues a Local Declaration of Emergency to assure that that Town can obtain State…
Adopt orderPassed · 5–0
Pursuant to the Governor's recent orders and the continued escalation of COVID-19 the Board effective today issues a Local Declaration of Emergency to assure that that Town can obtain State and Federal assistance if necessary
The minutes give the count as 5-0-0, but 4 members were present for this vote (John Terrio, Sheryl McMahon, Bob Mezzadri and Chris Lambton). Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“Mr. Terrio moved pursuant to the Governor's recent orders and the continued escalation of COVID-19 the Board effective today issues a Local Declaration of Emergency to assure that that Town can obtain State and Federal assistance if necessary; Mr. Mezzadri seconded. The Board voted 5-0-0.” (Motion: Terrio, second: Mezzadri)
Mar 20Adopt the recommendations of the Town Administration to reduce…Motion: the Board adopt the recommendations of the Town Administration to reduce…Passed 5–0 · see note
March 20, 2020: Adopt the recommendations of the Town Administration to reduce staffing level to only those critical to maintain primary functions to reduce the threat to the community
ApprovePassed · 5–0
The Board adopt the recommendations of the Town Administration to reduce staffing level to only those critical to maintain primary functions to reduce the threat to the community
The minutes give the count as 5-0-0, but 4 members were present for this vote (John Terrio, Sheryl McMahon, Bob Mezzadri and Chris Lambton). Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“Mr. Terrio moved the Board adopt the recommendations of the Town Administration to reduce staffing level to only those critical to maintain primary functions to reduce the threat to the community; Mr. Mezzadri seconded. The Board voted 5-0-0.” (Motion: Terrio, second: Mezzadri)
Mar 16Pursuant to the Governor's most recent order the Board…Motion: pursuant to the Governor's most recent order the Board approved of…Passed 5–0 · see note
March 16, 2020: Pursuant to the Governor's most recent order the Board approved of the Town Administrator's recommendations as outlined, including the temporary closure of all town buildings to the public...
Adopt orderPassed · 5–0
Pursuant to the Governor's most recent order the Board approved of the Town Administrator's recommendations as outlined, including the temporary closure of all town buildings to the public commencing at the closed of business today until further notice
The minutes give the count as 5-0-0, but 4 members were present for this vote (Chris Flanagan, John Terrio, Sheryl McMahon and Chris Lambton). Showing the count only. The minutes name Bob Mezzadri as the seconder, but Bob Mezzadri is not on the attendance line, so no seconder is shown.
From the minutes
“Mr. Terrio moved pursuant to the Governor's most recent order the Board approved of the Town Administrator's recommendations as outlined, including the temporary closure of all town buildings to the public commencing at the closed of business today until further notice; Mr. Mezzadri seconded. The Board voted 5-0-0.” (Motion: Terrio)
“Mr. Mezzadri moved to support the article; Mr. Lambton seconded. Mr. Mezzadri noted that the environment was our business and we should do whatever we can to take care of it. The Board voted 4-0-0.” (Motion: Mezzadri, second: Lambton)
Mar 10Recommend $300,000 from raise and appropriate for the purpose…Motion: to recommend $300,000 from raise and appropriate for the purpose of…Passed Unanimous, 4 present · see note
March 10, 2020: Recommend $300,000 from raise and appropriate for the purpose of the article
ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 4 present
To recommend $300,000 from raise and appropriate for the purpose of the article
Chris Flanagan had not yet arrived.
From the minutes
“Ms. McMahon moved to recommend $300,000 from raise and appropriate for the purpose of the article; Mr. Mezzadri seconded. The Board voted 4-0-0.” (Motion: McMahon, second: Mezzadri)
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)