How the Fairhaven Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide. The board grew from three to five members in April 2022 (Town Meeting vote, June 2021); Leon Correy and Charles Murphy Sr. joined. Stasia Powers became Chair on April 11, 2022. Covers 33 meetings, April 11 to April 3, 2023.
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.
In Fairhaven, 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. Town Meeting members are elected by precinct; counts are from the town’s electronic voting.
Special Town Meeting · November 19, 2025 14 votes: 14 passed
Not here yet: No minutes are posted yet for the May 2, 2026 Annual Town Meeting, so its results are not included.
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 (Board of Selectmen until 2021) minutes from January 2020 through September 14, 2026, as posted on the town website. Not here yet: minutes before 2020 and minutes after September 14, 2026. The minutes are scanned documents; we read them with text recognition, so some names and titles may read awkwardly; each vote quotes the minutes. Many minutes files also contain attachments, which we did not read. Since 2022 nearly every vote gives the mover, the seconder and a count such as “5-0-0”, and names any member who voted no, abstained or recused; we show those votes as recorded. When the count matches the members present with no one voting no, every member present is shown as voting yes. Before 2022 most votes say “Vote was unanimous” with a count; a few 2-1 votes do not say who voted no and show the count only. Members who recused are left out of that vote. Joint votes with the Finance Committee or School Committee show the count, and only Select Board members named in the minutes. Motions that failed for lack of a second are not listed. 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.
Mar 28Recommend adoption of the Health and Environment Budget of…Motion: to recommend adoption of the Health and Environment Budget of $188,923Passed 4–0 · Abstained: Powers
March 28, 2023: Recommend adoption of the Health and Environment Budget of $188,923
ApprovePassed · 4–0
To recommend adoption of the Health and Environment Budget of $188,923
“Motion: Mr. Murphy made a motion to recommend adoption of the Health and Environment Budget of $188,923. Mr. Silvia seconded. The motion passed (4-0-1) Ms. Powers abstained.” (Motion: Murphy, second: Silvia)
Dec 5Accept the Retirement Board’s recommendation to increase the COLA…Motion: to accept the Retirement Board’s recommendation to increase the COLA for…Passed 4–0 · Abstained: Murphy
December 5, 2022: Accept the Retirement Board’s recommendation to increase the COLA for FY23 from 3% to 5%
ApprovePassed · 4–0
To accept the Retirement Board’s recommendation to increase the COLA for FY23 from 3% to 5%
“Motion: Mr. Silvia motioned to accept the Retirement Board’s recommendation to increase the COLA for FY23 from 3% to 5%. Mr. Espindola seconded. Mr. Silvia, Mr. Espindola, Mr. Correy and Ms. Powers in favor, Mr. Murphy abstained. The motion carried (4-0-1).” (Motion: Silvia, second: Espindola)
Dec 5Add additional signage on Morton Street as approved by…Motion: to add additional signage on Morton Street as approved by public…Passed 4–0 · Abstained: Espindola
December 5, 2022: Add additional signage on Morton Street as approved by public safety and BPW
ApprovePassed · 4–0
To add additional signage on Morton Street as approved by public safety and BPW
“Motion: Mr. Murphy motioned to add additional signage on Morton Street as approved by public safety and BPW. Mr. Silvia seconded. Mr. Silvia, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Correy and Ms. Powers in favor, Mr. Espindola abstained. The motion carried (4-0-1).” (Motion: Murphy, second: Silvia)
“Motion: Mr. Murphy motioned to accept the ARPA fund uses as outlined in the TA report for $240,000 for playground resurfacing. Mr. Silvia seconded. Mr. Murphy, Mr. Silvia, Mr. Correy and Ms. Powers in favor, Mr. Espindola abstained. The motion carried (4-0-1).” (Motion: Murphy, second: Silvia)
Dec 5Accept the ARPA fund uses as outlined in the…Motion: to accept the ARPA fund uses as outlined in the TA…Passed 4–1 · No: Espindola
December 5, 2022: Accept the ARPA fund uses as outlined in the TA report with the exception of the school’s playground resurfacing of $240,000 (from previous vote)
ApprovePassed · 4–1
To accept the ARPA fund uses as outlined in the TA report with the exception of the school’s playground resurfacing of $240,000 (from previous vote)
Yes: Correy, Murphy, Powers, SilviaNo: Espindola
From the minutes
“Motion: Mr. Murphy motioned to accept the ARPA fund uses as outlined in the TA report with the exception of the school’s playground resurfacing of $240,000 (from previous vote). Mr. Silvia seconded. Mr. Murphy, Mr. Silvia, Mr. Correy and Ms. Powers in favor, Mr. Espindola opposed. The motion carried (4-1-0).” (Motion: Murphy, second: Silvia)
Nov 7Approve the proclamation for Stephen Cornish in recognition of…Motion: to approve the proclamation for Stephen Cornish in recognition of his…Passed 4–0 · Abstained: Murphy
November 7, 2022: Approve the proclamation for Stephen Cornish in recognition of his many accomplishments and work with MOLIFE
ApprovePassed · 4–0
To approve the proclamation for Stephen Cornish in recognition of his many accomplishments and work with MOLIFE
“Motion: Mr. Silvia motioned to approve the proclamation for Stephen Cornish in recognition of his many accomplishments and work with MOLIFE. Mr. Correy seconded. Vote: Mr. Correy in favor, Mr. Silvia in favor, Ms. Powers in favor, Mr. Espindola in favor, Mr. Murphy abstained. Motion carries. (4-0-1).” (Motion: Silvia, second: Correy)
Oct 6Approve the transfer of $1,410.80 from the Reserve Fund…Motion: to approve the transfer of $1,410.80 from the Reserve Fund to…Passed 9–0 · see note
To approve the transfer of $1,410.80 from the Reserve Fund to account 001-161-00-0145
Joint vote with another board (9-0-0); individual Select Board votes are not shown.
From the minutes
“Motion: Ms. Plante motioned to approve the transfer of $1,410.80 from the Reserve Fund to account 001-161-00-0145. Mr. Grinrdod seconded. Roll call vote: Padraic Elliot in favor, Jennifer Dupras in favor, Robert Grinrdod in favor, Linda Gallant in favor, Theresa Szala, Lisa Plante in favor, Denise Barr in favor, Peter Gardener in favor, Carolyn Roberts in favor. (9-0-0).”
Jul 18Appoint Patrick Carr as an associate member of the…Motion: to appoint Patrick Carr as an associate member of the Zoning…Passed 4–1 · see note
July 18, 2022: Appoint Patrick Carr as an associate member of the Zoning Board of Appeal for a term to end May 31, 2023
AppointPassed · 4–1
To appoint Patrick Carr as an associate member of the Zoning Board of Appeal for a term to end May 31, 2023
The minutes give the count (4-1-0) but not how each member voted.
From the minutes
“Motion Mr. Murphy motioned to appoint Patrick Carr as an associate member of the Zoning Board of Appeal for a term to end May 31, 2023. Mr. Silvia seconded. Mr. Espindola voted in the opposition. Vote carried. (4-1-0).” (Motion: Murphy, second: Silvia)
Jul 18Approve the Pedal for the Path event to be…Motion: to approve the Pedal for the Path event to be held…Passed 4–0 · see note
July 18, 2022: Approve the Pedal for the Path event to be held on September 11, 2022
ApprovePassed · 4–0
To approve the Pedal for the Path event to be held on September 11, 2022
The minutes give the count (4-0-1) but not how each member voted.
From the minutes
“Motion Mr. Murphy motioned to approve the Pedal for the Path event to be held on September 11, 2022. Mr. Silvia seconded. Vote was carried. (4-0-1) Mr. Espindola was an abstained.” (Motion: Murphy, second: Silvia)
From the Fairhaven Select Board’s official minutes, posted on the town website. We check every vote against the members present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Member photos: candidates’ own submitted photos, published by Fairhaven Neighborhood News (2021, 2024, 2025 and 2026 candidate statements). Other former members show initials.