How the Fairhaven Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide. On April 11, 2023 the board chose Leon Correy as Chair and Charles Murphy Sr. as Vice Chair. Covers 36 meetings, April 11 to April 1, 2024.
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.
Apr 1Recommend Adoption with provisions that would be provided between…Motion: to recommend Adoption with provisions that would be provided between now…Passed 3–2 · No: Correy, Silvia
April 1, 2024: Recommend Adoption with provisions that would be provided between now and Town Meeting in the article that would ensure that the Town does not move forward without a financially sustainable…
ApprovePassed · 3–2
To recommend Adoption with provisions that would be provided between now and Town Meeting in the article that would ensure that the Town does not move forward without a financially sustainable model demonstrated to the Select Board for Article 11A. Borrowing Authorization — Fiber Optic Program
Yes: Espindola, Murphy, PowersNo: Correy, Silvia
From the minutes
“Motion: Mr. Espindola motioned to recommend Adoption with provisions that would be provided between now and Town Meeting in the article that would ensure that the Town does not move forward without a financially sustainable model demonstrated to the Select Board for Article 11A. Borrowing Authorization — Fiber Optic Program. Ms. Powers seconded, The motion passed (3-2-0) Mr. Silvia and Mr. Correy opposed.” (Motion: Espindola, second: Powers)
Apr 1Recommend Adoption pending answers to the prior motion (to…Motion: to recommend Adoption pending answers to the prior motion (to recommend…Passed 3–2 · No: Correy, Silvia
April 1, 2024: Recommend Adoption pending answers to the prior motion (to recommend Adoption with provisions that would be provided between now and Town Meeting in the article that would ensure that the…
ApprovePassed · 3–2
To recommend Adoption pending answers to the prior motion (to recommend Adoption with provisions that would be provided between now and Town Meeting in the article that would ensure that the Town does not move forward without a financially sustainable model demonstrated to the Select Board) for Article 11B. Establish a Municipal Fiber Enterprise Fund
Yes: Espindola, Murphy, PowersNo: Correy, Silvia
From the minutes
“Motion: Mr. Espindola motioned to recommend Adoption pending answers to the prior motion (to recommend Adoption with provisions that would be provided between now and Town Meeting in the article that would ensure that the Town does not move forward without a financially sustainable model demonstrated to the Select Board) for Article 11B. Establish a Municipal Fiber Enterprise Fund. Ms. Powers seconded. The motion passed (3-2-0) Mr. Silvia and Mr. Correy opposed.” (Motion: Espindola, second: Powers)
Apr 1Recommend Yield to Petitioner for Article 20 Amend Bylaws…Motion: to recommend Yield to Petitioner for Article 20 Amend Bylaws ZoningFailed 2–3 · No: Correy, Murphy, Silvia
April 1, 2024: Recommend Yield to Petitioner for Article 20 Amend Bylaws Zoning
ApproveFailed · 2–3
To recommend Yield to Petitioner for Article 20 Amend Bylaws Zoning
Yes: Espindola, PowersNo: Correy, Murphy, Silvia
From the minutes
“Motion: Mr. Espindola motioned to recommend Yield to Petitioner for Article 20 Amend Bylaws Zoning. Ms. Powers seconded. The motion failed (2-3-0) Mr. Silvia, Mr. Murphy and Mr. Correy opposed.” (Motion: Espindola, second: Powers)
Apr 1Recommend Adoption for Article 20 Amend Bylaws ZoningMotion: to recommend Adoption for Article 20 Amend Bylaws ZoningPassed 3–2 · No: Espindola, Powers
April 1, 2024: Recommend Adoption for Article 20 Amend Bylaws Zoning
ApprovePassed · 3–2
To recommend Adoption for Article 20 Amend Bylaws Zoning
Yes: Correy, Murphy, SilviaNo: Espindola, Powers
From the minutes
“Motion: Mr. Murphy motioned to recommend Adoption for Article 20 Amend Bylaws Zoning. Mr. Silvia seconded. The motion passed (3-2-0) Mr. Espindola and Ms. Powers opposed.” (Motion: Murphy, second: Silvia)
Mar 25Approve and send the open meeting law letter as…Motion: to approve and send the open meeting law letter as written…Passed 4–0 · Abstained: Espindola
March 25, 2024: Approve and send the open meeting law letter as written and have the chair sign on behalf of the Board
ApprovePassed · 4–0
To approve and send the open meeting law letter as written and have the chair sign on behalf of the Board
“Motion: Ms. Powers motioned to approve and send the open meeting law letter as written and have the chair sign on behalf of the Board. Mr. Silvia seconded. The motion passed unanimously (4-0-1) Mr. Espindola abstained.” (Motion: Powers, second: Silvia)
Mar 25Recommend At Town Meeting for Article 7 General Fund…Motion: to recommend At Town Meeting for Article 7 General Fund Capital…Passed 3–2 · No: Correy, Silvia
March 25, 2024: Recommend At Town Meeting for Article 7 General Fund Capital Plan
ApprovePassed · 3–2
To recommend At Town Meeting for Article 7 General Fund Capital Plan
Yes: Espindola, Murphy, PowersNo: Correy, Silvia
From the minutes
“Motion: Mr. Espindola motioned to recommend At Town Meeting for Article 7 General Fund Capital Plan. Ms. Powers seconded. The motion passed (3-2-0) Mr. Silvia and Mr. Correy opposed.” (Motion: Espindola, second: Powers)
Mar 25Recommend At Town Meeting for Article 12A. Borrowing Authorization…Motion: to recommend At Town Meeting for Article 12A. Borrowing Authorization —…Passed 4–0 · see note
March 25, 2024: Recommend At Town Meeting for Article 12A. Borrowing Authorization — Fiber Optic Program
ApprovePassed · 4–0
To recommend At Town Meeting for Article 12A. Borrowing Authorization — Fiber Optic Program
The names in the minutes do not match the count (4-0-1), so individual votes are not shown.
From the minutes
“Motion: Mr. Espindola motioned to recommend At Town Meeting for Article 12A. Borrowing Authorization — Fiber Optic Program. Ms. Powers seconded. The motion passed (4-0-1) Mr. Silvia opposed.” (Motion: Espindola, second: Powers)
Mar 25Recommend At Town Meeting for Article 12B. Establish a…Motion: to recommend At Town Meeting for Article 12B. Establish a Municipal…Passed 4–0 · see note
March 25, 2024: Recommend At Town Meeting for Article 12B. Establish a Municipal Fiber Enterprise Fund
ApprovePassed · 4–0
To recommend At Town Meeting for Article 12B. Establish a Municipal Fiber Enterprise Fund
The names in the minutes do not match the count (4-0-1), so individual votes are not shown.
From the minutes
“Motion: Mr. Espindola motioned to recommend At Town Meeting for Article 12B. Establish a Municipal Fiber Enterprise Fund. Ms. Powers seconded. The motion passed (4-0-1) Mr. Silvia opposed.” (Motion: Espindola, second: Powers)
To accept the March 13, 2024 joint Select Board and Finance Committee minutes
Joint vote with another board (9-0-0); individual Select Board votes are not shown.
From the minutes
“Motion: Mr. Souza motioned to accept the March 13, 2024 joint Select Board and Finance Committee minutes. Mr. Fidalgo seconded. The motion passed unanimously (9-0-0).”
To accept the February 28, 2024 joint Select Board and Finance Committee minutes
Joint vote with another board (9-0-0); individual Select Board votes are not shown.
From the minutes
“Motion: Ms. Millette motioned to accept the February 28, 2024 joint Select Board and Finance Committee minutes. Mr. Fidalgo seconded. The motion passed unanimously (9-0-0).”
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.