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Municipal votes · 2019–2020 Board

Falmouth Select Board

How the Falmouth Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide. Same five members after the May 2019 town election. On June 3, 2019 the board chose Megan English Braga as Chair and Doug Brown as Vice Chair (each 5-0, both moved by Doug Jones). The board took the name Select Board in 2020. Covers 35 meetings, June 3 to May 18, 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.

Sources: Massachusetts Select Board Handbook (MMA) · Mass. Division of Local Services: the town budget
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What Town Meeting decided

In Falmouth, 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.

Annual Town Meeting · April 6, 2026 35 votes: 31 passed, 1 passed as amended, 1 failed, 2 indefinitely postponed

Sessions: April 6 and 7, 2026

Source: Town Clerk's certified votes, April 6-7, 2026 Annual Town Meeting.

Annual Town Meeting · November 17, 2025 24 votes: 17 passed, 1 passed as amended, 3 failed, 3 indefinitely postponed

Source: Town Clerk's certified votes, November 17, 2025 Annual Town Meeting.

Annual Town Meeting · April 7, 2025 42 votes: 40 passed, 1 passed as amended, 1 failed

Source: Town Clerk's certified votes, April 7, 2025 Annual Town Meeting.

Annual Town Meeting · November 18, 2024 36 votes: 31 passed, 1 failed, 4 indefinitely postponed

Source: Town Clerk's certified votes, November 18, 2024 Annual Town Meeting.

Annual Town Meeting · April 8, 2024 37 votes: 32 passed, 2 passed as amended, 1 failed, 2 indefinitely postponed

Source: Town Clerk's certified votes, April 8, 2024 Annual Town Meeting.

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

Doug JonesMember · Elected townwide · at 33 of 34 meetingsSusan MoranMember · Elected townwide · at 32 of 35 meetingsSam PattersonMember · Elected townwide · at 33 of 35 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 (called the Board of Selectmen until 2020) from January 2, 2018 through August 17, 2026, from the town’s CivicClerk meeting portal, which holds the same minutes files as the town’s old Agenda Center (minutes back to August 2004; MassVoter has loaded January 2018 on). Also loaded: joint meetings (Finance Committee, Board of Health, Planning Board, School Committee, Zoning Board of Appeals), strategic-planning workshops and two public meetings. Not here: minutes the town has not posted (about 39 calendar dates since 2018 have an agenda but no minutes, most of them workshops, executive sessions or community events, but also business meetings such as December 19, 2024 and March 5, 2025); two files posted as minutes that are the board’s Strategic Plan (June 28, 2018 and July 1, 2019); released executive-session minutes; and every meeting after August 17, 2026 (Falmouth usually posts minutes about six weeks after a meeting). Falmouth’s minutes are typed. Most give the mover and seconder and a count (“Vote: Yes-5. No-0.”); during the remote meetings of 2020-2021 and for executive-session votes they give a roll call by name (“Roll Call Vote: Ms. Moran, aye; Mr. Jones, aye; ...”). 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 (“Yes-4. No-1 (Mr. Jones)”), everyone else present as voting yes. Where the minutes give only a split count without names, a roll call leaves out a member who was there or names one who was not, or the count does not match the members present, we show the count only and add a note. Motions with no vote written down are shown with no count. Members who stepped aside (recused) or were out of the room are left out of that vote. Votes taken by other boards at joint meetings are not included. A few meetings have no attendance list; there the members present are taken from the roll calls, with a note. We will ask the town to confirm any noted vote.

Monday, May 18, 2020 · Regular meeting10 recorded votes, 0 with disagreementAll 5 members presentMonday, May 11, 2020 · Regular meeting9 recorded votes, 2 with disagreementAll 5 members presentMonday, May 4, 2020 · Regular meeting2 recorded votes, 0 with disagreementAll 5 members presentMonday, April 27, 2020 · Joint meeting17 recorded votes, 3 with disagreementAll 5 members presentMonday, April 6, 2020 · Regular meeting20 recorded votes, 3 with disagreementAll 5 members present

Votes where members disagreed

Most board votes are unanimous. These are the ones where at least one member voted no or abstained, newest first.

May 11Approve Expenditure of AFCEE Funds in the amount of…Motion: approval.Passed Unanimous, 4 present · see note

May 11, 2020: Approve Expenditure of AFCEE Funds in the amount of $79,445 for Phase I of the Mill Pond Restoration Project

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 4 present

Approval.

Doug Brown stepped aside (recused) and did not take part in this vote.

From the minutes

“Mr. Jones motion approval. Second Mr. Patterson. Roll call vote: Mr. Patterson, aye; Chair English Braga, aye; Mr. Jones, aye; Ms. Moran, aye. Abstention: Mr. Brown..” (Motion: Jones, second: Patterson)

Read it in the official minutes, page 2 (PDF)

Apr 27Application for Change of Manager of an All Alcoholic…Motion: approval.Passed Unanimous, 4 present · see note

April 27, 2020 (Joint meeting): Application for Change of Manager of an All Alcoholic Club License - Portuguese American Association of Falmouth, Inc., 55 Ashumet Road, Hatchville

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 4 present

Approval.

Megan English Braga stepped aside (recused) and did not take part in this vote.

From the minutes

“Mr. Jones motion approval. Second Ms. Moran. Roll Call Vote: Mr. Patterson, aye; Ms. Moran, aye; Mr. Brown, aye; Mr. Jones, aye. Recused: Chair English Braga..” (Motion: Jones, second: Moran)

Read it in the official minutes, page 4 (PDF)

Apr 27Sign Warrant for Special State Election of Tuesday, May…Motion: approval.Passed Unanimous, 4 present · see note

April 27, 2020 (Joint meeting): Sign Warrant for Special State Election of Tuesday, May 19, 2020 All reminded that you can vote via mail

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 4 present

Approval.

Susan Moran stepped aside (recused) and did not take part in this vote.

From the minutes

“Chair English Braga motion approval. Second Mr. Patterson. Roll Call Vote: Mr. Patterson, aye; Chair English Braga, aye; Mr. Brown, aye; Mr. Jones, aye. Recused: Ms. Moran..” (Motion: Braga, second: Patterson)

Read it in the official minutes, page 4 (PDF)

Apr 27Have this project move forwardMotion: To have this project move forward.Failed 2–3 · No: Braga, Jones, Patterson

April 27, 2020 (Joint meeting): Have this project move forward

ApproveFailed · 2–3

To have this project move forward.

Yes: Brown, MoranNo: Braga, Jones, Patterson

From the minutes

“Ms. Moran motion to have this project move forward. Second Mr. Brown. Roll Call Vote: Ms. Moran, aye; Mr. Brown, aye; Mr. Jones, nay; Mr. Patterson, nay; Chair English Braga; nay..” (Motion: Moran, second: Brown)

Read it in the official minutes, page 7 (PDF)

Apr 6Proclamation: Rachel Carson Day / 50th Anniversary of Earth…Motion: in the packet.Passed · see note

April 6, 2020: Proclamation: Rachel Carson Day / 50th Anniversary of Earth Day

ApprovePassed · No count or names in the minutes

In the packet.

The minutes record this motion but no vote on it.

From the minutes

“Mr. Jones read the proclamation in the packet. Second Mr. Patterson..” (Motion: Jones, second: Patterson)

Read it in the official minutes, page 1 (PDF)

Apr 6Appoint Mr. Zylinski IIMotion: To appoint Mr. Zylinski II.Passed 3–2 · No: Braga, Jones

April 6, 2020: Appoint Mr. Zylinski II

AppointPassed · 3–2

To appoint Mr. Zylinski II.

Yes: Brown, Moran, PattersonNo: Braga, Jones

From the minutes

“Ms. Moran motion to appoint Mr. Zylinski II. Second Mr. Brown. Roll Call Vote: Ms. Moran, aye; Mr. Jones, nay; Mr. Brown, aye; Mr. Patterson, aye; Chair English Braga, nay. Motion passed with a 3:2 vote..” (Motion: Moran, second: Brown)

Read it in the official minutes, page 5 (PDF)

Apr 6Execute the Election WarrantMotion: To execute the Election Warrant.Passed Unanimous, 4 present · see note

April 6, 2020: Execute the Election Warrant

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 4 present

To execute the Election Warrant.

Susan Moran stepped aside (recused) and did not take part in this vote.

From the minutes

“Mr. Jones motion to execute the Election Warrant. Second Mr. Patterson. Roll Call Vote: Mr. Jones, aye; Mr. Brown, aye; Mr. Patterson, aye; Chair English Braga, aye. Recused: Ms. Moran..” (Motion: Jones, second: Patterson)

Read it in the official minutes, page 5 (PDF)

Mar 9Approve Application for Special One-Day Wine and Malt Liquor…Motion: approval.Passed 4–0 · Abstained: Brown

March 9, 2020: Approve Application for Special One-Day Wine and Malt Liquor License - Bands for Badges, Inc. - Bands for Badges Music Festival - Cape Cod Fairgrounds - Saturday, 8/22/20

ApprovePassed · 4–0

Approval.

Yes: Braga, Jones, Moran, PattersonAbstained: Brown

From the minutes

“Mr. Jones motion approval. Second Mr. Patterson. Vote: Yes-4. No-0. Abstain-1. (Brown).” (Motion: Jones, second: Patterson)

Read it in the official minutes, page 2 (PDF)

Mar 9Indefinite postponement of Article 31 and explanation to include…Motion: indefinite postponement of Article 31 and explanation to include language as…Failed 2–2 · No: Jones, Patterson · Abstained: Brown

March 9, 2020: Indefinite postponement of Article 31 and explanation to include language as approving the concept and seeing the article as an advisory

ApproveFailed · 2–2

Indefinite postponement of Article 31 and explanation to include language as approving the concept and seeing the article as an advisory.

Yes: Braga, MoranNo: Jones, PattersonAbstained: BrownThe minutes name the members voting yes and no and record 1 abstention; the member left over, Doug Brown, is shown as abstaining.

From the minutes

“Mr. Jones motion indefinite postponement of Article 31 and explanation to include language as approving the concept and seeing the article as an advisory. Second Mr. Patterson. Vote: Yes-2 (Chair English Braga and Ms. Moran.) No-2 (Mr. Patterson and Mr. Jones.) Abstain-1..” (Motion: Jones, second: Patterson)

Read it in the official minutes, page 11 (PDF)

Mar 9Positive recommendation of Article 34Motion: positive recommendation of Article 34.Passed 4–1 · No: Brown

March 9, 2020: Positive recommendation of Article 34

ApprovePassed · 4–1

Positive recommendation of Article 34.

Yes: Braga, Jones, Moran, PattersonNo: Brown

From the minutes

“Mr. Jones motion positive recommendation of Article 34. Second Mr. Patterson. Vote: Yes-4. No-1 (Mr. Brown.).” (Motion: Jones, second: Patterson)

Read it in the official minutes, page 11 (PDF)

From the Falmouth Select Board’s official minutes, posted on the town’s Agenda and Meeting Management portal (CivicClerk), linked from the Select Board page. We check every vote against the Select Board members present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Photos: The Falmouth Enterprise (capenews.net), by Gene M. Marchand and Devin Ankeney, and an Enterprise campaign photo of Heather Goldstone.

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