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Municipal votes · 2023–2024 Board

Falmouth Select Board

How the Falmouth Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide. Robert Mascali joined the board after the May 2023 town election; Sam Patterson left. On May 22, 2023 the board chose Nancy Taylor as Chair and Scott Zylinski as Vice Chair (each 5-0, both nominated by Onjalé Scott Price). Covers 29 meetings, May 22 to May 20, 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.

Sources: Massachusetts Select Board Handbook (MMA) · Mass. Division of Local Services: the town budget
Election Day · Tuesday, Nov 3

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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 BrownMember · Elected townwide · at 29 of 29 meetingsRobert MascaliMember · Elected townwide · at 26 of 29 meetingsOnjalé Scott PriceMember · Elected townwide · at 27 of 29 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 20, 2024 · Regular meeting21 recorded votes, 1 with disagreementAll 5 members presentMonday, May 6, 2024 · Regular meeting18 recorded votes, 3 with disagreementAbsent: Nancy TaylorMonday, April 22, 2024 · Regular meeting28 recorded votes, 2 with disagreementAll 5 members presentMonday, April 8, 2024 · Regular meeting4 recorded votes, 4 with disagreementAbsent: Robert MascaliMonday, April 1, 2024 · Regular meeting18 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 20Uphold the recommendation of the Special Events Working Group…Motion: To uphold the recommendation of the Special Events Working Group and…Passed 4–1 · No: Mascali

May 20, 2024: Uphold the recommendation of the Special Events Working Group and the decision to place the below conditions on the. approved Special Event Permit for On the Water, LLC's Striper Fest…

ApprovePassed · 4–1

To uphold the recommendation of the Special Events Working Group and the decision to place the below conditions on the. approved Special Event Permit for On the Water, LLC's Striper Fest event on September 28, 2024: 1) no placement of tent in parking lot area of Marina Park; 2) work with the parks superintendent Jeremiah Pearson, with regard to a rain plan for the grass at Marina Park

Yes: Brown, Price, Taylor, ZylinskiNo: Mascali

From the minutes

“Motion by Mr. Brown: To uphold the recommendation of the Special Events Working Group and the decision to place the below conditions on the. approved Special Event Permit for On the Water, LLC's Striper Fest event on September 28, 2024: 1) no placement of tent in parking lot area of Marina Park; 2) work with the parks superintendent Jeremiah Pearson, with regard to a rain plan for the grass at Marina Park Second: Mr. Zylinski Vote: Yes - 4 No - 1 (Mr. Mascali).” (Motion: Brown, second: Zylinski)

Read it in the official minutes, page 10 (PDF)

May 6Approve waiver of the feeMotion: To approve waiver of the fee.Passed 4–1 · see note

May 6, 2024: Approve waiver of the fee

ApprovePassed · 4–1

To approve waiver of the fee.

The minutes give only the count (4-1), not how each member voted. 4 members were present.

From the minutes

“Ms. Scott Price made a motion to approve waiver of the fee. Mr. Brown seconded the motion. Vote: Yes-4. No-1. Absent-1..” (Motion: Price, second: Brown)

Read it in the official minutes, page 3 (PDF)

May 6Amend the letterMotion: To amend the letter. Mr. Johnson-Staub stated this is time sensitive,…Passed · see note

May 6, 2024: Amend the letter

ApprovePassed · No count or names in the minutes

To amend the letter. Mr. Johnson-Staub stated this is time sensitive, the applicant hoped to get it a couple weeks ago. Land Use staff group met with the applicant, the applicant said the owner was choosing to retain the property originally planned to donate it. It is their land and they can decide what they sell or don't sell. Ms. Scott Price noted the letter says it was considered it in this letter. Mr. Johnson-Staub said there is land included in the parcel to be transferred to the Town as now supposed; with no conservation restriction and would be available for affordable housing. The Town is not paying anything to purchase this land. The highest investment use is housing, from an appraised value. This is a good time for golf, there have been ups and downs in golf interest. Golf courses across the country and in this region have gone out of business, but it is a good thing for the profitability of the other courses. The property is being sold as land, not as a golf course. To support the letter with amendment that the town expresses a strong preference to include the parcel that was previously included, but removed, re: the land previously granted to the town.

The minutes record this motion but no vote on it.

From the minutes

“Mr. Brown motion to amend the letter..” (Motion: Brown)

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

May 6Includes they consider including the land as previously agreedMotion: that includes they consider including the land as previously agreed.Passed 3–1 · No: Zylinski

May 6, 2024: Includes they consider including the land as previously agreed

ApprovePassed · 3–1

That includes they consider including the land as previously agreed.

Yes: Brown, Mascali, PriceNo: Zylinski

From the minutes

“Mr. Brown made a motion that includes they consider including the land as previously agreed. Ms. Scott Price seconded the motion. Vote: Yes-3. No-1 (Mr. Zylinski). Absent-1..” (Motion: Brown, second: Price)

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

Apr 22Approve this application as presented for a term of…Motion: To approve this application as presented for a term of 5…Passed 4–1 · No: Mascali

April 22, 2024: Approve this application as presented for a term of 5 years from today

ApprovePassed · 4–1

To approve this application as presented for a term of 5 years from today

Yes: Brown, Price, Taylor, ZylinskiNo: Mascali

From the minutes

“Motion by Mr. Brown: To approve this application as presented for a term of 5 years from today Second: Mr. Zylinski Vote: Yes - 4 No - 1 (Mr. Mascali).” (Motion: Brown, second: Zylinski)

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

Apr 22Brown's reading, Chair Taylor said, "There's your motion."Motion: Brown's reading, Chair Taylor said, "There's your motion."Passed Unanimous, 5 present · see note

April 22, 2024: Brown's reading, Chair Taylor said, "There's your motion."

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 5 present

Brown's reading, Chair Taylor said, "There's your motion."

The minutes do not say who made this motion.

From the minutes

“Brown's reading, Chair Taylor said, "There's your motion." Second: Mr. Zylinski Vote: Yes - 5 No - 0.” (second: Zylinski)

Read it in the official minutes, page 8 (PDF)

Apr 8Approve the November 18, 2024 Town Meeting dateMotion: To approve the November 18, 2024 Town Meeting date.Passed 5–0 · see note

April 8, 2024: Approve the November 18, 2024 Town Meeting date

ApprovePassed · 5–0

To approve the November 18, 2024 Town Meeting date.

The minutes say 5-0, but 4 members were present for this vote (Nancy Taylor, Scott Zylinski, Onjalé Scott Price and Doug Brown). Showing the count only. The minutes name Robert Mascali as the seconder, but Robert Mascali is not on the attendance line, so no seconder is shown.

From the minutes

“Mr. Zylinski made a motion to approve the November 18, 2024 Town Meeting date. Mr. Mascali seconded the motion. Vote: Yes-5. No-0..” (Motion: Zylinski)

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

Apr 8Approve the submission of a petition to the State…Motion: To approve the submission of a petition to the State Traffic…Passed 5–0 · see note

April 8, 2024: Approve the submission of a petition to the State Traffic Engineer for speed limit changes along Woods Hole Road in Falmouth, as reflected in the map marked as Exhibit A,…

ApprovePassed · 5–0

To approve the submission of a petition to the State Traffic Engineer for speed limit changes along Woods Hole Road in Falmouth, as reflected in the map marked as Exhibit A, and pursuant to MGL Chapter 90 section 18 as amended by Chapter 358 of the Acts of 2022.

The minutes say 5-0, but 4 members were present for this vote (Nancy Taylor, Scott Zylinski, Onjalé Scott Price and Doug Brown). Showing the count only.

From the minutes

“Mr. Zylinski made a motion to approve the submission of a petition to the State Traffic Engineer for speed limit changes along Woods Hole Road in Falmouth, as reflected in the map marked as Exhibit A, and pursuant to MGL Chapter 90 section 18 as amended by Chapter 358 of the Acts of 2022. Ms. Scott Price seconded the motion. Vote: Yes-5. No-0..” (Motion: Zylinski, second: Price)

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

Apr 8Accept the grant awardMotion: To accept the grant award.Passed 5–0 · see note

April 8, 2024: Accept the grant award

ApprovePassed · 5–0

To accept the grant award.

The minutes say 5-0, but 4 members were present for this vote (Nancy Taylor, Scott Zylinski, Onjalé Scott Price and Doug Brown). Showing the count only.

From the minutes

“Ms. Scott Price motion to accept the grant award. Mr. Zylinski seconded the motion. Vote: Yes-5. No-0..” (Motion: Price, second: Zylinski)

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

Apr 1Mascali approved the amended 7 E of the fiscal…Motion: Mascali approved the amended 7 E of the fiscal policy.Passed Unanimous, 5 present · see note

April 1, 2024: Mascali approved the amended 7 E of the fiscal policy

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 5 present

Mascali approved the amended 7 E of the fiscal policy.

The minutes do not say who made this motion.

From the minutes

“Mascali approved the amended 7 E of the fiscal policy. Second Mr. Brown. Roll Call Vote: Mr. Mascali, aye; Mr. Brown, aye; Ms. Scott Price, aye; Chair Taylor, aye; Mr. Zylinski, aye..” (second: Brown)

Read it in the official minutes, page 8 (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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