MassVoter.com← FoxboroughMunicipal votes · 2021–2022 Board
Foxborough Select Board
How the Foxborough Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide. Seth Ferguson joined the board after the May 2021 town election; Christopher P. Mitchell left. On May 11, 2021 the board chose Leah Gibson as Chair, Stephanie McGowan as Vice Chair and Seth Ferguson as Clerk. Edward T. O’Leary resigned in December 2021 (the January 4, 2022 minutes report his resignation “effective immediately”), and the board served with four members until the May 2022 election. Covers 25 meetings, May 11 to April 26, 2022.
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 budgetYour Foxborough ballot: 13 quizzes, about a minute each.
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Coming up
MassVoter can’t read Foxborough’s meeting calendar automatically yet. See upcoming meetings on the official site →
Members
Vice-ChairStephanie A. McGowanVice Chair · Elected townwide · at 22 of 25 meetings
Mark S. ElfmanMember · Elected townwide · at 24 of 25 meetingsSeth FergusonClerk · Elected townwide · at 24 of 25 meetingsEdward T. O’LearyMember · Elected townwide · at 15 of 16 meetings · until Dec 2021"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 early 2023) from January 9, 2018 through September 22, 2026: 232 meetings. Minutes from 2018 through September 8, 2026 come from the town website’s Select Board minutes page, which holds minutes back to 2009 (MassVoter has loaded 2018 on); the September 22, 2026 minutes are the draft posted on the board’s Diligent meeting portal and have not yet been approved. Joint sessions are included, but only the Select Board’s own votes; votes of the Board of Health and the Planning Board at joint sessions are left out. Not here: executive-session minutes; minutes for 148 other dates the Diligent portal lists for the board since 2018 (about 115 of them are notices that a quorum of the board would attend another body’s meeting, mostly the Advisory Committee’s budget hearings, or a public event; the rest are mostly short sessions before Town Meeting, executive sessions and town manager interviews); and every meeting after September 22, 2026. All minutes are typed. Foxborough’s minutes give the mover and seconder for nearly every motion. In 2018 and 2019 they say “Final Resolution: Motion Carries 5-0-0” (sometimes with a list of the members voting yes); from 2019 to mid-2024 they usually say “by S. Ferguson, 2nd by M. Elfman. Approved, 5-0,” with roll calls by name during remote meetings; since September 2024 each vote lists the members by name (“Yes: Stephanie McGowan, Bill Yukna … / No: … / Not Present at Vote: …”). When the minutes list the vote by name, we show it that way. When they give a count with no dissent that matches the members present, or say every member voted in favor, we show every member present as voting yes, and when they name the members who voted no or abstained and the count adds up, everyone else present as voting yes. Where the minutes give only a split count without names, a list that leaves out a member who was there or does not match the count, or a count that does not match the members present, we show the count only and add a note. Votes with no count written down are shown with the result only. Members who stepped aside (recused), were not present for a vote, or had left are left out of that vote. Some minutes (September 2024 to May 2025, and three meetings in 2026) have no attendance list; for those, the members shown as present are the ones named in the votes. We will ask the town to confirm any noted vote.
Votes where members disagreed
Most board votes are unanimous. These are the ones where at least one member voted no or abstained, newest first.
Mar 29Approve the FY23 Budget as amendedMotion: Motion to approve the FY23 Budget as amendedPassed 3–1 · No: McGowan
March 29, 2022: Approve the FY23 Budget as amended
Motion to approve the FY23 Budget as amended
Yes: Elfman, Ferguson, GibsonNo: McGowan
From the minutes
“Motion to approve the FY23 Budget as amended by S. Ferguson 2nd by M. Elfman. Approved, 3-1. S. McGowan opposed..” (Motion: Ferguson, second: Elfman)
Mar 15Approve the MOA between the Town and Firefighter Union…Motion: Motion to approve the MOA between the Town and Firefighter Union…Passed 3–0 · Abstained: Ferguson
March 15, 2022: Approve the MOA between the Town and Firefighter Union Local 2522 FPFA from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2025
Motion to approve the MOA between the Town and Firefighter Union Local 2522 FPFA from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2025
Yes: Elfman, Gibson, McGowanAbstained: Ferguson
From the minutes
“Motion to approve the MOA between the Town and Firefighter Union Local 2522 FPFA from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2025 by M. Elfman, 2nd by S. McGowan. Approved, 3-0-1. S. Ferguson.” (Motion: Elfman, second: McGowan)
Jan 18All those in favor of moving forward with a…Motion: All those in favor of moving forward with a retail and…Passed 3–1 · No: Ferguson
January 18, 2022: All those in favor of moving forward with a retail and cultivating marijuana articles on the Annual Town Warrant
All those in favor of moving forward with a retail and cultivating marijuana articles on the Annual Town Warrant
Yes: Elfman, Gibson, McGowanNo: Ferguson
From the minutes
“All those in favor of moving forward with a retail and cultivating marijuana articles on the Annual Town Warrant by L. Gibson 2nd by M. Elfman. Approved, 3-1, S. Ferguson is opposed..” (Motion: Gibson, second: Elfman)
Nov 23Approve the Change of Officer for LLH, LLC d/b/a…Motion: Motion to approve the Change of Officer for LLH, LLC d/b/a…Passed 4–0 · Abstained: McGowan
November 23, 2021: Approve the Change of Officer for LLH, LLC d/b/a Trader Joes from Edward Seeker to Tracy Anderson-Ingram as the LLC Manager
Motion to approve the Change of Officer for LLH, LLC d/b/a Trader Joes from Edward Seeker to Tracy Anderson-Ingram as the LLC Manager
Yes: Elfman, Ferguson, Gibson, O’LearyAbstained: McGowan
From the minutes
“Motion to approve the Change of Officer for LLH, LLC d/b/a Trader Joes from Edward Seeker to Tracy Anderson-Ingram as the LLC Manager by S. Ferguson, 2nd by M. Elfman. Approved 4-0-1, S. McGowan abstained..” (Motion: Ferguson, second: Elfman)
Oct 26Approve the revised Town Financial PoliciesMotion: Motion to approve the revised Town Financial PoliciesPassed 4–1 · No: Ferguson
October 26, 2021: Approve the revised Town Financial Policies
Motion to approve the revised Town Financial Policies
Yes: Elfman, Gibson, McGowan, O’LearyNo: Ferguson
From the minutes
“Motion to approve the revised Town Financial Policies by S. Ferguson 2nd by M. Elfman. Approved, 4-1. S. Ferguson opposed..” (Motion: Ferguson, second: Elfman)
Sep 28Approve the conditions for the 119 Morse Street Local…Motion: Motion to approve the conditions for the 119 Morse Street Local…Passed 4–1 · No: McGowan
September 28, 2021: Approve the conditions for the 119 Morse Street Local Initiative Program
Motion to approve the conditions for the 119 Morse Street Local Initiative Program
Yes: Elfman, Ferguson, Gibson, O’LearyNo: McGowan
From the minutes
“Motion to approve the conditions for the 119 Morse Street Local Initiative Program by S. Ferguson 2nd M. Elfman. Discussion: LG- These are the draft conditions. There were a lot of conversations between myself, Stephanie and Bill regarding the conditions. SM – One of the points I would have like to have in the conditions and wasn’t included in the conditions. I am okay with the letter but will not be voting in favor the letter tonight. Approved, 4-1. S. McGowan opposed..” (Motion: Ferguson, second: Elfman)
Sep 14For the Board of Selectmen to support the 119…Motion: Motion for the Board of Selectmen to support the 119 Morse…Passed 4–1 · No: McGowan
September 14, 2021: For the Board of Selectmen to support the 119 Morse Street Local Initiative Program Application with the proposed conditions to be met by the 119 Morse Street Realty Trust and…
Motion for the Board of Selectmen to support the 119 Morse Street Local Initiative Program Application with the proposed conditions to be met by the 119 Morse Street Realty Trust and Foxstar Corporation
Yes: Elfman, Ferguson, Gibson, O’LearyNo: McGowan
From the minutes
“Motion for the Board of Selectmen to support the 119 Morse Street Local Initiative Program Application with the proposed conditions to be met by the 119 Morse Street Realty Trust and Foxstar Corporation by S. Ferguson 2nd by M. Elfman. Approved, 4-1. S. McGowan opposed..” (Motion: Ferguson, second: Elfman)
Aug 17Utilize Economic Development Committee funds up to $300.00 to…Motion: Motion to utilize Economic Development Committee funds up to $300.00 to…Passed 4–1 · No: Ferguson
August 17, 2021: Utilize Economic Development Committee funds up to $300.00 to promote grand openings for business in town
Motion to utilize Economic Development Committee funds up to $300.00 to promote grand openings for business in town
Yes: Elfman, Gibson, McGowan, O’LearyNo: Ferguson
From the minutes
“Motion to utilize Economic Development Committee funds up to $300.00 to promote grand openings for business in town by S. Ferguson, 2nd by M. Elfman. Discussion SF – I’m not for public funds for private businesses. LG – I understand that. On the flipside I think part of the Boards is to introduce new business to the community and the Tri-Town Chamber of Commerce and to get them apart of the Foxborough Common Business Collaborative. SM – This is what the money is there for. LG – Besides the fire station we haven’t done much and not been able to spend the money. HH – We used it for Shop Local. SF – It is taking from one business to another. LG – Yes. Approved, 4-1. S. Ferguson opposed..” (Motion: Ferguson, second: Elfman)
From the Foxborough Select Board’s official minutes, posted on the town’s Select Board minutes page and its Diligent meeting portal. We check every vote against the Select Board members present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Photos: WJAR NBC 10 (Bill Yukna), The Foxboro Reporter, photo by Mark Stockwell (Amy LaBrache), The Sun Chronicle (Mark Elfman), and stills from Foxboro Cable Access videos: “Around Foxborough #44 – Stephanie McGowan for the Foxborough Board of Selectmen” (2020) and the Foxboro Jaycees Candidates Night, April 11, 2024 (Deb Giardino).
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