MassVoter.com← FraminghamMunicipal votes · 2018–2019 Council
Framingham City Council
How the Framingham City Council voted, from the City Clerk's official minutes. 11 councilors: 2 elected at large and one from each of the city’s 9 districts. Framingham’s first City Council, elected November 2017 and sworn in January 1, 2018, when the town became a city. Dennis Giombetti (District 5) was Chair and Charles Sisitsky (District 1) Vice Chair; the councilors-elect chose them on November 15, 2017 and the council ratified the choice on January 2, 2018. At-large: George King and Cheryl Tully Stoll. No seat changed hands during the term. The city has not posted minutes for several 2018 meetings, and many 2018 minutes have no attendance list (see the meeting notes). Covers 53 meetings, January 2 to December 17, 2019.
A monthly email on what it voted on, starting in November.
What does the City Council do? It is the city’s lawmaking body. It passes local laws (ordinances), votes on the yearly budget, and approves borrowing and zoning changes.
The mayor runs the city day to day and proposes the budget.
Sources: Mass. General Laws c. 44 § 32 (city budgets)Your Framingham ballot: 13 quizzes, about a minute each.
Start my ballot →Council sessions
Coming up
No upcoming meeting is posted yet. Check the official calendar →
Under the state Open Meeting Law, boards post notice at least 48 hours ahead, not counting weekends and legal holidays.
Councilors
Michael CannonCouncilor · District 4 · at 48 of 48 meetingsJudith GroveCouncilor · District 8 · at 47 of 48 meetings
George KingCouncilor · At-large · at 46 of 47 meetingsPam RichardsonCouncilor · District 2 · at 45 of 47 meetingsMichael RossiCouncilor · District 6 · at 47 of 48 meetingsMargareth Basilio ShepardCouncilor · District 7 · at 44 of 48 meetingsAdam SteinerCouncilor · District 3 · at 48 of 48 meetingsEdgardo TorresCouncilor · District 9 · at 31 of 47 meetingsCheryl Tully StollCouncilor · At-large · at 45 of 48 meetings"At X of Y meetings" counts the roll call at the start of each meeting in this record. Councilors who step out are listed on each meeting page.
Meetings
About missing minutes
Loaded: every full City Council meeting with minutes on the city’s meeting portal, from January 2, 2018 (the first meeting of Framingham’s first City Council) through September 3, 2026 (240 meetings: regular and emergency meetings, the New Year’s Day organizational meetings, and joint meetings with the School Committee, the Planning Board, the Board of Library Trustees and the Edgell Grove Cemetery Trustees, where only the council’s own votes are shown). Subcommittee meetings (Finance, Planning & Zoning, Appointments, Rules and others) and executive sessions are not loaded, and subcommittee votes reported in the council minutes are not shown as council votes. The councilors-elect meetings of November and December 2017 are not loaded. The portal has minutes for every full council meeting it lists up to September 3, 2026; minutes for the September 15, September 29 and October 6, 2026 meetings were not posted yet when MassVoter checked (October 10, 2026). Several 2018 minutes have no attendance list; for those meetings MassVoter shows as present only the councilors named in roll calls (or all eleven when a vote of all eleven is recorded). A few minutes files from August to October 2024 also contain an earlier draft of the same minutes after the approved copy; MassVoter reads only the approved copy. How votes were read: from 2018 to mid-2022 the minutes write each vote in the narrative, often as a roll call naming each councilor (“ROLL CALL VOTE: 10-1-0 (Bryant, aye; … Shepard, oppose; …)”) and sometimes only as a count, with the councilors who voted no or abstained named in parentheses. From August 2022 each vote is also recorded with the mover, seconder and the names of the councilors voting for and against (“Motion Passed: 6-5 · Voting For: … · Voting Against: …”). MassVoter shows each councilor’s vote when the minutes name them and the names match the count and the councilors present. A count that equals the councilors present with no one voting no is shown as everyone present voting yes. A councilor present at the meeting but not listed in a roll call (for example after leaving the room or before arriving) is left out of that vote. Abstentions are shown as present, not voting. A count that does not match the councilors present, a roll call naming someone not on the attendance list, or a name listed twice is shown as the count only, with a note. Votes choosing a person (the Chair and Vice Chair each term, and joint votes to fill School Committee and Library Trustee vacancies) show the result only, with a note listing each councilor’s choice where the minutes give it. Items referred to a subcommittee or placed on file without a vote are not listed. We will ask the City Clerk to confirm any noted vote.
Votes where councilors disagreed
Most council votes are unanimous. These are the ones where at least one councilor voted no or abstained, newest first.
Dec 17Approve the Grant of Location by NStar Electric/Eversource for…Motion: to approve the Grant of Location by NStar Electric/Eversource for the…Passed Unanimous, 11 present · see note
December 17, 2019: Approve the Grant of Location by NStar Electric/Eversource for the installation of conduit in Lowther Road to serve the City's pumping station, as presented
To approve the Grant of Location by NStar Electric/Eversource for the installation of conduit in Lowther Road to serve the City's pumping station, as presented
The minutes give the count (11-0-0) without names; it equals the councilors present, so each is shown voting yes.
From the minutes
“VOTE: 11-0-0..” (Motion: Stoll, second: Cannon)
Dec 17Approve the Grant of Location by NStar Electric/Eversource for…Motion: to approve the Grant of Location by NStar Electric/Eversource for the…Passed Unanimous, 11 present · see note
December 17, 2019: Approve the Grant of Location by NStar Electric/Eversource for the placement of a utility pole and anchor guy to provide service to the Electric Vehicle Charging Station, as presented
To approve the Grant of Location by NStar Electric/Eversource for the placement of a utility pole and anchor guy to provide service to the Electric Vehicle Charging Station, as presented
The minutes give the count (11-0-0) without names; it equals the councilors present, so each is shown voting yes.
From the minutes
“VOTE: 11-0-0..” (Motion: Stoll, second: Cannon)
Dec 17Approve the Annual Pool Table Permits, subject to payment…Motion: to approve the Annual Pool Table Permits, subject to payment of…Passed 8–0 · Abstained: Cannon, King, Stoll
December 17, 2019: Approve the Annual Pool Table Permits, subject to payment of all fees and taxes, submittal of all required documents and receipt of all City department inspections and approvals
To approve the Annual Pool Table Permits, subject to payment of all fees and taxes, submittal of all required documents and receipt of all City department inspections and approvals
Yes: Giombetti, Grove, Richardson, Rossi, Shepard, Sisitsky, Steiner, TorresAbstained: Cannon, King, StollThe minutes name the councilors who voted to abstain; the count adds up to the councilors present, so the others are shown voting yes. Cheryl Tully Stoll, Michael Cannon and George King abstained (shown as present, not voting).
From the minutes
“VOTE: 8-0-3 (Cannon, King and Tully Stoll abstained as they are members of the Elks Club).” (Motion: Cannon, second: Torres)
Dec 17Approve the September 10, 2019 and October 3, 2019…Motion: to approve the September 10, 2019 and October 3, 2019 minutes…Passed 10–0 · Abstained: Stoll
December 17, 2019: Approve the September 10, 2019 and October 3, 2019 minutes of the Environment and Sustainability Subcommittee as presented
To approve the September 10, 2019 and October 3, 2019 minutes of the Environment and Sustainability Subcommittee as presented
Yes: Cannon, Giombetti, Grove, King, Richardson, Rossi, Shepard, Sisitsky, Steiner, TorresAbstained: StollThe minutes name the councilors who voted to abstain; the count adds up to the councilors present, so the others are shown voting yes. Cheryl Tully Stoll abstained (shown as present, not voting).
From the minutes
“VOTE: 10-0-1 (Tully Stoll abstained)..” (Motion: Grove, second: Torres)
Dec 17Votes that $697,391 is appropriated to pay costs of…Motion: that the City Council votes that $697,391 is appropriated to pay…Passed 10–0 · see note
December 17, 2019: Votes that $697,391 is appropriated to pay costs of the following General Fund capital project: Mary Dennison Park: Park and Environmental Remediation and Design and for the payment of costs...
That the City Council votes that $697,391 is appropriated to pay costs of the following General Fund capital project: Mary Dennison Park: Park and Environmental Remediation and Design and for the payment of costs incidental and related thereto, to be spent under the direction of the Mayor or her designee, that the Mayor is authorized to acquire by gift, purchase or eminent domain, permanent easements and temporary construction easements or other interests in land for said projects
Yes: Cannon, Giombetti, Grove, King, Richardson, Rossi, Shepard, Sisitsky, Steiner, StollEdgardo Torres left at 7:49 PM; the count (10-0-0) matches the 10 other councilors present, so they are shown voting yes.
Dec 17Approve: Upon Request of the Ordinance and Rules Subcommittee…Failed 5–5 · No: Cannon, Giombetti, Grove, King, Stoll
December 17, 2019: Approve: Upon Request of the Ordinance and Rules Subcommittee a recommendation on an amendment to the General Bylaws to prohibit City Councilors from holding appointed positions with the City...
Yes: Richardson, Rossi, Shepard, Sisitsky, SteinerNo: Cannon, Giombetti, Grove, King, StollThe roll call does not list Edgardo Torres (left 7:49 PM), so that councilor is left out of this vote.
From the minutes
“roll call vote: 5-5-0 (Cannon, oppose; Grove, oppose; Giombetti, oppose; King, oppose; Richardson, aye; Rossi, aye; Shepard, aye; Sisitsky, aye; Steiner, aye; Tully Stoll, oppose). Motion failed..”
Dec 17Delete Mr. Steiner's amendment relative to assistance programsMotion: to delete the amendment voted at the last meetingPassed 8–2 · see note
December 17, 2019: Delete Mr. Steiner's amendment relative to assistance programs
To delete the amendment voted at the last meeting
The minutes give the count (8-2-0) and name Cheryl Tully Stoll and George King, but the count does not add up to the 11 councilors present, so MassVoter shows the count only.
From the minutes
“VOTE to delete Mr. Steiner's amendment relative to assistance programs: 8-2-0 (King and Tully Stoll opposed)..” (Motion: Steiner, second: Sisitsky)
Dec 17Approve: Seek reconsideration of the vote taken by the…Passed 8–1 · see note
December 17, 2019: Approve: Seek reconsideration of the vote taken by the City Council on December 3, 2019 on amending the Plastic Bag Reduction Bylaw
The minutes give the count (8-1-1) and name Michael Cannon and Cheryl Tully Stoll, but the count does not add up to the 11 councilors present, so MassVoter shows the count only. The minutes type the count as “81-1”; read as 8-1-1.
From the minutes
“ROLL CALL VOTE: 81-1 (Cannon opposed; Tully Stoll abstained)..”
Dec 17Take the matter of the Park and Recreation Request…Motion: to take the matter of the Park and Recreation Request for…Passed 10–0 · see note
December 17, 2019: Take the matter of the Park and Recreation Request for an appropriation for Mary Dennison Park Remediation and Renovation off the table
To take the matter of the Park and Recreation Request for an appropriation for Mary Dennison Park Remediation and Renovation off the table
Yes: Cannon, Giombetti, Grove, King, Richardson, Rossi, Shepard, Sisitsky, Steiner, StollEdgardo Torres left at 7:49 PM; the count (10-0-0) matches the 10 other councilors present, so they are shown voting yes.
From the minutes
“VOTE: 10-0-0..” (Motion: Stoll, second: Cannon)
Dec 17Approve: Upon Request of the Ordinance and Rules Subcommittee…Passed 10–0 · see note
December 17, 2019: Approve: Upon Request of the Ordinance and Rules Subcommittee to refer the matter of increasing the number of full members on the Zoning Board of Appeals to the Planning Board…
Yes: Cannon, Giombetti, Grove, King, Richardson, Rossi, Shepard, Sisitsky, Steiner, StollEdgardo Torres left at 7:49 PM; the count (10-0-0) matches the 10 other councilors present, so they are shown voting yes.
From the Framingham City Council’s official minutes, posted on the city’s public meeting portal (linked from the Public Meeting Calendar on framinghamma.gov). We check every vote against the councilors present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Councilor photos: Framingham Patch (George King, Janet Leombruno, Christine Long, Michael Cannon, Noval Alexander, Philip Ottaviani, Leora Mallach, John Stefanini; candidate and courtesy photos), District2Framingham.com (Brandon Ward), Run for Something (Mary Kate Feeney) and Framingham SOURCE (Tracey Bryant, 2021 candidate Q&A, photo courtesy of the candidate). The city’s website has no councilor photos. Former councilors show initials.
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