How the Hanover Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide. Same five members. On May 16, 2022 the board chose Rhonda Nyman as Chair, Vanessa O'Connor as Vice Chair and Steve Louko as Clerk. Covers 28 meetings, May 16 to May 1, 2023.
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 Hanover, 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. Any registered voter can take part, and most votes are by voice or show of hands, so there is no list of who voted which way.
Special Town Meeting · May 4, 2026 4 votes: 4 passed
Art. 2Conceptual design for B. Everett Hall Field and Sylvester School Field: $60,000 from Community Preservation fundsPassed“Motion carries unanimously.”
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 minutes from April 2, 2018 through September 8, 2026, as posted on the town website (the board was called the Board of Selectmen until 2021). Not here yet: minutes before April 2018 (the town posts those as web pages), minutes after September 8, 2026, and the February 20, 2024 minutes (the town’s link opens the February 5, 2024 minutes instead). Hanover’s minutes are written as narrative. Most votes before mid-2021, and many since, are recorded only as “The Board voted to …” with no count and no names; those show the result only, not how each member voted, and are not treated as unanimous. When the minutes say a vote was unanimous we show every member present as voting yes, and when they list a roll call (aye/nay by name), as most votes from late 2021 to 2025 do, we show each member’s vote as recorded. Where a roll call names a member the minutes list as absent or not yet arrived, lists a member twice, or does not match a stated count, we show the count only and add a note. Members who stepped aside (recused) are left out of that vote. Votes by other boards at joint meetings (Planning Board, School Committee, Board of Assessors, Bylaw Review Committee) are not included. 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 24Approve the following three license renewals as listed on…Motion: to approve the following three license renewals as listed on tonight's…Passed · see note
April 24, 2023 (Special meeting): Approve the following three license renewals as listed on tonight's agenda at Agenda Item numbers 5, 6 and 7, below
ApprovePassed · No count or names in the minutes
To approve the following three license renewals as listed on tonight's agenda at Agenda Item numbers 5, 6 and 7, below.
The minutes say the board voted to do this but do not give a count or say how each member voted.
From the minutes
“The Board voted to approve the following three license renewals as listed on tonight's agenda at Agenda Item numbers 5, 6 and 7, below..”
Apr 24Approve the renewal of the following Bowling Alley Licenses:…Motion: to approve the renewal of the following Bowling Alley Licenses: Boston…Passed · see note
April 24, 2023 (Special meeting): Approve the renewal of the following Bowling Alley Licenses: Boston Bowl Hanover Inc. dba Boston Bowl, 58 Rockland Street, Hanover, MA 02339, and Ryan Family Amusements Inc., dba Ryan's, 1775...
ApprovePassed · No count or names in the minutes
To approve the renewal of the following Bowling Alley Licenses: Boston Bowl Hanover Inc. dba Boston Bowl, 58 Rockland Street, Hanover, MA 02339, and Ryan Family Amusements Inc., dba Ryan's, 1775 Washington Street, Building 400, Hanover, MA 02339
The minutes say the board voted to do this but do not give a count or say how each member voted.
From the minutes
“The Board voted to approve the renewal of the following Bowling Alley Licenses: Boston Bowl Hanover Inc. dba Boston Bowl, 58 Rockland Street, Hanover, MA 02339, and Ryan Family Amusements Inc., dba Ryan's, 1775 Washington Street, Building 400, Hanover, MA 02339.”
Apr 24Approve the Memorandum of Understanding for the Hanover Municipal…Motion: to approve the Memorandum of Understanding for the Hanover Municipal Employees…Passed · see note
Apr 24Approve the Memorandum of Understanding for the American Federation…Motion: to approve the Memorandum of Understanding for the American Federation of…Passed · see note
April 24, 2023 (Special meeting): Approve the Memorandum of Understanding for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
ApprovePassed · No count or names in the minutes
To approve the Memorandum of Understanding for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).
The minutes say the board voted to do this but do not give a count or say how each member voted.
From the minutes
“The Board voted to approve the Memorandum of Understanding for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)..”
Mar 20Appoint James Milner to the Information Technology Study Committee…Motion: to appoint James Milner to the Information Technology Study Committee and…Passed · see note
March 20, 2023: Appoint James Milner to the Information Technology Study Committee and also to the Master Plan Implementation Committee
AppointPassed · No count or names in the minutes
To appoint James Milner to the Information Technology Study Committee and also to the Master Plan Implementation Committee.
The minutes say the board voted to do this but do not give a count or say how each member voted.
From the minutes
“The Board voted to appoint James Milner to the Information Technology Study Committee and also to the Master Plan Implementation Committee..”
Mar 20Insert the Petition Article titled "Petition General Court –…Motion: to insert the Petition Article titled "Petition General Court – Date…Passed · see note
March 20, 2023: Insert the Petition Article titled "Petition General Court – Date of Issuing Licenses" into the Annual Town Meeting Warrant at Article number 35
ApprovePassed · No count or names in the minutes
To insert the Petition Article titled "Petition General Court – Date of Issuing Licenses" into the Annual Town Meeting Warrant at Article number 35.
The minutes say the board voted to do this but do not give a count or say how each member voted.
From the minutes
“The Board voted to insert the Petition Article titled "Petition General Court – Date of Issuing Licenses" into the Annual Town Meeting Warrant at Article number 35..”
From the Hanover Select Board’s official minutes, posted on the town website. We check every vote against the Select Board members present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Photos of current members: Jim Hoyes from his campaign site (hoyesforhanover.com); Vanessa O’Connor from her Select Board Facebook page (Hanover Selectwoman Vanessa O’Connor); Steve Louko from his campaign Facebook page (Steve Louko – Hanover Selectman); Rachel Hughes from a Hanover Community TV still (Hanover Woman’s Club Juniors Candidates Night, April 2025, with her on-screen name label). Members without a photo show initials.