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Municipal votes · 2023–2024 Board

Hanson Select Board

How the Hanson Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide. David George joined the board after the May 2023 election; James Hickey, who did not run again, left. On May 23, 2023 the board re-elected Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett as Chair, Joseph Weeks as Vice Chair and Ann Rein as Clerk (each 5-0 by roll call). Covers 34 meetings, May 23 to May 7, 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 Hanson, 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

Source: Town Clerk's record of the May 4, 2026 Special Town Meeting (scanned).

Annual Town Meeting · May 4, 2026 33 votes: 28 passed, 1 passed as amended, 4 no action

Source: Town Clerk's record of the May 4, 2026 Annual Town Meeting (scanned).

Special Town Meeting · October 6, 2025 29 votes: 27 passed, 1 passed as amended, 1 no action

Source: Town Clerk's record of the October 6, 2025 Special Town Meeting (scanned).

Special Town Meeting · June 25, 2025 1 votes: 1 passed
  • Art. 1 Transfer $262,669 from free cash to meet the Whitman-Hanson Regional School District assessment Passed “Voted Aye, voice”

Source: Town Clerk's record of the June 25, 2025 Special Town Meeting.

Special Town Meeting · May 5, 2025 7 votes: 6 passed, 1 no action

Source: Town Clerk's record of the May 5, 2025 Special Town Meeting.

Annual Town Meeting · May 5, 2025 29 votes: 18 passed, 6 passed as amended, 4 failed, 1 no action

Source: Town Clerk's record of the May 5, 2025 Annual Town Meeting.

Special Town Meeting · October 7, 2024 26 votes: 21 passed, 1 passed as amended, 4 failed

Source: Town Clerk's record of the October 7, 2024 Special Town Meeting.

Special Town Meeting · June 17, 2024 1 votes: 1 passed
  • Art. 1 Rescind the May 2024 budget vote and adopt a revised FY2025 operating budget, total $35,983,337 Passed “Voted Aye, Voice”

Source: Town Clerk's record in the 2024 Annual Town Report.

Special Town Meeting · May 6, 2024 5 votes: 5 passed

Source: Town Clerk's record in the 2024 Annual Town Report.

Annual Town Meeting · May 6, 2024 29 votes: 24 passed, 1 passed as amended, 2 failed, 2 no action

Source: Town Clerk's record in the 2024 Annual Town Report.

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

David GeorgeMember · Elected townwide · at 27 of 34 meetingsEdwin HealMember · Elected townwide · at 33 of 34 meetingsAnn ReinClerk · Elected townwide · at 32 of 34 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 from January 9, 2018 through April 28, 2026, as posted on the town website (the board was called the Board of Selectmen until 2022). Not here yet: minutes before 2018 (online back to 2014, not loaded), and any minutes after April 28, 2026 (the town has not posted them yet). The town's links for the April 7 and April 14, 2020 minutes open a "Page Not Found" page, and its September 9, 2025 link opens the agenda instead of the minutes, so those meetings are missing. About one in five files are scanned images; we read them with text recognition and checked the hard-to-read counts against the page. Hanson's minutes record most votes as a count, such as "Voted 5 – 0" or "5 members vote in the affirmative", and since about 2023 often add a roll call by name. When the count equals the members present and no one voted no or abstained, we show every member present as voting yes; when a roll call lists each member, we show each vote as recorded. When a count is split, or does not match the members listed present, and the minutes do not say who voted which way, we show only the count. Where a roll call names a member the minutes list as absent, lists a member twice, or does not match the stated count, we show the count only and add a note. A few votes recorded only as "motion carried" show the result only and are not treated as unanimous. Members who stepped aside (recused) or left the room are left out of that vote. Joint votes with other boards (Planning Board, Board of Health, School Committee) are not included. We will ask the town to confirm any noted vote.

Tuesday, May 7, 2024 · Regular meeting4 recorded votes, 2 with disagreementAbsent: David GeorgeMonday, May 6, 2024 · Special meeting10 recorded votes, 0 with disagreementAbsent: David GeorgeTuesday, April 23, 2024 · Regular meeting11 recorded votes, 1 with disagreementAll 5 members presentTuesday, April 9, 2024 · Regular meeting27 recorded votes, 2 with disagreementAbsent: Edwin HealTuesday, April 2, 2024 · Regular meeting51 recorded votes, 6 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 7Declare Cooper, Lauren Keefe and Brian Keefe's Australian Shepherd…Motion: to declare Cooper, Lauren Keefe and Brian Keefe's Australian Shepherd dog,…Passed 3–1 · No: Heal

May 7, 2024: Declare Cooper, Lauren Keefe and Brian Keefe's Australian Shepherd dog, a Dangerous Dog, with regret

ApprovePassed · 3–1

To declare Cooper, Lauren Keefe and Brian Keefe's Australian Shepherd dog, a Dangerous Dog, with regret

Yes: FitzGerald-Kemmett, Rein, WeeksNo: Heal

From the minutes

“MOTION by Mr. Weeks, seconded by Ms. Rein, to declare Cooper, Lauren Keefe and Brian Keefe's Australian Shepherd dog, a Dangerous Dog, with regret. Voted 3–1 Roll call –Rein-Aye; FitzGerald-Kemmett-Aye; Weeks -Aye; Heal-Nay.” (Motion: Weeks, second: Rein)

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

May 7Euthanize Cooper, Brian and Lauren Keefe's Australian Shepherd dogMotion: to euthanize Cooper, Brian and Lauren Keefe's Australian Shepherd dogPassed 3–1 · No: Heal

May 7, 2024: Euthanize Cooper, Brian and Lauren Keefe's Australian Shepherd dog

ApprovePassed · 3–1

To euthanize Cooper, Brian and Lauren Keefe's Australian Shepherd dog

Yes: FitzGerald-Kemmett, Rein, WeeksNo: Heal

From the minutes

“MOTION by Mr. Weeks, seconded by Ms. Rein, to euthanize Cooper, Brian and Lauren Keefe's Australian Shepherd dog. Voted 3 – 1 Roll call –Rein-Aye; FitzGerald-Kemmett-Aye; Weeks -Aye; Heal-Nay.” (Motion: Weeks, second: Rein)

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

Apr 9Approve the one-day liquor licenses as presented on the…Motion: to approve the one-day liquor licenses as presented on the agendaPassed 4–0 · see note

April 9, 2024: Approve the one-day liquor licenses as presented on the agenda

ApprovePassed · 4–0

To approve the one-day liquor licenses as presented on the agenda

The roll call does not match the stated count (4-0), so only the count is shown.

From the minutes

“MOTION by Mr. Weeks, seconded by Ms. Rein, to approve the one-day liquor licenses as presented on the agenda. Voted 4 – 0 Roll call –Rein-Aye; FitzGerald-Kemmett-Aye; Weeks -Aye.” (Motion: Weeks, second: Rein)

Read it in the official minutes, page 6 (PDF)

Apr 2Place and recommend article 15Motion: to place and recommend article 15Passed 4–0 · see note

April 2, 2024: Place and recommend article 15

ApprovePassed · 4–0

To place and recommend article 15

The minutes give only the count (4-0-1), not how each member voted.

From the minutes

“MOTION by Mr. Weeks, seconded by Ms. Rein, to place and recommend article 15 Voted 4–0-1.” (Motion: Weeks, second: Rein)

Read it in the official minutes, page 6 (PDF)

Apr 2Place and recommend article 16Motion: to place and recommend article 16Passed 4–0 · see note

April 2, 2024: Place and recommend article 16

ApprovePassed · 4–0

To place and recommend article 16

The minutes give only the count (4-0-1), not how each member voted.

From the minutes

“MOTION by Mr. Weeks, seconded by Ms. Rein, to place and recommend article 16 Voted 4–0-1.” (Motion: Weeks, second: Rein)

Read it in the official minutes, page 6 (PDF)

Apr 2Recommend article 33Motion: to recommend article 33Passed 4–1 · see note

April 2, 2024: Recommend article 33

ApprovePassed · 4–1

To recommend article 33

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

From the minutes

“MOTION by Mr. Weeks, seconded by Ms. Rein, to recommend article 33 Voted 4 – 1.” (Motion: Weeks, second: Rein)

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

Apr 2Approve the one-day liquor licenses as presented on the…Motion: to approve the one-day liquor licenses as presented on the agendaPassed 5–0 · see note

April 2, 2024: Approve the one-day liquor licenses as presented on the agenda

ApprovePassed · 5–0

To approve the one-day liquor licenses as presented on the agenda

The roll call does not match the stated count (5-0), so only the count is shown.

From the minutes

“MOTION by Mr. Weeks, seconded by Ms. Rein, to approve the one-day liquor licenses as presented on the agenda. Voted 5 – 0 Roll call –Rein-Aye; FitzGerald-Kemmett-Aye; Weeks -Aye; Heal-Aye.” (Motion: Weeks, second: Rein)

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

Apr 2Instruct Ms. Green to create a letter of support…Motion: to instruct Ms. Green to create a letter of support on…Passed 5–0 · see note

April 2, 2024: Instruct Ms. Green to create a letter of support on behalf of the Select Board to the Planning Board

ApprovePassed · 5–0

To instruct Ms. Green to create a letter of support on behalf of the Select Board to the Planning Board

The roll call does not match the stated count (5-0), so only the count is shown.

From the minutes

“MOTION by Mr. Weeks, seconded by Ms. Rein, to instruct Ms. Green to create a letter of support on behalf of the Select Board to the Planning Board. Voted 5 – 0 Roll call –Rein-Aye; FitzGerald-Kemmett-Aye; Weeks -Aye; Heal-Aye.” (Motion: Weeks, second: Rein)

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

Mar 19Approve the one day liquor licenses as presented on…Motion: to approve the one day liquor licenses as presented on the…Passed 5–0 · see note

March 19, 2024: Approve the one day liquor licenses as presented on the agenda

ApprovePassed · 5–0

To approve the one day liquor licenses as presented on the agenda

The roll call does not match the stated count (5-0), so only the count is shown.

From the minutes

“MOTION by Mr. Weeks, seconded by Ms. Rein, to approve the one day liquor licenses as presented on the agenda. Voted 5 – 0 Roll call –Rein-Aye; FitzGerald-Kemmett-Aye; Weeks -Aye; Heal-Aye.” (Motion: Weeks, second: Rein)

Read it in the official minutes, page 6 (PDF)

Feb 27Approve the one day liquor licenses as presented on…Motion: to approve the one day liquor licenses as presented on the…Passed 4–0 · see note

February 27, 2024: Approve the one day liquor licenses as presented on the agenda

ApprovePassed · 4–0

To approve the one day liquor licenses as presented on the agenda

The roll call does not match the stated count (4-0-1), so only the count is shown.

From the minutes

“MOTION by Mr. Weeks, seconded by Ms. Rein, to approve the one day liquor licenses as presented on the agenda. Voted 4 – 0- 1 Roll call –George-Aye; Rein-Aye; FitzGerald-Kemmett-Aye; Weeks -Aye; Heal- Aye.” (Motion: Weeks, second: Rein)

Read it in the official minutes, page 9 (PDF)

From the Hanson 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: stills from WHCA-TV interviews (Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett, Municipal Focus, July 2023; Ann Rein, Joe Weeks and Frank Milisi, Bring It On, April 2024). Members without a photo show initials.

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