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Municipal votes · 2022–2023 Board

Kingston Board of Selectmen

How the Kingston Board of Selectmen voted, from the Board of Selectmen’s official minutes. 5 Selectmen elected townwide to 3-year terms. Tyler Bouchard joined the board in 2022, replacing Richard Arruda. Kimberley Emberg continued as Chair, with Donald Alcombright as Vice Chair and Sheila Vaughn as Clerk. Covers 27 meetings, April 27 to April 11, 2023.

A monthly email on what it voted on, starting in November.

What does the Board of Selectmen 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 Board of Selectmen, 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

Your Kingston ballot: 13 quizzes, about a minute each.

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Board years

Coming up

From the agendas Kingston posts on its official site. Agendas can change; the posted agenda is the official one.

What Town Meeting decided

In Kingston, Town Meeting — not the Board of Selectmen — 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 · October 28, 2025 10 votes: 9 passed, 1 failed

Source: Town Clerk's minutes, October 28, 2025 Special Town Meeting.

Annual Town Meeting · April 26, 2025 37 votes: 35 passed, 1 passed as amended, 1 failed

Source: Town Clerk's certified minutes, 2025 Annual Town Meeting (scanned).

Special Town Meeting · November 19, 2024 16 votes: 16 passed

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

Annual Town Meeting · May 11, 2024 43 votes: 39 passed, 2 passed as amended, 2 no action

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

Not here yet: the June 6, 2026 Annual Town Meeting (only the warrant is posted; no minutes yet).

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

Tyler R. BouchardSelectman · Elected townwide · at 24 of 27 meetingsJessica M. KramerSelectman · Elected townwide · at 22 of 27 meetingsSheila VaughnClerk · Elected townwide · at 26 of 27 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: every Board of Selectmen meeting with minutes on the town website from January 5, 2021 through August 12, 2026 (to June 2022 from the town’s Agenda Center, after that from its meeting portal). Not here yet: minutes before 2021 and minutes for the September 2026 meetings. After MassVoter asked, the town posted the January 27, 2026 minutes and fixed the minutes links for October 5, 19 and 25, 2021 (they had opened the agendas) on October 6, 2026; all four meetings are now loaded. Nearly every vote gives the mover, the seconder and a count such as “5-0-0”. When the count matches the members present with no one voting no, every member present is shown as voting yes. Split votes are shown by name when the minutes name who voted against and the names, the count and the attendance agree; roll calls are shown as recorded. When the count does not match the members present, or the clerk’s third number is unclear, only the count is shown. About one in six minutes files is a scan, which we read with text recognition. Votes by other boards at joint meetings and motions with no recorded vote are not listed.

Tuesday, April 11, 2023 · Joint meeting34 recorded votes, 35 with disagreementAll 5 members presentTuesday, March 28, 2023 · Regular meeting11 recorded votes, 11 with disagreementAll 5 members presentTuesday, March 14, 2023 · Regular meeting9 recorded votes, 9 with disagreementAll 5 members presentTuesday, February 28, 2023 · Regular meeting10 recorded votes, 10 with disagreementAll 5 members presentTuesday, February 14, 2023 · Regular meeting12 recorded votes, 12 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.

Apr 11Favorable action on Article 19, the Capital Planning articleMotion: I move favorable action on Article 19, the Capital Planning article.Passed Unanimous, 5 present · see note

April 11, 2023 (Joint meeting): Favorable action on Article 19, the Capital Planning article

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 5 present

I move favorable action on Article 19, the Capital Planning article.

The minutes give the count 5-0-0; it equals the members voting, so each is shown Y.

From the minutes

“Motion by Mr. Alcombright, second by Mr. Bouchard, and a 5-0-0 vote, roll call VOTE: I move favorable acti.” (Motion: Alcombright, second: Bouchard) The minutes name who voted no but give no count; the count shown is from those names.

Read it in the official minutes (PDF)

Apr 11Approve the request from John Wheble to transfer his…Motion: I move the Board of Selectmen to approve the request from…Passed Unanimous, 5 present · see note

April 11, 2023 (Joint meeting): Approve the request from John Wheble to transfer his Aquaculture Lease from Lease #1 to Lease #3.

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 5 present

I move the Board of Selectmen to approve the request from John Wheble to transfer his Aquaculture Lease from Lease #1 to Lease #3.

The minutes give the count 5-0-0; it equals the members voting, so each is shown Y.

From the minutes

“Motion by Mr. Alcombright, second by Mr. Bouchard, and a 5-0-0 vote, roll call vote. VOTE: I move the Board of Selectmen to approve the request from John Wheble to transfer h.” (Motion: Alcombright, second: Bouchard) The minutes name who voted no but give no count; the count shown is from those names.

Read it in the official minutes (PDF)

Apr 11Approve the use of ARPA funds for the installation…Motion: I move the Board of Selectmen to approve the use of…Passed Unanimous, 5 present · see note

April 11, 2023 (Joint meeting): Approve the use of ARPA funds for the installation of an HVAC unit for Silver Lake Regional Hig...

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 5 present

I move the Board of Selectmen to approve the use of ARPA funds for the installation of an HVAC unit for Silver Lake Regional High School in the amount of $188,175.

The minutes give the count 5-0-0; it equals the members voting, so each is shown Y.

From the minutes

“Motion by Mr. Alcombright, second by Mr. Bouchard, and a 5-0-0 vote, by roll call vote, VOTE: I move the Board of Selectmen to approve the use of ARPA funds for the installation of an HVAC unit for Silver Lake.” (Motion: Alcombright, second: Bouchard) The minutes name who voted no but give no count; the count shown is from those names.

Read it in the official minutes (PDF)

Apr 11Approve the use of ARPA funds for the Main…Motion: I move the Board of Selectmen to approve the use of…Passed Unanimous, 5 present · see note

April 11, 2023 (Joint meeting): Approve the use of ARPA funds for the Main Street water main replacement in the amount of $503,...

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 5 present

I move the Board of Selectmen to approve the use of ARPA funds for the Main Street water main replacement in the amount of $503,349.

The minutes give the count 5-0-0; it equals the members voting, so each is shown Y.

From the minutes

“Motion by Mr. Alcombright, second by Mr. Bouchard, and a 5-0-0 vote, by roll call vote, VOTE: I move the Board of Selectmen to approve the use of ARPA funds for the Main Street wa.” (Motion: Alcombright, second: Bouchard) The minutes name who voted no but give no count; the count shown is from those names.

Read it in the official minutes (PDF)

Apr 11Approve the request of the Kingston School Committee to…Motion: I move the Board of Selectmen to approve the request of…Passed Unanimous, 5 present · see note

April 11, 2023 (Joint meeting): Approve the request of the Kingston School Committee to withdraw $218,334 from the Special Educ...

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 5 present

I move the Board of Selectmen to approve the request of the Kingston School Committee to withdraw $218,334 from the Special Education Reserve Account to fund the FY23 budget shortfall partially.

The minutes give the count 5-0-0; it equals the members voting, so each is shown Y.

From the minutes

“Motion by Mr. Alcombright, second by Ms. Kramer, and a 5-0-0 vote, by roll call vote VOTE: I move the Board of Selectmen to approve the request of the Kingston School Committee to withdraw $218,334 from the Special Education Reserve Account.” (Motion: Alcombright, second: Kramer) The minutes name who voted no but give no count; the count shown is from those names.

Read it in the official minutes (PDF)

Apr 11Open the April 29, 2023, Annual Town Meeting warrantMotion: I move the Board of Selectmen to open the April 29,…Passed Unanimous, 5 present · see note

April 11, 2023 (Joint meeting): Open the April 29, 2023, Annual Town Meeting warrant.

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 5 present

I move the Board of Selectmen to open the April 29, 2023, Annual Town Meeting warrant.

The minutes give the count 5-0-0; it equals the members voting, so each is shown Y.

From the minutes

“Motion by Mr. Alcombright, second by Mr. Bouchard, and a 5-0-0 vote, roll call vote, VOTE: I move the Board of Selectmen to open t.” (Motion: Alcombright, second: Bouchard) The minutes name who voted no but give no count; the count shown is from those names.

Read it in the official minutes (PDF)

Apr 11Remove the two articles as discussedMotion: I move the Board of Selectmen to remove the two articles…Passed Unanimous, 5 present · see note

April 11, 2023 (Joint meeting): Remove the two articles as discussed.

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 5 present

I move the Board of Selectmen to remove the two articles as discussed.

The minutes give the count 5-0-0; it equals the members voting, so each is shown Y.

From the minutes

“Motion by Ms. Kramer, second by Mr. Bouchard, and a 5-0-0 vote, by roll call vote, VOTE: I move the Board of Selectme.” (Motion: Kramer, second: Bouchard) The minutes name who voted no but give no count; the count shown is from those names.

Read it in the official minutes (PDF)

Apr 11Add the COA By-law and Naming Town Property By-law…Motion: I move the Board of Selectmen to add the COA By-law…Passed Unanimous, 5 present · see note

April 11, 2023 (Joint meeting): Add the COA By-law and Naming Town Property By-law articles, as discussed.

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 5 present

I move the Board of Selectmen to add the COA By-law and Naming Town Property By-law articles, as discussed.

The minutes give the count 5-0-0; it equals the members voting, so each is shown Y.

From the minutes

“Motion by Ms. Kramer, second by Mr. Bouchard, and a 5-0-0 vote, VOTE: I move the Board of Selectmen to add the COA By-law and Naming To.” (Motion: Kramer, second: Bouchard) The minutes name who voted no but give no count; the count shown is from those names.

Read it in the official minutes (PDF)

Apr 11Remove Article 21 Fund Kingston Elementary School Roof RestorationMotion: I move the Board of Selectmen to remove Article 21 Fund…Passed Unanimous, 5 present · see note

April 11, 2023 (Joint meeting): Remove Article 21 Fund Kingston Elementary School Roof Restoration.

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 5 present

I move the Board of Selectmen to remove Article 21 Fund Kingston Elementary School Roof Restoration.

The minutes give the count 5-0-0; it equals the members voting, so each is shown Y.

From the minutes

“Motion by Ms. Kramer, second by Mr. Bouchard, and a 5-0-0 vote, roll call vote VOTE: I move the Board of Selectmen to remove Article 21 Fund Ki.” (Motion: Kramer, second: Bouchard) The minutes name who voted no but give no count; the count shown is from those names.

Read it in the official minutes (PDF)

Apr 11Remove Article 31, Fund Kingston Town Employee Labor Union…Motion: I move the Board of Selectmen to remove Article 31, Fund…Passed Unanimous, 5 present · see note

April 11, 2023 (Joint meeting): Remove Article 31, Fund Kingston Town Employee Labor Union Contract, and Article 32, Fund Kings...

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 5 present

I move the Board of Selectmen to remove Article 31, Fund Kingston Town Employee Labor Union Contract, and Article 32, Fund Kingston Town Employee Clerical Union Contract.

The minutes give the count 5-0-0; it equals the members voting, so each is shown Y.

From the minutes

“Motion by Mr. Alcombright, second by Ms. Kramer, and a 5-0-0 vote, roll call vote VOTE: I move the Board of Selectmen to remove Article 31, Fund Kingston Town Employee Labor Union Contract, and Article 32, Fund Ki.” (Motion: Alcombright, second: Kramer) The minutes name who voted no but give no count; the count shown is from those names.

Read it in the official minutes (PDF)

From the Kingston Board of Selectmen’s official minutes, posted in the town’s meeting portal and older Agenda Center. We check every count against the members present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Photos: Kimberley Emberg from the Town of Kingston 2023 Annual Town Report (captioned group photo); Sheila Vaughn and Joseph Cunningham Jr. from The Local Seen candidate videos (2026). Melissa Bateman from The Local Seen video of the June 2, 2026 Board of Selectmen meeting (identified by the nameplate in front of each member). Carl Pike shows initials for now. Former members show initials.

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