How the Marion Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 3 Select Board members elected townwide. Carleton (Toby) Burr Jr. returned to the board after the May 2026 town election, replacing Norman A. Hills. On May 19, 2026 the board chose John W. Hoagland as Chair, Carleton Burr Jr. as Vice Chair and Randy L. Parker as Clerk. Minutes are posted through July 29, 2026; later meetings are not posted yet. Covers 7 meetings so far, May 19 to July 29, 2026.
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.
How easy Marion makes it to see, online, how each member votes. It scores the town’s records, not any official. Checked October 4, 2026.
✓Minutes postedMinutes are posted for nearly every meeting more than three months old.Full points: 2/2
~Each vote namedThe minutes name the members who voted no, but not each member’s yes vote.Part points: 2/3
~Posted quicklyMinutes usually go up within about one to three months.Part points: 1/2
✕Past years onlineSelect Board minutes online start in 2022, under five years.No points: 0/1
✕Readable textThe minutes are scanned images, so you can’t search or copy the text.No points: 0/1
✕Member photosThe Select Board page shows no member photos.No points: 0/1
How the town can raise its score
Each vote named (+1): On any vote that isn’t unanimous, write how each member voted. For example: “Motion passed 3–2. Yes: Smith, Jones, Lee. No: Brown, Silva.” A roll call on split votes is the simplest way to do this.
Posted quickly (+1): Post minutes within 30 days. If approval takes longer, post a draft marked “Draft – not yet approved” and replace it later.
Past years online (+1): Keep at least five years of minutes online. When the website changes, move the old files instead of deleting them.
Readable text (+1): Save minutes straight from Word or Google Docs as a PDF instead of printing and scanning them. If a scan is needed, turn on the scanner’s “searchable PDF” or text-recognition setting.
Member photos (+1): Show a photo of each member on the board’s web page, with their name, the date their term ends and how to contact them. A group photo of the members, with everyone named in the caption or on the same page, earns half a point.
From the agendas Marion posts on its official site. Agendas can change; the posted agenda is the official one.
What Town Meeting decided
In Marion, 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 · November 24, 2025 2 votes: 1 passed, 1 other
Annual Town Meeting · May 13, 2024 47 votes: 40 passed, 5 indefinitely postponed, 2 tabled
Sessions: May 13, 2024 (election May 17, 2024)
Art. 1Approve compensation schedule for elected officials (e.g. Select Board $4,902 each per year)Passed“Motion declared carried”
Art. 2FY2025 operating budget: raise $27,093,836 plus transfers; total budget $28,837,711 including school districtsPassed“Motion declared carried”
Art. 3FY2025 water enterprise budget: $2,310,438 from receipts and $195,000 from retained earningsPassed“Motion declared carried”
Art. 4FY2025 sewer enterprise budget: $3,370,200 from receipts and $275,000 from retained earningsPassed“Motion declared carried”
Art. 5Transfer $25,000 from overlay surplus for state-mandated property revaluationPassed“Motion declared carried”
Art. 6Transfer $50,000 from free cash to the Compensated Absence AccountPassed“Motion declared carried”
Art. 7Transfer $50,000 from free cash for municipal building maintenance projectsPassed“Motion declared carried”
Art. 8Transfer $5,000 from free cash to update the Open Space and Recreation PlanPassed“Motion declared carried”
Art. 9Transfer $150,000 from the School Stabilization Fund for unanticipated out-of-district placement costsPassed“Motion declared carried”
Art. 10Transfer $20,000 from free cash for emergency demolition servicesPassed“Motion declared carried”
Art. 11Appropriate $20,000 for emergency removal of diseased or storm-damaged treesPassed“Motion declared carried”
Art. 12Transfer $50,000 from free cash for tax foreclosure procedures on delinquent parcelsPassed“Motion declared carried”
Art. 13Reuse $25,242.45 left from a 2022 article to replace vinyl flooring at the Cushing Community CenterPassed“Motion declared carried”
Art. 14Capital items: $1,383,177 from free cash, $750,000 water and $314,000 sewer retained earningsPassed“Motion declared carried”
Art. 15Appropriate $1,699,645 for a new DPW operations building ($803,195 free cash, $896,450 borrowing contingent on debt exclusion)Passed“Motion declared carried by 2/3 vote”
Art. 16Transfer $403,250 from the Waterways Fund and $400,000 from free cash for a replacement public safety and patrol boatPassed“Motion declared carried”
Not here yet: the May 2026 Annual Town Meeting (Marion prints Town Meeting minutes only in its Annual Town Report, and the 2026 report is not out 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).
"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.
Attendance
19 full-board meetings so far this year, through July 29. Ties share a rank.
From the official minutes: full-board meetings only (committee meetings are not counted). Members are counted only for meetings held while they served, and arriving late counts as attending. The minutes rarely say why a member was absent. Not shown: 2022, because too many of that year’s meetings are missing from the posted minutes.
A monthly email on its votes and who was there, starting in November.
Meetings
About missing minutes
Loaded: every Select Board meeting with minutes in the town's online Agenda Center, January 2022 through July 29, 2026. Not here: minutes before 2022 (the town's Agenda Center starts in 2022), most meetings from mid-July to mid-December 2022 (the town has not posted those minutes), executive-session minutes, and minutes the town has not posted yet (every meeting after July 29, 2026). The Select Board also serves as the town's Water and Sewer Commissioners, and those votes are included. Marion's minutes are scanned paper copies, which we read by computer text recognition and checked by hand where the scan was unclear. They usually record each vote as a count of yes, no and abstaining votes ("VOTE 3-0-0"). When the count equals the members present with no one opposed or abstaining, or the minutes say all members voted aye, we show every member present as voting yes. When a split count names who voted no or abstained and the numbers add up, we show each member's vote; when a split count does not say who voted which way, or the count and the members present do not match, we show the count only and add a note. Votes by other boards at joint meetings (Planning Board, Finance Committee and others) are not included; where the board voted together with another board, only the Select Board members' votes are shown. 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.
Jul 21Reappoint Mr. Hoagland for a one year term as…Motion: to reappoint Mr. Hoagland for a one year term as requested.Passed 2–0 · Abstained: Hoagland
July 21, 2026: Reappoint Mr. Hoagland for a one year term as requested
AppointPassed · 2–0
To reappoint Mr. Hoagland for a one year term as requested.
Yes: Burr, ParkerAbstained: Hoagland
From the minutes
“Mr. Parker moved to reappoint Mr. Hoagland for a one year term as requested. Mr. Burr seconded. 2-0-1 (Mr. Hoagland abstained) 11..” (Motion: Parker, second: Burr)
Jul 21Appoint the list of Election Workers as presentedMotion: to appoint the list of Election Workers as presented.Passed 2–0 · Abstained: Burr
July 21, 2026: Appoint the list of Election Workers as presented
AppointPassed · 2–0
To appoint the list of Election Workers as presented.
Yes: Hoagland, ParkerAbstained: Burr
From the minutes
“Mr. Hoagland moved to appoint the list of Election Workers as presented. Mr. Parker seconded. VOTE 2-0-1 (Mr. Burr abstained) 12..” (Motion: Hoagland, second: Parker)
Jul 21Appoint Barbara Burr as Deputy WardenMotion: to appoint Barbara Burr as Deputy Warden.Passed 2–0 · Abstained: Burr
July 21, 2026: Appoint Barbara Burr as Deputy Warden
AppointPassed · 2–0
To appoint Barbara Burr as Deputy Warden.
Yes: Hoagland, ParkerAbstained: Burr
From the minutes
“Mr. Hoagland moved to appoint Barbara Burr as Deputy Warden. Mr. Parker seconded. VOTE 2-0-1 (Mr. Burr abstained) 14, Signing of Warrant for September 1, 2026 Election:.” (Motion: Hoagland, second: Parker)
Jul 8Open parking on the green at 7am on Friday,…Motion: to open parking on the green at 7am on Friday, July…Passed 2–0 · see note
July 8, 2026: Open parking on the green at 7am on Friday, July 10, 2026 (to be used only if necessary) and to allow for 25 parking passes specific to this event for…
ApprovePassed · 2–0
To open parking on the green at 7am on Friday, July 10, 2026 (to be used only if necessary) and to allow for 25 parking passes specific to this event for July 10 & July 11, 2026. Mrs. Hemphill will provide Mrs. Burr with the passes before Friday.
Yes: Hoagland, ParkerCarleton Burr Jr. stepped aside (recused) on this item and is not counted in this vote.
From the minutes
“Mr. Hoagland moved to open parking on the green at 7am on Friday, July 10, 2026 (to be used only if necessary) and to allow for 25 parking passes specific to this event for July 10 & July 11, 2026. Mrs. Hemphill will provide Mrs. Burr with the passes before Friday. Mr. Parker seconded. VOTE 2-0-0.” (Motion: Hoagland, second: Parker)
Jul 8Pursuant to G.L. c. 44, section 33B, to approve…Motion: To pursuant to G.L. c. 44, section 33B, to approve an…Passed Unanimous, 3 present · see note
July 8, 2026: Pursuant to G.L. c. 44, section 33B, to approve an end of year budget transfer in the amount of $45,008 to the Utilities/Electric line item from the Group Insurance/Heath Insurance…
ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 3 present
To pursuant to G.L. c. 44, section 33B, to approve an end of year budget transfer in the amount of $45,008 to the Utilities/Electric line item from the Group Insurance/Heath Insurance line item.
The minutes name Carleton Burr Jr. as both the mover and the seconder.
From the minutes
“Mr. Burr moved pursuant to G.L. c. 44, section 33B, to approve an end of year budget transfer in the amount of $45,008 to the Utilities/Electric line item from the Group Insurance/Heath Insurance line item. Mr. Burr seconded. VOTE 3-0-0.” (Motion: Burr)
May 19Approve the request as presented and based on the…Motion: to approve the request as presented and based on the plan…Passed 2–0 · see note
May 19, 2026: Approve the request as presented and based on the plan provided
ApprovePassed · 2–0
To approve the request as presented and based on the plan provided.
Yes: Hoagland, ParkerCarleton Burr Jr. stepped aside (recused) on this item and is not counted in this vote.
From the minutes
“Mr. Parker moved to approve the request as presented and based on the plan provided. Mr. Hoagland seconded. VOTE 2-0-0.” (Motion: Parker, second: Hoagland)
From the Marion Select Board’s official minutes, posted in the town’s Agenda Center. We check every vote against the members present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials.