MassVoter.com← MarshfieldMunicipal votes · 2023–2024 Board
Marshfield Select Board
How the Marshfield Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 3 Select Board members elected townwide. Same three members. On May 9, 2023 the board chose James J. Kilcoyne as Chair, Lynne E. Fidler as Vice Chair and Stephen R. Darcy as Clerk. Covers 38 meetings, May 9 to April 22, 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 budgetElection Day · Tuesday, Nov 3
Your Marshfield ballot: 13 quizzes, about a minute each.
Start my ballot →Board years
Coming up
MassVoter can’t read Marshfield’s meeting calendar automatically yet. See upcoming meetings on the official site →
What Town Meeting decided
In Marshfield, 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 · April 28, 2025 31 votes: 29 passed, 1 passed as amended, 1 indefinitely postponed
Sessions: April 28 and 29 and June 2, 2025
- Art. 1 Pay $15,820.53 in unpaid bills from past years Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared 9/10’s majority vote.”
- Art. 2 Replace Schedules A and B of the personnel bylaw (amended to restore intermittent police officers) Passed as amended “This Article passed by greater than a declared majority vote as amended.”
- Art. 3 New personnel bylaw section on paid parental leave Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 4 Accept state law letting taxpayers donate through tax bills to a fund for elderly and disabled taxpayers Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 5 Lease land off Proprietors Drive Indefinitely postponed “THIS ARTICLE IS INDEFINITELY POSTPONED.”
- Art. 6 $3,820,517.49 from free cash for the items in the chart (warrant amount was $4,574,517.49) Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 7 Rescind $250,000 for Brant Rock Esplanade Phase 1 from the October 2023 article Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 8 Zoning: replace accessory apartment rules with protected accessory dwelling unit (ADU) rules Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared two-thirds majority vote.”
- Art. 9 Zoning: replace the accessory apartment definition with Protected Accessory Dwelling Unit Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared two-thirds majority vote.”
- Art. 10 Zoning: add a definition of Gross Floor Area Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared two-thirds majority vote.”
- Art. 11 Zoning: replace accessory apartment use #19 in the use table Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared two-thirds majority vote.”
- Art. 12 · motion 1 Community Preservation: $89,500 for safety upgrades at the Daniel Webster Estate Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 12 · motion 2 Community Preservation: $71,600 for a new roof on the historic Marshfield Hills Fire Station Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 12 · motion 3 Community Preservation: $150,000 to preserve the Winslow House chimney Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 12 · motion 4 Community Preservation: $750,000 for ADA upgrades at town ballfields, playgrounds and recreation areas Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 12 · motion 5 Community Preservation: $50,590 for town recreational trail upgrades Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 12 · motion 6 Community Preservation: $1,270,000 for Marshfield High School baseball and softball fields Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 12 · motion 7 Community Preservation: $350,000 contingency for Veterans' Park improvements Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 12 · motion 8 Community Preservation: $100,000 for town ballfield improvements Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 13 Raise the income limit for senior property tax deferral (Clause 41A) from $40,000 to $60,000 Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 14 Accept Clause 22H: full property tax exemption for Gold Star parents and guardians Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 15 Accept Clause 17E: yearly increase in the asset limit for senior and survivor exemptions Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 16 Accept Clause 17F: yearly increase in the senior and survivor exemption amount Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 17 Accept Clause 22I: yearly increase in veterans' property tax exemptions Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 18 Move $75,245.72 left from past utility truck articles to another DPW vehicle purchase Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 19 Move leftover equipment money plus $3,957.36 from water retained earnings to a 2023 equipment article Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 20 $600,000 from enterprise retained earnings for FY2025 solid waste, wastewater and water budgets Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 21 Add $130,000 to the FY2025 wastewater residual waste budget Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 22 $100,000 from wastewater retained earnings for new aeration blowers at the treatment plant Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 23 Add $100,000 to the FY2025 Solid Waste budget for collection and disposal Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 24 Extend paid military reserve leave from DPW employees to all town employees Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared majority vote.”
Source: Town Clerk's minutes in the 2025 Annual Town Report.
Annual Town Meeting · April 28, 2025 15 votes: 12 passed, 2 passed as amended, 1 failed
Sessions: April 28 and 29 and June 2, 2025
- Art. 1 Receive the reports of town officers and committees Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 2 Set FY2026 pay of elected town officers (amended: 2% raise except Town Clerk and Moderator) Passed as amended “Article passed by a declared majority vote as amended.”
- Art. 3 FY2026 operating budget (amended to add a 2% raise for elected officials) Passed as amended “This Article passed by a declared majority vote as amended.”
- Art. 4 Capital budget: $2,912,000 ($1,892,000 borrowing plus enterprise retained earnings) Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority greater than 2/3rds”
- Art. 5 Set FY2026 spending limits for revolving funds Passed “The Article passed by greater than a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 6 Chapter 90 state road money: $740,623.01 Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 7 $475,000 from the PEG access fund for public access TV (Marshfield Community Media) Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 8 Zoning: revise the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) use in the use table Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared two-thirds majority vote.”
- Art. 9 Zoning: revise the large ground-mounted solar use in the use table Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared two-thirds majority vote.”
- Art. 10 · motion 1 Community Preservation: set aside $252,390 for historic reserves Passed “This motion passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 10 · motion 2 Community Preservation: set aside $252,390 for open space and recreation reserves Passed “This motion passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 10 · motion 3 Community Preservation: set aside $252,390 for affordable housing reserves Passed “This motion passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 10 · motion 4 Community Preservation: set aside $125,000 for committee admin and operating costs Passed “This motion passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 10 · motion 5 Community Preservation: $125,000 from undesignated funds for committee admin salaries and expenses Passed “This motion passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 11 Petition: drop the rule that Brant Rock Village Overlay residential parking be above flood elevation Failed “This Article was defeated by greater than a majority.”
Source: Town Clerk's minutes in the 2025 Annual Town Report.
Special Town Meeting · December 16, 2024 28 votes: 19 passed, 2 passed as amended, 3 failed, 2 indefinitely postponed, 2 no action
- Art. 1 Pay $129,121.15 in unpaid bills from the prior fiscal year Passed “This article was approved by a vote declared to be greater than a majority..”
- Art. 2 Ratify union and employee contracts for July 2023 – June 2026 Passed “greater than a majority.”
- Art. 3 Replace Schedule A of the personnel bylaw with the FY2025 compensation plan Passed “This article was approved by a vote declared to be greater than a majority.”
- Art. 4 $2,459,301.54 for listed items ($1,912,242.42 from free cash plus leftover money from past articles) Passed “This article was approved by a vote declared to be greater than a majority..”
- Art. 5 Let the School Committee and/or Select Board lease surplus school roof and property space for 20+ years Passed “This article was approved by a vote declared to be greater than a majority.”
- Art. 6 $1,050,000 for a feasibility and design study for the Martinson Elementary School roof (state MSBA program) Passed “This article was approved by a declared vote of greater than 2/3rds.”
- Art. 7 Bylaw change: allow alcohol in parks, beaches and seawalls with Select Board consent and a special license or approved caterer Passed as amended “This article was approved by a declared vote of greater than 2/3rds.”
- Art. 8 New bylaw on accessibility rules for building and rebuilding parks and playgrounds Passed as amended “This Article passed by a declared 2/3rds majority as amended.”
- Art. 9 Let the Select Board sell or convey 1929 Main Street (0.8 acres) for affordable housing Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority vote”
- Art. 10 Community Preservation: $228,900 to design an expansion of South River Park onto 2160 Ocean Street Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 11 Community Preservation: $50,000 for unknown-owner title searches Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 12 Zoning: add a new MBTA Communities Multi-family Overlay District (Article XVI) Failed “This Article was defeated 221 yea to 418 nay · 221 yea to 418 nay”
- Art. 13 Zoning map: add the MBTA Communities Multi-family Overlay District Indefinitely postponed “THIS ARTICLE WAS INDEFINITELY POSTPONED”
- Art. 14 Zoning: add an MBTA Communities attached residential use to the use table Indefinitely postponed “THIS ARTICLE WAS INDEFINITELY POSTPONED”
- Art. 15 Zoning: replace the residential accessory apartment rules Failed “The Article was defeated by a standing vote 221 YEA 418 NAY. · 221 YEA 418 NAY”
- Art. 16 Zoning: replace the definition of residential accessory apartment No action “The Planning Board did not move this Article.”
- Art. 17 Zoning: replace the accessory apartment use in the use table No action “The Planning Board did not move this Article.”
- Art. 18 Zoning: rewrite the scope of the Water Resource Protection District Failed “Requiring a 2/3rds vote, this Article failed 50 yeas to 38 nays. · 50 yeas to 38 nays”
- Art. 19 Zoning: add Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) to the use table Passed “This Article passed by a 2/3rds declared vote.”
- Art. 20 Zoning: add a definition of Battery Energy Storage System Passed “This Article passed by a 2/3rds declared vote.”
- Art. 21 Zoning: revise the large ground-mounted solar use (250 kW DC or more) in the use table Passed “This Article passed by a declared 2/3"’s vote.”
- Art. 22 Swap two approved Colorado pickups for two Silverado pickups ($106,324) from wastewater retained earnings Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 23 Raise the Plymouth Avenue wastewater pump station project from $8.1M to $9M Passed “This Article passed by a declared 2/3 majority.”
- Art. 24 Acquire 829 Old Main Street Extension (about 1 acre) for water supply protection; $765,200 from water retained earnings Passed “This Article passed by a declared 2/3rds majority.”
- Art. 25 Water bylaw: notice to the town before work in the Zone 1 wellhead protection area Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority.”
- Art. 26 Mooring regulations bylaw: reword paragraph B Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority.”
- Art. 27 Waterways bylaw: reword general rules C, K and R Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority.”
- Art. 28 Approve the amended South Shore Regional Vocational School District agreement Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority.”
Source: Town Clerk's minutes in the 2025 Annual Town Report.
Special Town Meeting · April 22, 2024 29 votes: 26 passed, 2 failed, 1 no action
Sessions: April 22 and 23, 2024
- Art. 1 Pay $6,819.48 in unpaid bills from past years Passed “This Article passed by a declared 9/10’s vote.”
- Art. 2 Replace Schedule B (part-time and seasonal positions) of the personnel bylaw Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 3 $2,413,145 from free cash to repay the Stabilization Fund for items funded in October 2023 Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 4 $200,000 from water retained earnings to repay the Stabilization Fund Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 5 End stabilization funds for opioid, PFAS and marijuana money and hold that money in special revenue accounts Passed “This Article passed by a declared 2/3rd’s vote.”
- Art. 6 $3,309,510 from free cash for the items listed in the warrant chart Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 7 $3,557,471 from the Stabilization Fund to repair four school roofs ahead of solar panels, to be repaid from borrowing Failed “This Article failed on a standing vote of 133 to 68 . · 133 to 68”
- Art. 8 $2,613,145 from the Stabilization Fund for the items in the warrant chart Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared two-thirds majority vote.”
- Art. 9 Acquire easements at 25 Main Street for the Veterans' Park and dam removal project Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 10 Community Preservation: $210,000 to buy 2160 Ocean Street for open space Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared two-thirds majority vote.”
- Art. 11 $999,997.15 for Brant Rock Esplanade traffic and safety project Phase I (borrowing, state grant, stabilization, Chapter 90) Passed “This Article passed by greater than a declared two-thirds majority vote.”
- Art. 12 · motion 1 Community Preservation: $669,700 for the Ridge Road boat ramp Passed “This Motion passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 12 · motion 2 Community Preservation: $60,900 for the Damon's Point docks Passed “This Motion passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 12 · motion 3 Community Preservation: $55,000 for town ballfields, playgrounds and recreation areas Passed “This Motion passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 12 · motion 4 Community Preservation: $215,000 for Uncle Bud Skate Park improvements Passed “This Motion passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 12 · motion 5 Community Preservation: $337,000 for Senior Center/Youth Baseball Complex improvements Passed “This Motion passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 12 · motion 6 Community Preservation: $46,250 to restore four chimneys at the Daniel Webster Estate Passed “This Motion passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 12 · motion 7 Community Preservation: $100,000 more for siding, fascia and ceiling repairs at GAR Hall Passed “This Motion passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 12 · motion 8 Community Preservation: $13,500 for new French doors at the Historic Winslow House Passed “This Motion passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 12 · motion 9 Community Preservation: $139,876 for a Revolutionary War veterans obelisk and walkway on the Town Green Passed “This Motion passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 13 Add $500,000 to the FY2024 Solid Waste budget for collection and disposal costs Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 14 $150,000 from wastewater retained earnings to replace the West Brook Street sewer main Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 15 $600,000 from enterprise retained earnings for solid waste, wastewater and water costs Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 16 $100,000 from water retained earnings for aquifer and groundwater studies Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 17 Add $120,000 to the FY2024 wastewater residual waste budget Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 18 Zoning: add a new MBTA Communities Multi-family Overlay District (Article XVI) Failed “This Article was defeated by a standing vote of 169 in favor, 289 against. · 169 in favor, 289 against”
- Art. 19 Zoning map: add the MBTA Communities Multi-family Overlay District (not moved by the Planning Board) No action “No action was taken at this Town Meeting.”
- Art. 20 Petition: bar excavation, filling, tree cutting and similar work in the Dredge Spoils Area on Joseph Driebeck Way, with listed exceptions Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 21 Ask the Select Board to reorganize the Town Clerk's office with an assistant clerk, an assistant and a part-time receptionist Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority vote.”
Source: Town Clerk's minutes in the 2024 Annual Town Report.
Annual Town Meeting · April 22, 2024 22 votes: 17 passed, 4 failed, 1 other
Sessions: April 22, 23 and 25, 2024
- Art. 1 Accept the reports of town officers and committees Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 2 Set FY2025 pay of elected town officers Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 3 FY2025 operating budget: $126,432,926 ($113,500,958 general fund plus $12,931,968 enterprise funds) Other
- Art. 4 Capital budget: $1,919,539 Passed “This Article passed by a declared two-thirds majority vote.”
- Art. 5 Set FY2025 spending limits for revolving funds Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 6 Chapter 90 state road money: $741,119.55 Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 7 $525,000 from cable franchise revenue for public access TV (Marshfield Community Media) Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 8 Zoning: allow Open Space Residential Development by special permit in more districts (use table) Passed “This Article passed by a declared two-thirds majority vote.”
- Art. 9 Zoning: change where Age-Restricted Adult Villages are allowed by special permit (use table) Passed “This Article passed by a declared two-thirds majority vote.”
- Art. 10 Zoning: replace the Brant Rock Overlay floodproofing rule with the state building code standard Passed “This Article passed by a declared two-thirds majority vote.”
- Art. 11 Zoning map: update the Inland Wetland District Passed “This Article passed by a declared two-thirds majority vote.”
- Art. 12 Zoning: add definitions (EOHLC, Housing Trust and others) Passed “This Article passed by a declared two-thirds majority vote.”
- Art. 13 Zoning: rewrite the Age Restricted Adult Village (ARAV) rules Failed “In a standing vote, in favor 91, against 60 the Article failed. A 2/3rds majority was required. · in favor 91, against 60”
- Art. 14 Zoning: rewrite the Planned Mixed Use Development rules Failed “This Article failed to reached a declared two thirds majority.”
- Art. 15 Zoning: rewrite the inclusionary zoning (affordable housing) rules Failed “This Article failed to reached a declared two-thirds majority.”
- Art. 16 Zoning: rewrite the rules for mixed-use buildings in the B-1 district Failed “This Article failed to reached a declared two-thirds majority.”
- Art. 17 · motion 1 Community Preservation: set aside $255,420 for historic reserves Passed “This Motion passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 17 · motion 2 Community Preservation: set aside $255,420 for open space and recreation reserves Passed “This Motion passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 17 · motion 3 Community Preservation: set aside $255,420 for affordable housing reserves Passed “This Motion passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 17 · motion 4 Community Preservation: set aside $125,000 for committee admin and operating costs Passed “This Motion passed by a declared majority vote.”
- Art. 18 Petition: allow micro-breweries in the Brant Rock Village Overlay district Passed “This Article passed by a declared 2/3rds majority vote.”
- Art. 19 Petition: ask the Select Board to add public comment time to its meetings Passed “This Article passed by a declared majority vote.”
Source: Town Clerk's minutes in the 2024 Annual Town Report.
Not here yet: the June 24, 2024 Special Town Meeting (not in the 2024 Annual Town Report; only its warrant is posted), the October 20, 2025 Special Town Meeting (not in the 2025 Annual Town Report; only its warrant is posted) and the April 27, 2026 Annual and Special Town Meetings (minutes not posted 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
ChairJames J. KilcoyneChair · Elected townwide · at 35 of 38 meetingsVice-ChairLynne E. FidlerVice Chair · Elected townwide · at 38 of 38 meetings
Stephen R. DarcyClerk · Elected townwide · at 36 of 38 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 3, 2018 through August 19, 2026, as posted on the town website (the board was called the Board of Selectmen until 2021). Not here yet: minutes before 2018, and minutes the town has not posted. The town lists agendas but no minutes for 13 Select Board meetings between July 5, 2025 and July 5, 2026, and for every meeting after August 19, 2026. Seven short minutes that cover only a vote to go into executive session are not included. Marshfield's minutes give each motion with who made and seconded it. When they say "The 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 2020 on do, we show each member's vote as recorded; "present" in a roll call is shown as abstaining. When they give only a count that does not account for every member present (for example 2-1 with no names, or 2-0 with three members present), or a roll call that names a member the minutes list as absent or does not match the stated count, we show the count only and add a note. Members who stepped aside (recused) are left out of that vote. Votes taken jointly with another board (Board of Public Works, Housing Authority, Trustees of Veterans Memorials) are not included. A few 2026 minutes record a vote without the wording of the motion; those show the agenda item instead. We will ask the town to confirm any noted vote.
Votes where members disagreed
Most board votes are unanimous. These are the ones where at least one member voted no or abstained, newest first.
Aug 31Find that there is no credible evidence of neglect…Motion: to find that there is no credible evidence of neglect of…Passed 2–1 · No: Darcy
August 31, 2023 (Public Hearing meeting): Find that there is no credible evidence of neglect of duty
ApprovePassed · 2–1
To find that there is no credible evidence of neglect of duty.
Yes: Fidler, KilcoyneNo: Darcy
From the minutes
“James Kilcoyne moved, seconded by Lynne Fidler, to find that there is no credible evidence of neglect of duty. The vote was 2:1. Roll call vote: Mr. Kilcoyne – aye; Ms. Fidler – aye; Mr. Darcy - nay..” (Motion: Kilcoyne, second: Fidler)
Jun 5Reappoint Andrew Stewart as Building Commissioner for a term…Motion: to reappoint Andrew Stewart as Building Commissioner for a term of…Passed 2–0 · Abstained: Kilcoyne
June 5, 2023: Reappoint Andrew Stewart as Building Commissioner for a term of (1) year
AppointPassed · 2–0
To reappoint Andrew Stewart as Building Commissioner for a term of (1) year.
Yes: Darcy, FidlerAbstained: Kilcoyne
From the minutes
“Mr. Kilcoyne moved, seconded by Ms. Fidler, to reappoint Andrew Stewart as Building Commissioner for a term of (1) year. The vote was 2:0 with Mr. Kilcoyne abstaining. Roll Call Vote: Mr. Kilcoyne – abstain; Ms. Fidler – aye; Mr. Darcy – aye..” (Motion: Kilcoyne, second: Fidler)
From the Marshfield 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 WATD News candidate videos (Chris Rohland and Rick Smith, 2026) and Marshfield Community Media’s “Meet the Candidates” (Eric Kelley). Former members show initials.
How to read these pagesWhere the votes come from, how we check them against the official minutes, what isn't included yet, and how to report a mistake.About city pages →