How the Natick Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide for three-year terms. Paul Joseph was elected at the March 30, 2021 town election, succeeding Jonathan Freedman. On March 31, 2021 the board chose Karen Adelman-Foster as Chair (4-0-1, she abstained), Richard Jennett as Vice-Chair and Michael Hickey as Clerk (roll calls). Covers 49 meetings, March 31 to March 28, 2022.
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 Natick, 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. Town Meeting members are elected by precinct; counts are from the town’s electronic voting.
Spring Annual Town Meeting, April 30 session (electronic votes only) · April 30, 2026 10 votes: 10 passed
Not here yet: Natick's 2026 Spring Annual Town Meeting has no Town Clerk minutes posted yet, so only its electronic votes from April 28 and April 30, 2026 are here; the 2026 Fall Annual Town Meeting starts October 20, 2026.
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: Natick Select Board minutes from January 16, 2018 through August 11, 2026: 339 meetings and 2,671 votes. The town posts the board’s minutes on yearly pages (2013–2026) linked from its Minutes page; MassVoter loaded January 2018 on. The board was the Board of Selectmen until 2020; its minutes are headed “Select Board” from July 15, 2020. The minutes are typed documents with searchable text. A few files carry the wrong date: two 2026 files are titled “February 25, 2025” and “February 4, 2025,” and others repeat an earlier meeting’s date in the heading (the May 27, 2026 minutes are headed May 13; the July 9, 2026 minutes are headed July 8). MassVoter dated each meeting from its contents and the town’s meeting list. Not here: executive-session minutes (27 released executive-session files on the yearly pages are not loaded); the votes of the School Committee and other boards at joint meetings; and meetings on the town’s video and agenda list (Granicus) with no minutes posted – about 150 sessions from 2018 to September 2026, some of them executive-session-only meetings, site walks or events where no business was done, and, since July 2025, the meetings of July 14 and October 7, 2025 (a workshop on the Johnson School), March 9 and May 6, 2026 (board retreats) and June 24, 2026. MassVoter is asking the town for the missing minutes. Minutes after August 11, 2026 are not posted yet (July 22, August 18, August 19, August 24, September 2 (two sessions), September 9, September 16 and September 30, 2026). Natick’s minutes name the mover and seconder; most votes read “The motion passed unanimously” or give a count (“Motion approved 5-0-0”), shown as every member present voting yes when the count equals the members present. Roll calls by name (the 2020–2021 remote meetings and many 2025–2026 votes: “Roll call vote: Ms. Coughlin: Yes, Mr. Sidney: Yes, …”) are shown by name; split votes usually name the members who voted no or abstained (“Motion passed 4-1-0 … with Ms. Coughlin opposed”), shown with the other members present voting yes. Where the count does not fit the members present or the minutes do not say who voted no or abstained (“4-0-1”), we show the count only (23 votes); where the minutes give no count and no unanimity wording, and for choices between candidates by ballot, we show the result only (51 votes). Failed motions are shown member by member when the minutes name the voters (6 failed votes). Members who arrived late or left early are not shown in the votes they missed. A motion with no recorded outcome is not counted as a vote. 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.
Mar 16Recommend favorable action for Article 21Motion: On a motion by Mr. Joseph, seconded by Ms. Adelman-Foster, The…Passed 3–1 · see note
March 16, 2022: Recommend favorable action for Article 21
ApprovePassed · 3–1
On a motion by Mr. Joseph, seconded by Ms. Adelman-Foster, The Board voted 3-1-1 to recommend favorable action for Article 21.
The minutes give the count as 3-1-1 but do not say who voted no or abstained. Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“On a motion by Mr. Joseph, seconded by Ms. Adelman-Foster, The Board voted 3-1-1 to recommend favorable action for Article 21..” (Motion: Joseph, second: Adelman-Foster)
Feb 23Place the warrant article on the 2022 Spring Annual…Motion: On a motion by Mr. Jennett, seconded by Mr. Joseph, the…Passed 4–0 · see note
February 23, 2022: Place the warrant article on the 2022 Spring Annual Town Meeting Warrant
ApprovePassed · 4–0
On a motion by Mr. Jennett, seconded by Mr. Joseph, the Board voted 4-0-1 to place the warrant article on the 2022 Spring Annual Town Meeting Warrant
The minutes give the count as 4-0-1 but do not say who voted no or abstained. Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“On a motion by Mr. Jennett, seconded by Mr. Joseph, the Board voted 4-0-1 to place the warrant article on the 2022 Spring Annual Town Meeting Warrant.” (Motion: Jennett, second: Joseph)
Jan 26Waive/abate Mr. Cain's water and sewer bill by waiving…Motion: On a motion by Mr. Hickey, seconded by Mr. Joseph, the…Passed 4–1 · No: Adelman-Foster
January 26, 2022: Waive/abate Mr. Cain's water and sewer bill by waiving one month of usage for May 1, 2021, as documented on the May 1, 2021, reading. Ms. Salamoff Yes Mr. Hickey…
ApprovePassed · 4–1
On a motion by Mr. Hickey, seconded by Mr. Joseph, the Board, by Roll Call vote, vote 4-1-0 to waive/abate Mr. Cain's water and sewer bill by waiving one month of usage for May 1, 2021, as documented on the May 1, 2021, reading. Ms. Salamoff Yes Mr. Hickey Yes Mr. Jennett Yes Mr. Joseph Yes Ms. Adelman-Foster No
“On a motion by Mr. Hickey, seconded by Mr. Joseph, the Board, by Roll Call vote, vote 4-1-0 to waive/abate Mr. Cain's water and sewer bill by waiving one month of usage for May 1, 2021, as documented on the May 1, 2021, reading. Ms. Salamoff Yes Mr. Hickey Yes Mr. Jennett Yes Mr. Joseph Yes Ms. Adelman-Foster No.” (Motion: Hickey, second: Joseph)
On a motion by Mr. Jennett, seconded by Mr. Hickey, the Board voted 4-0-1, to set the business parking rates at $385.00.
The minutes give the count as 4-0-1 but do not say who voted no or abstained. Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“On a motion by Mr. Jennett, seconded by Mr. Hickey, the Board voted 4-0-1, to set the business parking rates at $385.00..” (Motion: Jennett, second: Hickey)
Sep 22Approve the MAPC contract for the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness…Motion: On a Motion by Ms. Salamoff, seconded by Mr. Joseph, the…Passed 4–0 · see note
September 22, 2021: Approve the MAPC contract for the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program
ApprovePassed · 4–0
On a Motion by Ms. Salamoff, seconded by Mr. Joseph, the Board voted 4-0-0 to approve the MAPC contract for the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program.
Yes: Hickey, Jennett, Joseph, SalamoffThe minutes say “Chair Adelman-Foster recused herself for this vote as MAPC is her employer,” so she is not shown voting.
From the minutes
“On a Motion by Ms. Salamoff, seconded by Mr. Joseph, the Board voted 4-0-0 to approve the MAPC contract for the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program..” (Motion: Salamoff, second: Joseph)
Sep 9Approve the open Meeting Minutes from December 30, 2020Motion: On a motion by Mr. Jennett, seconded by Mr. Hickey, the…Passed 4–0 · see note
September 9, 2021: Approve the open Meeting Minutes from December 30, 2020
Approve minutesPassed · 4–0
On a motion by Mr. Jennett, seconded by Mr. Hickey, the Board voted 4-0-1 to approve the open Meeting Minutes from December 30, 2020.
The minutes give the count as 4-0-1 but do not say who voted no or abstained. Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“On a motion by Mr. Jennett, seconded by Mr. Hickey, the Board voted 4-0-1 to approve the open Meeting Minutes from December 30, 2020..” (Motion: Jennett, second: Hickey)
Aug 25Approve Ms. David as the Manager of the Natick…Motion: On a motion by Mr. Hickey, seconded by Mr. Jennett, the…Passed 4–0 · see note
August 25, 2021: Approve Ms. David as the Manager of the Natick Lodge 1425 BPOE of US. Mr. Joseph was not present at the time of this vote
ApprovePassed · 4–0
On a motion by Mr. Hickey, seconded by Mr. Jennett, the Board, by Roll Call vote, voted 4-0-0 to approve Ms. David as the Manager of the Natick Lodge 1425 BPOE of US. Mr. Joseph was not present at the time of this vote. The Roll Call vote was as follows: Mr. Jennett Yes Ms. Salamoff Yes Mr. Hickey Yes Ms. Adelman-Foster Yes
Yes: Adelman-Foster, Hickey, Jennett, SalamoffThe minutes say “Mr. Joseph was not present”, so Paul R. Joseph is not shown voting.
From the minutes
“On a motion by Mr. Hickey, seconded by Mr. Jennett, the Board, by Roll Call vote, voted 4-0-0 to approve Ms. David as the Manager of the Natick Lodge 1425 BPOE of US. Mr. Joseph was not present at the time of this vote. The Roll Call vote was as follows: Mr. Jennett Yes Ms. Salamoff Yes Mr. Hickey Yes Ms. Adelman-Foster Yes.” (Motion: Hickey, second: Jennett)
Aug 25Hold a public hearing to modify Licensing Fees. Mr.…Motion: On a motion by Mr. Hickey, seconded by Mr. Jennett, the…Passed 4–0 · see note
August 25, 2021: Hold a public hearing to modify Licensing Fees. Mr. Joseph was not present during this vote
ApprovePassed · 4–0
On a motion by Mr. Hickey, seconded by Mr. Jennett, the Board, by Roll Call vote, voted 4-0-0 to hold a public hearing to modify Licensing Fees. Mr. Joseph was not present during this vote. The Roll Call vote was as follows: Mr. Jennett Yes Ms. Salamoff Yes Mr. Hickey Yes Ms. Adelman-Foster Yes
Yes: Adelman-Foster, Hickey, Jennett, SalamoffThe minutes say “Mr. Joseph was not present”, so Paul R. Joseph is not shown voting.
From the minutes
“On a motion by Mr. Hickey, seconded by Mr. Jennett, the Board, by Roll Call vote, voted 4-0-0 to hold a public hearing to modify Licensing Fees. Mr. Joseph was not present during this vote. The Roll Call vote was as follows: Mr. Jennett Yes Ms. Salamoff Yes Mr. Hickey Yes Ms. Adelman-Foster Yes.” (Motion: Hickey, second: Jennett)
Aug 25Clarify that the new FY22 Water and Sewer rates…Motion: On a motion by Mr. Hickey, seconded by Mr. Jennett, the…Passed 4–0 · see note
August 25, 2021: Clarify that the new FY22 Water and Sewer rates will take effect for the final three billing cycles of the year. Mr. Joseph was not present during this vote
ApprovePassed · 4–0
On a motion by Mr. Hickey, seconded by Mr. Jennett, the Board, by Roll Call vote, voted 4-0-0 to clarify that the new FY22 Water and Sewer rates will take effect for the final three billing cycles of the year. Mr. Joseph was not present during this vote. The Roll Call vote was as follows: Mr. Jennett Yes Ms. Salamoff Yes Mr. Hickey Yes Ms. Adelman-Foster Yes
Yes: Adelman-Foster, Hickey, Jennett, SalamoffThe minutes say “Mr. Joseph was not present”, so Paul R. Joseph is not shown voting.
From the minutes
“On a motion by Mr. Hickey, seconded by Mr. Jennett, the Board, by Roll Call vote, voted 4-0-0 to clarify that the new FY22 Water and Sewer rates will take effect for the final three billing cycles of the year. Mr. Joseph was not present during this vote. The Roll Call vote was as follows: Mr. Jennett Yes Ms. Salamoff Yes Mr. Hickey Yes Ms. Adelman-Foster Yes.” (Motion: Hickey, second: Jennett)
Aug 11The Select board sponsor the Article addressing the Senior…Motion: On a Motion by Mr. Joseph, seconded by Mr. Jennett, the…Passed 3–0 · see note
August 11, 2021: The Select board sponsor the Article addressing the Senior Property Tax Exemption as presented by the Study Committee
ApprovePassed · 3–0
On a Motion by Mr. Joseph, seconded by Mr. Jennett, the Board, by Roll Call vote, voted 3-0-2 that the Select board sponsor the Article addressing the Senior Property Tax Exemption as presented by the Study Committee.
The minutes give the count as 3-0-2 but do not say who voted no or abstained. Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“On a Motion by Mr. Joseph, seconded by Mr. Jennett, the Board, by Roll Call vote, voted 3-0-2 that the Select board sponsor the Article addressing the Senior Property Tax Exemption as presented by the Study Committee..” (Motion: Joseph, second: Jennett)
From the Natick Select Board’s official minutes, posted on the yearly minutes pages linked from the town’s Minutes page. We check every vote against the Select Board members present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Photos (the town’s website has no Select Board photos): Natick Report — Kristen Pope and Cody Jacobs (March 2026), Bruce Evans (March 2025) and Linda Wollschlager (March 2024 swearing-in, captioned); Natick Patch — Kathryn Coughlin (March 2022, courtesy of the candidate). Cropped by MassVoter. Former members show initials.