MassVoter.com← NorwoodMunicipal votes · 2021–2022 Board
Norwood Board of Selectmen
How the Norwood Board of Selectmen voted, from the Board of Selectmen’s official minutes. 5 Selectmen elected townwide. William Plasko was re-elected at the April 5, 2021 town election. On April 6, 2021 the board chose Thomas Maloney as Chairman; William Plasko served as Vice Chairman. Selectman David Hajjar died in October 2021; Allan Howard won the January 3, 2022 special election for his seat and rejoined the board. Covers 34 meetings, April 6 to March 29, 2022.
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 budgetBoard years
Coming up
MassVoter can’t read Norwood’s meeting calendar automatically yet. See upcoming meetings on the official site →
Members
Matthew LaneMember · Elected townwide · at 33 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: Board of Selectmen minutes from January 8, 2018 through July 14, 2026 (247 meetings). Some 2020–2026 files are scanned pages, which we read with text recognition. Not here: minutes after July 14, 2026 (August 11, September 8 and September 22, 2026 are not posted yet); no minutes at all from March 24 to September 15, 2020, although the town lists agendas for 17 meetings in that time; February 10, March 3, March 24 (approved April 28, 2026) and June 30, 2026, and December 16, 2025, which have agendas but no minutes; and about a dozen other dates since 2018 with an agenda but no minutes, some of them Town Meeting nights or executive sessions. The March 27, 2018 link opens the February 27, 2018 minutes, so that meeting is missing too. How votes were read: until early 2023 the minutes usually say only who made and seconded a motion and that the board “voted”, with no count; we show those votes as passed with no names, never as unanimous. When the minutes say a vote was unanimous we show every Selectman present as voting yes; when they give a count and name who voted no or abstained, and it adds up to the members present, we show each member’s vote. In early 2023 several minutes say only “Carried”, and we show the result only. From mid-2023 the minutes list each member under Aye, Nay, Abstain or Absent for almost every vote. Where a count does not match the members present, a mover or seconder is missing from the attendance line, or a roll call leaves out a member who was there, we show the count or result only and add a note. Motions written down with no vote after them are not included. 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.
Mar 29Approve the license, Chapter 138, Section 12Motion: Motion to approve the license, Chapter 138, Section 12, made by…Passed 4–1 · No: Plasko
March 29, 2022: Approve the license, Chapter 138, Section 12
Motion to approve the license, Chapter 138, Section 12, made by Selectman Lane, seconded by Selectman Howard. The motion was approved 4-1 with Selectman Plasko opposed. 6:45 p.m. Alexander Haggerty, Treasurer and Collector Mr. Mazzucco introduced Alexander Haggerty as the new Treasurer/Collector for the Town of Norwood.
Yes: Donohue, Howard, Lane, MaloneyNo: Plasko
From the minutes
“Motion to approve the license, Chapter 138, Section 12, made by Selectman Lane, seconded by Selectman Howard. The motion was approved 4-1 with Selectman Plasko opposed. 6:45 p.m. Alexander Haggerty, Treasurer and Collector Mr. Mazzucco introduced Alexander Haggerty as the new Treasurer/Collector for the Town of Norwood..” (Motion: Lane, second: Howard)
Mar 29File – AuthorityMotion: Motion to file made by Selectman Howard, seconded by Selectman Lane.…Passed 4–1 · see note
March 29, 2022: File – Authority
Motion to file made by Selectman Howard, seconded by Selectman Lane. The motion was approved 4-1 with Selectman Donohue abstaining. 2.
The minutes give the count (4-1) and name Helen Abdallah Donohue as abstaining, but the names and count do not match the 5 members present. Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“Motion to file made by Selectman Howard, seconded by Selectman Lane. The motion was approved 4-1 with Selectman Donohue abstaining. 2..” (Motion: Howard, second: Lane)
Mar 15Approve the license – feet of new 4 inch…Motion: Motion to approve the license made by Selectman Howard, seconded by…Passed 4–0 · Abstained: Donohue
March 15, 2022: Approve the license – feet of new 4 inch coated steel at Morse Street Bridge Crossing. Mark Ryan, Director of the DPW stated
Motion to approve the license made by Selectman Howard, seconded by Selectman Lane. The motion was approved 4-0 with Mrs. Donohue abstaining.
Yes: Howard, Lane, Maloney, PlaskoAbstained: Donohue
From the minutes
“Motion to approve the license made by Selectman Howard, seconded by Selectman Lane. The motion was approved 4-0 with Mrs. Donohue abstaining..” (Motion: Howard, second: Lane)
Mar 15Deny the application – feet of new 4 inch…Motion: Motion to deny the application made by Selectman Howard, seconded by…Passed 4–0 · Abstained: Donohue
March 15, 2022: Deny the application – feet of new 4 inch coated steel at Morse Street Bridge Crossing. Mark Ryan, Director of the DPW stated
Motion to deny the application made by Selectman Howard, seconded by Selectman Lane. Motion was approved 4-0 with Mrs. Donohue abstaining.
Yes: Howard, Lane, Maloney, PlaskoAbstained: Donohue
From the minutes
“Motion to deny the application made by Selectman Howard, seconded by Selectman Lane. Motion was approved 4-0 with Mrs. Donohue abstaining..” (Motion: Howard, second: Lane)
Mar 15Appoint Angela Whitfield Downing to the Cultural CouncilMotion: On motion of Selectman Donohue, seconded by Selectman Howard, the Board…Passed · see note
March 15, 2022: Appoint Angela Whitfield Downing to the Cultural Council
On motion of Selectman Donohue, seconded by Selectman Howard, the Board voted to appoint Angela Whitfield Downing to the Cultural Council.
The minutes say only “voted”, with no count or names.
From the minutes
“On motion of Selectman Donohue, seconded by Selectman Howard, the Board voted to appoint Angela Whitfield Downing to the Cultural Council..” (Motion: Donohue, second: Howard)
Mar 1Of approving the Class II Auto Dealer’s License to…Motion: On motion of Selectman Lane seconded by Selectman Howard the Board…Passed 4–1 · see note
March 1, 2022: Of approving the Class II Auto Dealer’s License to be used at 417 Nahatan Street
On motion of Selectman Lane seconded by Selectman Howard the Board voted 4-1 in favor of approving the Class II Auto Dealer’s License to be used at 417 Nahatan Street.
The minutes give only the count (4-1), not how each member voted.
From the minutes
“On motion of Selectman Lane seconded by Selectman Howard the Board voted 4-1 in favor of approving the Class II Auto Dealer’s License to be used at 417 Nahatan Street..” (Motion: Lane, second: Howard)
Mar 1Of entering an inter-municipal agreement with the South Eastern…Motion: On the motion of Selectman Howard, seconded by Selectman Lane the…Passed 3–1 · see note
March 1, 2022: Of entering an inter-municipal agreement with the South Eastern Regional Emergency Communications Center
On the motion of Selectman Howard, seconded by Selectman Lane the Board voted 3-1 in favor of entering an inter-municipal agreement with the South Eastern Regional Emergency Communications Center.
The minutes give only the count (3-1), not how each member voted.
From the minutes
“On the motion of Selectman Howard, seconded by Selectman Lane the Board voted 3-1 in favor of entering an inter-municipal agreement with the South Eastern Regional Emergency Communications Center..” (Motion: Howard, second: Lane)
Feb 24Put the question on the ballotMotion: On motion of Selectman Donohue, seconded by Selectman Howard, the Board…Failed · see note
February 24, 2022: Put the question on the ballot
On motion of Selectman Donohue, seconded by Selectman Howard, the Board voted to put the question on the ballot.
The minutes say only “voted”, with no count or names.
From the minutes
“On motion of Selectman Donohue, seconded by Selectman Howard, the Board voted to put the question on the ballot..” (Motion: Donohue, second: Howard)
Feb 1Of entering the RHSO with Selectman Donohue voting NayMotion: On motion of Selectman Howard, Seconded by Selectman Lane, the Board…Passed 4–1 · No: Donohue
February 1, 2022: Of entering the RHSO with Selectman Donohue voting Nay
On motion of Selectman Howard, Seconded by Selectman Lane, the Board voted 4-1 in favor of entering the RHSO with Selectman Donohue voting Nay.
Yes: Howard, Lane, Maloney, PlaskoNo: Donohue
From the minutes
“On motion of Selectman Howard, Seconded by Selectman Lane, the Board voted 4-1 in favor of entering the RHSO with Selectman Donohue voting Nay..” (Motion: Howard, second: Lane)
Jan 18File – Notification from Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC)Motion: Motion to file made by Selectman Plasko, seconded by Selectman Howard.…Passed 4–0 · Abstained: Donohue
January 18, 2022: File – Notification from Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC)
Motion to file made by Selectman Plasko, seconded by Selectman Howard. Selectman Donohue abstained. The motion was approved 4-0. 3.
Yes: Howard, Lane, Maloney, PlaskoAbstained: Donohue
From the minutes
“Motion to file made by Selectman Plasko, seconded by Selectman Howard. Selectman Donohue abstained. The motion was approved 4-0. 3..” (Motion: Plasko, second: Howard)
From the Norwood Board of Selectmen’s official minutes, posted on the town’s Board of Selectmen minutes page. We check every vote against the Selectmen present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Photos: campaign websites (Robert Donnelly, Amanda Grow); The Norwood Record (Cheryl Doyle; Michael Saad, photo by Jeff Sullivan); Norwood Community Media (Matthew Lane, from “Fast Facts with Matt Lane”).
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 →