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Municipal votes · 2023–2024 Board

Plympton Board of Selectmen

How the Plympton Board of Selectmen voted, from the Board of Selectmen’s official minutes. 3 Select Board members elected townwide. Same three members and officers, chosen again on May 22, 2023 (each 3-0). Covers 22 meetings, May 22 to May 6, 2024.

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 Plympton ballot: 13 quizzes, about a minute each.

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Board years

Coming up

No upcoming meeting is posted yet. Check the official calendar →

Under the state Open Meeting Law, boards post notice at least 48 hours ahead, not counting weekends and legal holidays.

What Town Meeting decided

In Plympton, 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.

Annual Town Meeting · May 14, 2025 21 votes: 20 passed, 1 failed

Source: Town Clerk's minutes, May 14, 2025 Annual Town Meeting.

Special Town Meeting · May 14, 2025 4 votes: 2 passed, 1 no action, 1 other
  • Art. 1 Accept G.L. c.44 §54(b)-(d) so town trust funds can be invested under the prudent investor rule Passed “Pass majority”
  • Art. 2 Dedicate part of the 5 Palmer Road land to recreation and spend $42,000 CPA for fencing and ball field work Passed “Pass with a 2/3 Vote declared by Moderator”
  • Art. 3 Transfer $40,000 from the Rural Aid Grant account to the Special Education Reserve Fund (passed over) No action “Pass majority”
  • Art. 4 Add money to the FY2025 elementary school budget (motion to pass over) Other “Move to pass over”

Source: Town Clerk's minutes, May 14, 2025 Special Town Meeting.

Annual Town Meeting · May 15, 2024 43 votes: 43 passed

Source: Town Clerk's minutes, May 15, 2024 Annual Town Meeting.

Special Town Meeting · May 15, 2024 3 votes: 3 passed

Source: Town Clerk's minutes, May 15, 2024 Special Town Meeting.

Not here yet: the 2026 Annual Town Meeting (no minutes or warrant posted online 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

Mark RussoClerk · Elected townwide · at 22 of 22 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 2018 through April 6, 2026 (2018 to 2024 from the town's Document Center, 2025 and 2026 from its Agenda Center). Not here: minutes before 2018 (the Document Center has them back to 2010), executive-session minutes, and minutes the town has not posted yet (every meeting after April 6, 2026, so nothing yet for the board chosen in May 2026). Some minutes are posted twice or in a revised version; we load each meeting once, using the revised version. One file posted as December 6, 2018 is really the May 6, 2019 minutes, and one posted as February 10, 2022 repeats the January 10, 2022 minutes. One 2025 minutes file does not open on the town site. Seven 2020 to 2024 files are scans, which we read by computer text recognition. Plympton's minutes are typed and usually name members by their initials ("CJ made a motion ... Seconded JT. Vote: 3/0"). We match initials to members only where, on that board, the initials fit exactly one member. When the minutes give a count equal to the number of members present with no one voting no, or say a vote was unanimous or "all in favor", we show every member present as voting yes; when they list how each member voted, by name or initials, or name the member who voted no, abstained or recused, we show each member's vote as recorded. When the minutes only say the board "voted", with no count, we show the result only and never assume it was unanimous. Where the minutes give only a count that does not match the members present (for example 2-1 with no names, or 3-0 with two members listed as present), or name a mover or seconder the minutes do not list as present, we show the count only and add a note. Members the minutes say had not yet arrived or had left are not counted in those votes. From September 26, 2025, when Mark Russo resigned, the board had two members. We will ask the town to confirm any noted vote.

Monday, May 6, 2024 · Regular meeting4 recorded votes, 0 with disagreementAll 3 members presentMonday, April 22, 2024 · Regular meeting6 recorded votes, 0 with disagreementAll 3 members presentThursday, April 11, 2024 · Regular meeting2 recorded votes, 0 with disagreementAll 3 members presentMonday, March 25, 2024 · Regular meeting7 recorded votes, 0 with disagreementAll 3 members presentMonday, March 11, 2024 · Regular meeting4 recorded votes, 0 with disagreementAll 3 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.

Feb 26Approve the request (Correspondence Christine Joy submitted a request…Motion: To approve the request (Correspondence Christine Joy submitted a request for…Passed 2–0 · Abstained: Joy

February 26, 2024: Approve the request (Correspondence Christine Joy submitted a request for use of the Gazebo on 07/20/2024)

ApprovePassed · 2–0

To approve the request (Correspondence Christine Joy submitted a request for use of the Gazebo on 07/20/2024)

Yes: Russo, TraynorAbstained: Joy

From the minutes

“MR made a motion to approve the request. Seconded JT. Vote: 2-0-1. CJ abstained from the vote..” (Motion: Russo, second: Traynor)

Read it in the official minutes, page 2 (PDF)

Feb 12Acknowledge and approve the elections calendar as submitted by…Motion: To acknowledge and approve the elections calendar as submitted by the…Passed Unanimous, 3 present · see note

February 12, 2024: Acknowledge and approve the elections calendar as submitted by the Town Clerk

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 3 present

To acknowledge and approve the elections calendar as submitted by the Town Clerk

The minutes do not say who made the motion.

From the minutes

“motion to acknowledge and approve the elections calendar as submitted by the Town Clerk. Seconded MR. Vote: 3-0..” (second: Russo)

Read it in the official minutes, page 2 (PDF)

Nov 27Extend the Conservation Restriction to June 30, 2024 Mark…Motion: To extend the Conservation Restriction to June 30, 2024 MR recused…Passed 2–0 · see note

November 27, 2023: Extend the Conservation Restriction to June 30, 2024 Mark Russo recused from the vote

ApprovePassed · 2–0

To extend the Conservation Restriction to June 30, 2024 MR recused from the vote

Yes: Joy, TraynorMark Russo recused and did not take part in this vote.

From the minutes

“CJ made a motion to extend the Conservation Restriction to June 30, 2024. Seconded JT. MR recused from the vote. Vote: 2-0-1.” (Motion: Joy, second: Traynor)

Read it in the official minutes, page 1 (PDF)

Nov 27Approve the 2024 Common Victuallers License renewals pending additional…Motion: To approve the 2024 Common Victuallers License renewals pending additional paperwork…Passed 2–0 · Abstained: Russo

November 27, 2023: Approve the 2024 Common Victuallers License renewals pending additional paperwork from Just Right Farm Mark Russo abstained from the vote for Just Right Farm

ApprovePassed · 2–0

To approve the 2024 Common Victuallers License renewals pending additional paperwork from Just Right Farm MR abstained from the vote for Just Right Farm

Yes: Joy, TraynorAbstained: Russo

From the minutes

“CJ made a motion to approve the 2024 Common Victuallers License renewals pending additional paperwork from Just Right Farm. Seconded JT. MR abstained from the vote for Just Right Farm. Vote: 2-0-1.” (Motion: Joy, second: Traynor)

Read it in the official minutes, page 2 (PDF)

Oct 2Appoint Brad Cronin to fill the unexpired Board of…Motion: Motion made by Chairman Morin. Seconded by Board of Health member…Passed Unanimous, 2 present · see note

October 2, 2023: Appoint Brad Cronin to fill the unexpired Board of Health term of Harry Weikel, Jr. until May 18, 2024 (joint vote with the Board of Health)

AppointPassed · Unanimous, 2 present

Motion made by Chairman Morin. Seconded by Board of Health member Jared Anderson. Selectman Russo and Selectman Traynor vote to approve. Selectman Joy had not joined the meeting. Motion passes

Combined vote of the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Health (4-0 counting both boards); Board of Health chair Art Morin made the motion. The minutes say Mr. Russo and Mr. Traynor voted yes and Ms. Joy had not yet joined the meeting. Only the Select Board members' votes are shown. Christine Joy had not yet arrived, so is not counted in this vote.

From the minutes

“Motion made by Chairman Morin. Seconded by Board of Health member Jared Anderson. Selectman Russo and Selectman Traynor vote to approve. Selectman Joy had not joined the meeting. Motion passes Roll call vote: 4-0..”

Read it in the official minutes, page 1 (PDF)

Oct 2Support Wildlands Trust to hold both restrictions that are…Motion: To support Wildlands Trust to hold both restrictions that are in…Passed 2–0 · Abstained: Russo

October 2, 2023: Support Wildlands Trust to hold both restrictions that are in place on said property

ApprovePassed · 2–0

To support Wildlands Trust to hold both restrictions that are in place on said property

Yes: Joy, TraynorAbstained: Russo

From the minutes

“CJ made a motion to support Wildlands Trust to hold both restrictions that are in place on said property. Seconded JT. Roll call vote: 2-0-1 Mark Russo abstained from voting..” (Motion: Joy, second: Traynor)

Read it in the official minutes, page 1 (PDF)

Jun 8Appoint the 13 members listedMotion: To appoint the 13 members listedPassed Unanimous, 3 present · see note

June 8, 2023: Appoint the 13 members listed

AppointPassed · Unanimous, 3 present

To appoint the 13 members listed

The vote was 3-0; the minutes add that Mr. Russo recused himself from the Community Preservation Committee appointment on the list.

From the minutes

“CJ made a motion to appoint the 13 members listed. Seconded JT. Roll call vote: 3-0. MR recused himself from the Community Preservation Committ.” (Motion: Joy, second: Traynor)

Read it in the official minutes, page 2 (PDF)

From the Plympton Board of Selectmen’s official minutes, posted in the town’s Agenda Center and Document Center. We check every vote against the members present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Photos: Dana Smith cropped from a captioned Plympton-Halifax-Kingston Express photo (June 2025); Nathaniel Sides and Daniel Cadogan from Area 58 video of the May 18 and June 29, 2026 Board of Selectmen meetings (identified by the nameplate in front of each member).

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