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Rochester Select Board
How the Rochester Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 3 Select Board members elected townwide. Bradford N. Morse was re-elected in May 2022 (over Adam Murphy). On June 6, 2022 the board chose Greenwood Hartley III as Chair, Paul Ciaburri as Vice Chair and Bradford N. Morse as Clerk. Covers 23 meetings, June 6 to May 15, 2023.
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 budgetYour Rochester ballot: 14 quizzes, about a minute each.
Start my ballot →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 Rochester, Town Meeting — not the Select Board — votes the town budget, bylaws and zoning. Rochester has not posted official results of its 2024–2026 Town Meetings online, so they are not here yet. We will add them when the Town Clerk’s records are available.
What we checked: Rochester has not posted official results for any Town Meeting since January 2024: its new website has only a draft warrant for the May 13, 2024 Annual Town Meeting and bylaw texts for 2024 meetings, its newest Annual Town Report online is for 2023, and its old website (townofrochesterma.gov), which had the Clerk's May 13, 2024 Annual Town Meeting minutes, is offline.
Members
"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 Select Board (Board of Selectmen) meeting with minutes on the town website from January 2020 through September 8, 2026 (from the town's Document Center and Agenda Center). Not here: minutes before 2020, executive-session minutes, a few meetings whose minutes are not online (for example February 24, 2026, where the town posted the 2025 minutes by mistake), and minutes the town has not posted yet. Rochester's minutes are scanned paper copies, which we read by computer text recognition and checked by hand where the scan was unclear. They usually say "All members of the Board are in favor" or give a count ("Motion carries, 3-0"); in 2020 and at some later meetings they also give a roll call by name. When the minutes say all members were in favor, or give a count equal to the members present with no one opposed, we show every member present as voting yes. When a roll call names each member, or 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, the roll call and the members listed as present do not match, we show the count only and add a note. A member who makes or seconds motions but is not listed as present is not counted as present. Votes by other boards at joint meetings (Finance Committee, School Committee, Board of Assessors) 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.
Votes where members disagreed
Most board votes are unanimous. These are the ones where at least one member voted no or abstained, newest first.
May 1Approve and sign the May 22, 2023 Town ;…Motion: to approve and sign the May 22, 2023 Town ; Meeting…Passed 2–1 · No: Ciaburri
May 1, 2023: Approve and sign the May 22, 2023 Town ; Meeting Warrant as presented
To approve and sign the May 22, 2023 Town ; Meeting Warrant as presented. This motion is.
Yes: Hartley, MorseNo: Ciaburri
From the minutes
“Motion: A motion is made by Select Board Member Morse to approve and sign the May 22, 2023 Town ; Meeting Warrant as presented. This motion is seconded by Select Board Member Hartley. Roll Call Vote Hartley - Aye, Ciaburri - No, Morse - Aye, 2:1 motion passes..” (Motion: Morse, second: Hartley)
Apr 24Member Sharon Hartley to reappoint Sharon Cruz to the…Motion: To member Sharon Hartley to reappoint Sharon Cruz to the r…Passed Unanimous, 3 present · see note
April 24, 2023: Member Sharon Hartley to reappoint Sharon Cruz to the r Old Colony R.V.T.H.S School Committee, This motion is
To member Sharon Hartley to reappoint Sharon Cruz to the r Old Colony R.V.T.H.S School Committee, This motion is.
Joint vote of the Old Colony appointing authority; the motion was made by School Committee member Sharon Hartley and seconded by School Committee member Robin Rounseville. "All present members of the Board are in favor." Only the Select Board members' votes are shown. The motion was made by School Committee, who was not a Select Board member.
From the minutes
“Motion: A motion is made by School Committee Member Sharon Hartley to reappoint Sharon Cruz to the r Old Colony R.V.T.H.S School Committee, This motion is seconded by School Committee Member Robin Rounseville, All present members of the Board are in favor, the motion passes with a unanimous vote..”
Mar 6Sign the Limited English Proficiency PlanMotion: to sign the Limited English Proficiency Plan. This motion is.Passed Unanimous, 3 present · see note
March 6, 2023: Sign the Limited English Proficiency Plan
To sign the Limited English Proficiency Plan. This motion is.
The motion was made by Member, who was not a Select Board member.
From the minutes
“Motion: Select Board Member motions to sign the Limited English Proficiency Plan. This motion is seconded by Select Board Member Ciaburri. All members of the Board are in favor, the motion passes with a unanimous vote..” (second: Ciaburri)
Mar 6For Town Administrator Cannon to draft a Town Meeting…Motion: To for Town Administrator Cannon to draft a Town Meeting article…Passed Unanimous, 3 present · see note
March 6, 2023: For Town Administrator Cannon to draft a Town Meeting article to change the Town Clerk position from elected to appointed
To for Town Administrator Cannon to draft a Town Meeting article to change the Town Clerk position from elected to appointed. This motion is.
The motion was made by Member, who was not a Select Board member.
From the minutes
“Motion: Select Board Member makes a motion for Town Administrator Cannon to draft a Town Meeting article to change the Town Clerk position from elected to appointed. This motion is seconded ¢ by Select Board Member Ciaburri. All members of the Board are in favor.”
Jan 27Keep a single tax rate with a residential factor…Motion: To keep a single tax rate with a residential factor of…Passed Unanimous, 2 present · see note
January 27, 2023: Keep a single tax rate with a residential factor of one and a rate of $11.87 per thousand, with no exemptions, for Fiscal Year 2023
To keep a single tax rate with a residential factor of one and a rate of $11.87 per thousand, with no exemptions, for Fiscal Year 2023.
The minutes name Bradford N. Morse as the mover, but do not list this member as present at this point.
From the minutes
“Motion: To keep a single tax rate with a residential factor of one and a rate of $11.87 per thousand, with no exemptions, for Fiscal Year 2023. This motion is made by Select Board Member Morse, q seconded by Member Ciaburri, and approved with a unanimous vote..” (second: Ciaburri)
Jan 27Send the letter with the amendments as discussedMotion: to send the letter with the amendments as discussed. This motion…Passed Unanimous, 2 present · see note
January 27, 2023: Send the letter with the amendments as discussed
To send the letter with the amendments as discussed. This motion is.
The minutes name Bradford N. Morse as the mover, but do not list this member as present at this point.
From the minutes
“Motion: Select Board Member Morse makes a motion to send the letter with the amendments as discussed. This motion is seconded by Select Board Member Ciaburri. All members of the Board are in favor, the motion passes unanimously..” (second: Ciaburri)
Jan 27Authorize the Town Administrator to deny hardship applications if…Motion: to authorize the Town Administrator to deny hardship applications if they…Passed Unanimous, 2 present · see note
January 27, 2023: Authorize the Town Administrator to deny hardship applications if they do not meet the minimum guidelines, without Board approval
To authorize the Town Administrator to deny hardship applications if they do not meet the minimum guidelines, without Board approval. This motion is then.
The minutes name Bradford N. Morse as the mover, but do not list this member as present at this point.
From the minutes
“Motion: Select Board Member Morse makes a motion to authorize the Town Administrator to deny hardship applications if they do not meet the minimum guidelines, without Board approval. This motion is then seconded by Select Board Member Ciaburri. All members of the Board are in favor, the motion passes unanimously..” (second: Ciaburri)
Oct 3Appoint Adam Murphy to the Public Safety Building Feasibility…Motion: to appoint Adam Murphy to the Public Safety Building Feasibility Study…Failed 0–2 · see note
October 3, 2022: Appoint Adam Murphy to the Public Safety Building Feasibility Study Committee
To appoint Adam Murphy to the Public Safety Building Feasibility Study Committee. This motion is then.
The minutes give a count of 0-2 but name Paul Ciaburri as abstaining, which does not match, so we show the count only, not how each member voted.
From the minutes
“Motion: Select Board Member Ciaburri then makes a motion to appoint Adam Murphy to the Public Safety Building Feasibility Study Committee. This motion is then seconded by Select Board Member Morse. Discussion then ensues over Mr. Murphy's eligibility to be appointed to the Committee. The motion fails with a 0:2 vote; Select Board Member Ciaburri abstains..” (Motion: Ciaburri, second: Morse)
Aug 8Appoint Debra Lalli to the Board of AssessorsMotion: to appoint Debra Lalli to the Board of Assessors. This motion…Failed 0–3 · No: Ciaburri, Hartley, Morse
August 8, 2022: Appoint Debra Lalli to the Board of Assessors
To appoint Debra Lalli to the Board of Assessors. This motion is.
No: Ciaburri, Hartley, MorseJoint vote with the Board of Assessors to fill an Assessors vacancy. The motion was made by Assessors member Knapp. Roll call: Knapp and Cavanaugh (Assessors) Aye; Ciaburri, Morse and Hartley Nay. The motion failed. Only the Select Board members' votes are shown.
From the minutes
“Member Knapp makes a motion to appoint Debra Lalli to the Board of Assessors. This motion is seconded by Board of Assessors Member Cavanaugh. Roll Call Vote: _ Knapp- Aye, Cavanaugh- Aye, Ciaburri- Nay, Morse- Nay, Hartley- Nay. Motion fails.”
Aug 8Appoint Suzanne Szyndlar to the Board of Assessors with…Motion: to appoint Suzanne Szyndlar to the Board of Assessors with a…Passed Unanimous, 3 present · see note
August 8, 2022: Appoint Suzanne Szyndlar to the Board of Assessors with a term to expire May 24", 2023
To appoint Suzanne Szyndlar to the Board of Assessors with a term to expire May 24", 2023. This motion is.
Joint vote with the Board of Assessors, which passed 3-2 counting both boards: Ciaburri, Morse and Hartley Aye; Assessors members Knapp and Cavanaugh Nay. Only the Select Board members' votes are shown.
From the minutes
“Motion: Select Board Member Morse makes a motion to appoint Suzanne Szyndlar to the Board of Assessors with a term to expire May 24", 2023. This motion is seconded by Board Member Ciaburri. Roll Call Vote: Knapp- Nay, Cavanaugh- Nay, Ciaburri- Aye, Morse- Aye, Hartley- Aye. Motion passes with a 3:2 vote..” (Motion: Morse, second: Ciaburri)
From the Rochester Select Board’s official minutes, posted in the town’s Document Center and Agenda Center. We check every vote against the members present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials.
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