MassVoter.com← RocklandMunicipal votes · 2026–2027 Board
Rockland Select Board
How the Rockland Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide. Same five members; Michael O'Loughlin and John Ellard were re-elected on April 11, 2026. On July 14, 2026 the board kept Mr. O'Loughlin as Chair and Lori Childs as Vice Chair. Covers 8 meetings so far, April 21 to September 1, 2026.
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 Rockland ballot: 13 quizzes, about a minute each.
Start my ballot →Vote Transparency Score
Rockland Select Board: 7.5 out of 10 · Mostly open
How easy Rockland makes it to see, online, how each member votes. It scores the town’s records, not any official. Checked October 4, 2026.
- Minutes postedMinutes are posted for nearly every meeting more than three months old.Full points: 2/2
- Each vote namedThe minutes name the members who voted no, but not each member’s yes vote.Part points: 2/3
- Posted quicklyMinutes usually go up within a few weeks.Full points: 2/2
- Past years onlineSelect Board minutes from 2014 to today are online.Full points: 1/1
- Readable textMost of the past year’s minutes are scanned images, so you can’t search or copy the text.No points: 0/1
- Member photosThe town’s website shows a group photo that names every member, but no individual photos.Part points: 0.5/1
How the town can raise its score
- Each vote named (+1): On any vote that isn’t unanimous, write how each member voted. For example: “Motion passed 3–2. Yes: Smith, Jones, Lee. No: Brown, Silva.” A roll call on split votes is the simplest way to do this.
- Readable text (+1): Save minutes straight from Word or Google Docs as a PDF instead of printing and scanning them. If a scan is needed, turn on the scanner’s “searchable PDF” or text-recognition setting.
- Member photos (+0.5): Show a photo of each member on the board’s web page, with their name, the date their term ends and how to contact them. A group photo of the members, with everyone named in the caption or on the same page, earns half a point.
How we score · Something wrong, or has the town made a change? Email info@massvoter.com and we’ll re-check.
A monthly email on its votes, starting in November. We'll also tell you if this score changes.
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 Rockland, 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 · May 5, 2025 5 votes: 5 passed
- Art. 1 Pay $325 in prior-year unpaid bills Passed “The Town UNANIMOUSLY voted”
- Art. 2 Transfer $350,000 for the FY2025 snow and ice deficit Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 3 Move $500,000 from May 2024 Art. 36 to the FY2025 school budget for out-of-district costs Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 4 Take $30,000 from water fund balance for storage tank cleaning Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 5 Community Preservation: $9,850 more for the Bicentennial Park track feasibility study Passed “The Town voted”
Annual Town Meeting · May 5, 2025 38 votes: 33 passed, 4 passed as amended, 1 other
- Art. 1 Elect the listed town officers at the Annual Town Election Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 2 Set FY2026 salaries of elected officers Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 3 FY2026 General Fund operating budget of $82,612,389 Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 4 Water Department enterprise budget of $4,605,398.03 (Abington/Rockland Joint Water Works) Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 5 Water capital projects: $1,012,500 from water fund balance Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 6 Sewer enterprise budget of $4,402,710.64 Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 7 Appropriate $22,000,000 for wastewater treatment plant improvements (borrowing) Passed “The Town UNANIMOUSLY appropriated”
- Art. 8 Sewer capital projects: $225,000 from sewer fund balance Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 9 Appropriate $10,000 for valuation and appraisal software Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 10 Appropriate $75,000 for Town capital projects Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 11 Appropriate $95,000 for a Cemetery Department dump truck Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 12 Appropriate $801,000 for Fire Department equipment Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 13 Appropriate $400,000 for Highway Department projects Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 14 Appropriate $45,200 for network switch replacements Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 15 Appropriate $30,000 for Parks Department projects Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 16 Appropriate $30,000 to update the Open Space and Recreation Plan Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 17 Appropriate $264,754 for Police Department capital projects Passed “The Town UNANIMOUSLY voted”
- Art. 18 Appropriate $8,000 for a Recreation equipment trailer Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 19 Appropriate $790,000 for School Department expenses Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 20 Add a new Water Department revolving fund to the by-laws Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 21 Add a new Tax Title revolving fund to the by-laws Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 22 Set FY2026 spending limits for revolving funds Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 23 Appropriate $26,100,000 for a new Fire Station (debt exclusion) Passed “The Town UNANIMOUSLY appropriated”
- Art. 24 Appropriate $2,000,000 for a new fire ladder truck (capital exclusion) Passed “The Town UNANIMOUSLY appropriated”
- Art. 25 Ask the Legislature to replace the Town Charter with a new charter (amended) Passed as amended “The Town voted as amended”
- Art. 26 Use $160,000 from opioid settlement funds for a police co-responder/clinician role and related grants Passed “The Town UNANIMOUSLY voted”
- Art. 27 Accept the HERO Act yearly cost-of-living increase for veterans' tax abatements (Clause 22I) Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 28 Accept the HERO Act additional veterans' tax exemption (Clause 22J) Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 29 Accept Clause 56: property tax relief for National Guard and reservists on active duty Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 30 Accept M.G.L. c. 33, § 59 on pay and leave for town employees in military service Other “The Town will vote to accept”
- Art. 31 Community Preservation: $31,936 for committee expenses and reserves for history, housing, open space and budget Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 32 Community Preservation: $3,000,000 to replace the Bicentennial Track ($750,000 CPA funds, $2,250,000 borrowed) Passed “The Town UNANIMOUSLY appropriated”
- Art. 33 Community Preservation: $2,200 for microfiche of historical Town documents Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 34 Community Preservation: $110,000 for a generator at Garden Terrace affordable housing Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 35 Community Preservation: $20,000 for Beal Cemetery improvements Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 36 Zoning: accessory structure setback rules (Sec. 415-22.B(4)), amended Passed as amended “The Town UNANIMOUSLY voted as amended”
- Art. 37 Zoning: accessory dwelling unit rules, amended Passed as amended “The Town UNANIMOUSLY voted as amended”
- Art. 38 Zoning: lots in common ownership (new Sec. 415-24.G), amended Passed as amended “The Town UNANIMOUSLY voted as amended”
Special Town Meeting · November 20, 2024 11 votes: 11 passed
- Art. 1 Add $192,621 (state aid) to the FY2025 school budget Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 2 Appropriate $2,371.25 to correct the FY2025 Assistant Town Administrator salary line Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 3 Community Preservation: $10,728 to preserve and digitize GAR Hall historic documents Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 4 Community Preservation: $17,600 for Phase III of the Tramp House Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 5 Community Preservation: $60,000 to restore headstones at the Old Town Cemetery Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 6 Community Preservation: $75,000 more for an ADA park on the Rail Trail near Union Square Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 7 Take $100,000 from the water capital stabilization fund for generator repairs Passed “The Town unanimously voted”
- Art. 8 Raise FY2025 revolving fund spending limits by $500,000 (sewer) Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 9 Approve the amended South Shore Regional Vocational School District agreement Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 10 Take $1,000 for Plymouth County Outreach program dues (Police) Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 11 Amend May 2024 Art. 34: use the $500,000 to move the Recreation center and school daycare to the Esten School Passed “The Town voted”
Special Town Meeting · May 6, 2024 7 votes: 6 passed, 1 no action
- Art. 1 Pay $3,389.03 in prior-year unpaid bills (school compactor) Passed “The Town UNANIMOUSLY voted”
- Art. 2 Transfer $260,000 for the FY2024 snow and ice deficit Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 3 Re-vote $554,102.86 in free cash items from the Nov 7, 2023 Special Town Meeting, as the state requires Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 4 Add $200,000 for the Police Station roof and HVAC project No action “The Town voted to PASS OVER”
- Art. 5 Appropriate $400,000 for unexpected FY2024 special education costs Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 6 Appropriate $50,000 for two student transportation vans Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 7 Transfer $250,000 for contract buyouts and retirement leave payouts Passed “The Town voted”
Annual Town Meeting · May 6, 2024 47 votes: 43 passed, 1 failed, 3 no action
- Art. 1 Elect the listed town officers at the Annual Town Election Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 2 Set FY2025 salaries of elected officers Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 3 FY2025 General Fund operating budget of $78,876,907 Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 4 Raise $17,500 for the OPEB trust fund Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 5 Raise $17,500 for the General Stabilization Fund Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 6 Transfer $150,000 to the Capital Stabilization Fund Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 7 Add a new Parks Department revolving fund to the by-laws Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 8 Set FY2025 spending limits for revolving funds Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 9 Water Department enterprise budget of $4,605,297 (Abington/Rockland Joint Water Works) Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 10 Sewer enterprise budget of $3,945,551 Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 11 Community Preservation: $32,167.28 for committee expenses and reserves for history, housing, open space and budget Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 12 Community Preservation: $20,000 for a Bicentennial Park track feasibility study Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 13 Community Preservation: $40,000 for a new Veterans' 24 Tree Memorial No action “The Town voted to PASS OVER”
- Art. 14 Community Preservation: $9,500 to preserve and digitize GAR Hall historic documents No action “The Town voted to PASS OVER”
- Art. 15 Community Preservation: $16,000 for Phase III of the Tramp House No action “The Town voted to PASS OVER”
- Art. 16 Water capital projects: $983,000 from water fund balance Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 17 Sewer capital projects: $415,000 from sewer fund balance Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 18 Appropriate and borrow $12,500,000 for wastewater treatment improvements Passed “The Town UNANIMOUSLY vote”
- Art. 19 Allow a five-year operation and maintenance contract for the wastewater plant Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 20 Allow five-year school transportation contracts, with one five-year extension Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 21 Appropriate $75,000 for Town capital projects Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 22 Appropriate $10,000 for action on derelict properties Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 23 Appropriate $10,000 for an ADA accessible front door at the Senior Center Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 24 Appropriate $152,000 for police and fire active shooter response training Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 25 Appropriate $265,000 for Fire Department equipment Passed “The Town UNANIMOUSLY voted”
- Art. 26 Appropriate $90,000 for Recycling Center garage improvements Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 27 Appropriate $1,555,000 for Highway Department capital projects Passed “The Town UNANIMOUSLY voted”
- Art. 28 Appropriate $40,000 for human resources software Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 29 Appropriate $70,000 for Public Library capital improvements Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 30 Appropriate $134,500 for Parks Department capital expenses Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 31 Appropriate $25,000 to update the Town's Housing Production Plan Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 32 Appropriate $355,711 for Police Department capital expenses Passed “The Town UNANIMOUSLY voted”
- Art. 33 Appropriate $155,000 for McKinley Community Center improvements Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 34 Allow leasing private space for a Recreation community center; $500,000 from free cash for equipment and improvements Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 35 Appropriate $11,000 for a portable stage Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 36 Appropriate $1,482,605 for School Department expenses Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 37 Appropriate $16,000 for time and attendance software Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 38 Raise the senior tax work-off abatement maximum to $1,000 Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 39 Ask the Legislature to replace the Town Charter with a new charter Failed “The Town voted NOT”
- Art. 40 Zoning: establish an MBTA Communities Mixed-Use Development District Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 41 Zoning: add the purpose of the MBTA Communities Mixed-Use Development District Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 42 Zoning map: rezone part of the Industrial-Hotel District to the MBTA Communities Mixed-Use District Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 43 Zoning: special permit reference for the MBTA Communities Mixed-Use District Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 44 Zoning: add the MBTA Communities Mixed-Use District rules (new Sec. 415-21.6) Passed “The Town voted”
- Art. 45 Zoning: update the Floodplain Overlay District to the July 6, 2021 flood maps Passed “The Town UNANIMOUSLY voted”
- Art. 46 Zoning: replace Floodplain Overlay District subsection O Passed “The Town UNANIMOUSLY voted”
- Art. 47 Zoning: replace Floodplain Overlay District subsection R Passed “The Town UNANIMOUSLY voted”
Not here yet: the May 4, 2026 Annual Town Meeting (the Clerk's record will be in the 2026 Town Report, not out yet; no minutes are posted).
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
ChairMichael P. O'LoughlinChair · Elected townwide · at 8 of 8 meetings✓ Every meeting 2026
Vice-ChairLori ChildsVice Chair · Elected townwide · at 8 of 8 meetings
John J. Ellard, Jr.Member · Elected townwide · at 7 of 8 meetings
Tiffanie NeedhamMember · Elected townwide · at 6 of 8 meetings
Steven G. O'Donnell, Jr.Member · Elected townwide · at 7 of 8 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.
Attendance
16 full-board meetings so far this year, through September 1. Ties share a rank.
1Lori Childs16 of 16 meetings Every meeting100%1Michael P. O'Loughlin16 of 16 meetings Every meeting100%3John J. Ellard, Jr.15 of 16 meetings94%3Steven G. O'Donnell, Jr.15 of 16 meetings94%5Tiffanie Needham12 of 16 meetings75%20 full-board meetings in 2025. Ties share a rank.
1Lori Childs20 of 20 meetings Every meeting100%1John J. Ellard, Jr.20 of 20 meetings Every meeting100%1Steven G. O'Donnell, Jr.14 of 14 meetings · served from Apr Every meeting100%4Michael P. O'Loughlin19 of 20 meetings95%5Tiffanie Needham17 of 20 meetings85%6Donna Shortall4 of 6 meetings · served until Apr67%23 full-board meetings in 2024. Ties share a rank.
1John J. Ellard, Jr.23 of 23 meetings Every meeting100%2Lori Childs22 of 23 meetings96%2Michael P. O'Loughlin22 of 23 meetings96%4Tiffanie Needham20 of 23 meetings87%5Donna Shortall15 of 23 meetings65%24 full-board meetings in 2023. Ties share a rank.
1John J. Ellard, Jr.17 of 17 meetings · served from Apr Every meeting100%2Lori Childs23 of 24 meetings96%2Michael P. O'Loughlin23 of 24 meetings96%4Tiffanie Needham22 of 24 meetings92%5Kara Nyman6 of 7 meetings · served until Apr86%6Donna Shortall19 of 24 meetings79%23 full-board meetings in 2022. Ties share a rank.
1Michael P. O'Loughlin21 of 23 meetings91%2Lori Childs14 of 16 meetings · served from Apr88%3Rich Penney6 of 7 meetings · served until Apr86%3Larry J. Ryan6 of 7 meetings · served until Apr86%5Tiffanie Needham19 of 23 meetings83%6Kara Nyman18 of 23 meetings78%7Donna Shortall12 of 16 meetings · served from Apr75%23 full-board meetings in 2021. Ties share a rank.
1Michael P. O'Loughlin23 of 23 meetings Every meeting100%2Larry J. Ryan22 of 23 meetings96%3Michael P. Mullen, Jr.7 of 8 meetings · served until Apr88%4Kara Nyman20 of 23 meetings87%4Rich Penney20 of 23 meetings87%6Tiffanie Needham13 of 15 meetings · served from Apr87%23 full-board meetings in 2020. Ties share a rank.
1Michael P. O'Loughlin23 of 23 meetings Every meeting100%2Michael P. Mullen, Jr.22 of 23 meetings96%2Larry J. Ryan22 of 23 meetings96%4Rich Penney21 of 23 meetings91%5Kara Nyman20 of 23 meetings87%27 full-board meetings in 2019. Ties share a rank.
1Kara Nyman27 of 27 meetings Every meeting100%1Larry J. Ryan27 of 27 meetings Every meeting100%3Michael P. O'Loughlin26 of 27 meetings96%4Michael P. Mullen, Jr.25 of 27 meetings93%5Rich Penney23 of 27 meetings85%32 full-board meetings in 2018. Ties share a rank.
1Michael P. Mullen, Jr.32 of 32 meetings Every meeting100%1Kara Nyman4 of 4 meetings · served from Nov100%1Rich Penney4 of 4 meetings · served from Nov100%4Larry J. Ryan30 of 32 meetings94%5Michael P. O'Loughlin29 of 32 meetings91%6Edward F. Kimball19 of 22 meetings · served until Jul86%7Deirdre Hall13 of 19 meetings · served until Jun68%From the official minutes: full-board meetings only (committee meetings are not counted). Members are counted only for meetings held while they served, and arriving late counts as attending. The minutes rarely say why a member was absent.
A monthly email on its votes and who was there, starting in November.
Meetings
About missing minutes
Loaded: every Select Board meeting with minutes on the town website from January 2, 2018 through September 1, 2026 (211 meetings). Not here: minutes from before 2018 (the town has posted them back to 2014), executive-session minutes, the board's sessions on Town Meeting nights (no minutes posted), about ten other meetings that have an agenda but no posted minutes (among them March 15, May 17 and June 21, 2022, June 28, 2024, and November 4, 2025, whose minutes the board approved on November 18, 2025), and minutes after September 1, 2026, which the town has not posted yet. The board was called the Board of Selectmen until 2024. Nearly every Rockland minutes file is a scan, which we read by computer text recognition, so a few quoted words keep small reading errors. The minutes list the mover, the seconder and the result for each motion. Most votes are recorded as "Unanimous approval" or as a count such as "passed 5-0"; for a split vote the minutes usually name only the member who voted no or abstained, for example "4-1 (Ellard)". When the minutes say a vote was unanimous, or give a count that equals the members present with no one opposed, we show every member present as voting yes. When they give a count and name the members who voted no or abstained, and the count matches the members present, we show each member’s vote. Where the minutes give only a count without names, or the names and count do not match, we show the count or the result only and add a note. About 250 motions (mostly 2019 to 2024) are recorded only as "Roll Call Vote" with no result and no names, and a few have no vote written down at all; those are not included, since the minutes do not say how they came out. Most 2018 minutes do not list who attended; they list the whole board and note any member who was absent, so we count every other member as present. Votes by other boards at joint meetings (School Committee, Planning Board, Library Trustees, Sewer and Water Commissioners) 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.
May 19Approve early opening for On-Premises Alcohol and Beer/Wine Licenses…Motion: to approve early opening for On-Premises Alcohol and Beer/Wine Licenses for…Passed 4–1 · No: Ellard
May 19, 2026: Approve early opening for On-Premises Alcohol and Beer/Wine Licenses for 8:00am, between 6/11/26-7/19/26, only on the days of a scheduled World Cup Soccer game
To approve early opening for On-Premises Alcohol and Beer/Wine Licenses for 8:00am, between 6/11/26-7/19/26, only on the days of a scheduled World Cup Soccer game
Yes: Childs, Needham, O'Donnell, O'LoughlinNo: Ellard
From the minutes
“MOTION to approve early opening for On-Premises Alcohol and Beer/Wine Licenses for 8:00am, between 6/11/26-7/19/26, only on the days of a scheduled World Cup Soccer game, by Mr. O'Donnell, 2 nd by Ms. Needham. 4-1 (Ellard).” (Motion: O'Donnell, second: Needham)
From the Rockland Select Board’s official minutes, posted in the town’s Agenda Center. 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: Town of Rockland Annual Town Reports (2024 and 2025), captioned Select Board photos. 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 →