MassVoter.com← RocklandMunicipal votes · 2023–2024 Board
Rockland Select Board
How the Rockland Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide. John Ellard joined the board after the April 8, 2023 town election, replacing Kara Nyman; Michael O'Loughlin was re-elected. On July 11, 2023 the board chose Tiffanie Needham as Vice Chair and kept Mr. O'Loughlin as Chair. Covers 24 meetings, April 18 to April 2, 2024.
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 →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 23 of 24 meetings
Vice-ChairTiffanie NeedhamVice Chair · Elected townwide · at 21 of 24 meetings
Lori ChildsMember · Elected townwide · at 24 of 24 meetings
John J. Ellard, Jr.Member · Elected townwide · at 24 of 24 meetingsDonna ShortallMember · Elected townwide · at 16 of 24 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 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.
Jan 16Authorize Mr. Lapp to file waivers for all dispensariesMotion: to authorize Mr. Lapp to file waivers for all dispensariesPassed 4–0 · Abstained: Shortall
January 16, 2024: Authorize Mr. Lapp to file waivers for all dispensaries
To authorize Mr. Lapp to file waivers for all dispensaries
Yes: Childs, Ellard, Needham, O'LoughlinAbstained: Shortall
From the minutes
“MOTION to authorize Mr. Lapp to file waivers for all dispensaries, by Ms. Needham, 2™ by Ms. Childs. 4-0 (Shortall abstained).” (Motion: Needham, second: Childs)
Nov 3Approve Warrant W19A24H re: Emergency Management Department expenditures for…Motion: to approve Warrant W19A24H re: Emergency Management Department expenditures for Emergency…Passed 4–1 · No: Ellard
November 3, 2023: Approve Warrant W19A24H re: Emergency Management Department expenditures for Emergency Shelter
To approve Warrant W19A24H re: Emergency Management Department expenditures for Emergency Shelter
Yes: Childs, Needham, O'Loughlin, ShortallNo: Ellard
From the minutes
“MOTION to approve Warrant W19A24H re: Emergency Management Department expenditures for Emergency Shelter, by Ms. Needham, 24 by Ms. Childs 4-1 (Ellard)..” (Motion: Needham, second: Childs)
Oct 17Approve Entertainment and Common Victualler Licenses for Article XV…Motion: to approve Entertainment and Common Victualler Licenses for Article XV BrewingPassed Unanimous, 5 present · see note
October 17, 2023: Approve Entertainment and Common Victualler Licenses for Article XV Brewing
To approve Entertainment and Common Victualler Licenses for Article XV Brewing
The minutes name two seconders ("Mr. Ellard & Ms. Childs"); the first is shown.
From the minutes
“MOTION to approve Entertainment and Common Victualler Licenses for Article XV Brewing, by Ms. Needham, 2nd by Mr. Ellard & Ms. Childs Unanimous approval..” (Motion: Needham, second: Ellard)
Sep 5Approve the appointment of Thomas Lenane as a Rockland…Motion: to approve the appointment of Thomas Lenane as a Rockland ConstablePassed Unanimous, 5 present · see note
September 5, 2023: Approve the appointment of Thomas Lenane as a Rockland Constable
To approve the appointment of Thomas Lenane as a Rockland Constable
The minutes name two seconders ("Ms. Shortall and Ms. Childs"); the first is shown.
From the minutes
“MOTION to approve the appointment of Thomas Lenane as a Rockland Constable, by Ms. Needham, 2™ by Ms. Shortall and Ms. Childs. Unanimous approval..” (Motion: Needham, second: Shortall)
Aug 8Approve One Day Liquor Licenses as listedMotion: to approve One Day Liquor Licenses as listedPassed Unanimous, 5 present · see note
August 8, 2023: Approve One Day Liquor Licenses as listed
To approve One Day Liquor Licenses as listed
The minutes name two seconders ("Ms. Shortall & Childs"); the first is shown.
From the minutes
“MOTION to approve One Day Liquor Licenses as listed, by Ms. Needham, 2"! by Ms. Shortall & Childs. Unanimous approval..” (Motion: Needham, second: Shortall)
Aug 8Approve Common Victualler License for Mima's Cuban CaféMotion: to approve Common Victualler License for Mima's Cuban CaféPassed Unanimous, 5 present · see note
August 8, 2023: Approve Common Victualler License for Mima's Cuban Café
To approve Common Victualler License for Mima's Cuban Café
The minutes name two seconders ("Ms. Shortall & Childs"); the first is shown.
From the minutes
“MOTION to approve Common Victualler License for Mima's Cuban Café, by Ms. Needham, 2" by Ms. Shortall & Childs. Unanimous approval..” (Motion: Needham, second: Shortall)
Aug 8Approve Common Victualler License for Fab 5 Haitian BistroMotion: to approve Common Victualler License for Fab 5 Haitian BistroPassed Unanimous, 5 present · see note
August 8, 2023: Approve Common Victualler License for Fab 5 Haitian Bistro
To approve Common Victualler License for Fab 5 Haitian Bistro
The minutes name two seconders ("Ms. Shortall & Childs"); the first is shown.
From the minutes
“MOTION to approve Common Victualler License for Fab 5 Haitian Bistro, by Ms. Needham, 2" by Ms. Shortall & Childs. Unanimous approval..” (Motion: Needham, second: Shortall)
Aug 8Approve appointment Austin Clarke to the Fire Station Building…Motion: to approve appointment Austin Clarke to the Fire Station Building CommitteePassed Unanimous, 5 present · see note
August 8, 2023: Approve appointment Austin Clarke to the Fire Station Building Committee
To approve appointment Austin Clarke to the Fire Station Building Committee
The minutes name two seconders ("Ms. Shortall & Childs"); the first is shown.
From the minutes
“MOTION to approve appointment Austin Clarke to the Fire Station Building Committee, by Ms. Needham, 2" by Ms. Shortall & Childs. Unanimous approval..” (Motion: Needham, second: Shortall)
Aug 8Formally authorize the existing conditions of a revocable license…Motion: to formally authorize the existing conditions of a revocable license for…Passed Unanimous, 5 present · see note
August 8, 2023: Formally authorize the existing conditions of a revocable license for Southern Auto
To formally authorize the existing conditions of a revocable license for Southern Auto
The minutes name two seconders ("Ms. Shortall & Childs"); the first is shown.
From the minutes
“MOTION to formally authorize the existing conditions of a revocable license for Southern Auto, by Ms. Needham, 2™¢ by Ms. Shortall & Childs. Unanimous approval.” (Motion: Needham, second: Shortall)
Aug 8Adopt the Financial Policies- "Revenue Turnover" Section as recommendedMotion: to adopt the Financial Policies- "Revenue Turnover" Section as recommendedPassed 4–1 · No: Ellard
August 8, 2023: Adopt the Financial Policies- "Revenue Turnover" Section as recommended
To adopt the Financial Policies- "Revenue Turnover" Section as recommended
Yes: Childs, Needham, O'Loughlin, ShortallNo: Ellard
From the minutes
“MOTION to adopt the Financial Policies- "Revenue Turnover" Section as recommended, by Ms. Needham, 2" by Ms. Childs. 4-1 (Ellard)..” (Motion: Needham, second: Childs)
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.
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