MassVoter.com← SwanseaMunicipal votes · 2026–2027 Board
Swansea Board of Selectmen
How the Swansea Board of Selectmen voted, from the Board of Selectmen’s official minutes. 3 Selectmen elected townwide. Alanna B. Solitro joined the board in April 2026. Covers 14 meetings so far, April 14 to September 15, 2026.
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 budgetVote Transparency Score
Swansea Board of Selectmen: 6 out of 10 · Partly open
How easy Swansea makes it to see, online, how each member votes. It scores the town’s records, not any official. Checked October 3, 2026.
- Minutes postedMinutes are posted for every meeting more than three months old.Full points: 2/2
- Each vote namedMost votes are recorded as unanimous; split votes usually say only “passes by majority,” with names only on some roll calls.Part points: 1/3
- Posted quicklyMinutes usually go up within about three weeks.Full points: 2/2
- Past years onlineBoard of Selectmen minutes from 2020 to today are online.Full points: 1/1
- Readable textMany of the past year’s minutes are scanned images, so you can’t search or copy the text.No points: 0/1
- Member photosThe Board of Selectmen page shows no member photos.No points: 0/1
How the town can raise its score
- Each vote named (+2): 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 (+1): 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
MassVoter can’t read Swansea’s meeting calendar automatically yet. See upcoming meetings on the official site →
What Town Meeting decided
In Swansea, 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.
Special Town Meeting · October 28, 2024 15 votes: 15 passed
- Art. 1 Appropriate $25,000 by taxation as grant match for Hailes Hill Road culvert upgrade design Passed “Motion carried by a Majority.”
- Art. 2 Appropriate $130,000 from free cash for a Highway Department skid steer and attachments Passed “Motion passes by a simple Majority. · 266-YES 238-No”
- Art. 3 Appropriate $20,000 by taxation for police speed control signage Passed “Motion carried by a Majority.”
- Art. 4 Appropriate $15.9 million for town offices construction: $1.8M Capital Stabilization, $10.6M free cash, borrow up to $3.5M Passed “Motion passes by a 2/3’s Majority. · 408-YES 141-NO”
- Art. 5 Appropriate $200,000 by taxation for school security assessments, training and studies Passed “Motion carried by a Majority.”
- Art. 6 Spend $30,000 of CPA reserves for Seekonk Land Conservation Trust monitoring of 1100 Bark Street restriction Passed “Motion carried by a Majority.”
- Art. 7 Grant underground utility easement at 81 Main Street to Massachusetts Electric for $1 or less Passed “Motion carried by a 2/3’s Majority (voice vote).”
- Art. 8 Zoning: replace accessory apartment rules with accessory dwelling unit (ADU) rules Passed “Motion is carried by a Majority.”
- Art. 9 General bylaw: revise dog licensing deadlines and fees; no fee for owners 70 and older Passed “Motion carried by a Majority.”
- Art. 10 General bylaw: replace Town Clerk fee schedule Passed “Motion carried by a Majority.”
- Art. 11 General bylaw: make Tree Warden an appointed position (Board of Selectmen) Passed “Motion carried by a Majority.”
- Art. 12 Accept Johemi Trail and Linda Way (Diamond Ledge) as public ways Passed “Motion carried by a Majority.”
- Art. 13 Accept Buckingham Drive (Buckingham Estates) as a public way Passed “Motion carried by a Majority.”
- Art. 14 Accept Kayleigh Court as a public way Passed “Motion carried Unanimously.”
- Art. 15 Accept Keith Circle and Kyle Court as public ways Passed “Motion carried by a Majority.”
Source: Town Clerk's certification of the October 28, 2024 Special Town Meeting.
Annual Town Meeting · May 20, 2024 39 votes: 33 passed, 6 failed
- Art. 1 Hear the report of the Advisory & Finance Committee Passed “Motion carried Unanimously.”
- Art. 2 Accept reports of Town Officers and Committees; waive reading Passed “Motion carried Unanimously.”
- Art. 3 Confirm Moderator appointments of five members to the Advisory and Finance Committee through 2027 Passed “Motion carried by a Majority.”
- Art. 4 Fix salaries of elected Town officers for FY2025 (e.g., Town Clerk $83,281; Treasurer $98,968) Passed “Motion carried by a Majority.”
- Art. 5 FY2025 operating budget, line items 1-109: $46,328,124 by taxation plus $25,786 from Beach Receipts Reserved Passed “Motion carried by a Majority.”
- Art. 6 Authorize Selectmen to accept and contract for state/county funds for roads, bikeways and waterways Passed “Motion carried Unanimously.”
- Art. 7 Appropriate $8,965,076 by taxation for Town and employee insurance Passed “Motion carried Unanimously.”
- Art. 8 Appropriate $60,500 by taxation for the annual audit Passed “Motion carried by a Majority.”
- Art. 9 Appropriate $70,000 by taxation for tax title expenses Passed “Motion carried Unanimously.”
- Art. 10 Set FY2025 spending limits for five revolving funds Passed “Motion carried Unanimously.”
- Art. 11 Appropriate $2,333,520.81 for the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund Passed “Motion carried Unanimously.”
- Art. 12 FY2025 Community Preservation budget: admin expenses, reserves and Medeiros Farm debt service Passed “Motion carried Unanimously.”
- Art. 13 Spend $45,000 of CPA reserves for Wildlands Trust monitoring of three conservation restrictions Passed “Motion carried Unanimously.”
- Art. 14 Appropriate $200,000 by taxation for three police cruisers with equipment Passed “Motion carried by a Majority.”
- Art. 15 Appropriate $42,000 by taxation for police bullet proof vests and related equipment Passed “Motion carried Unanimously.”
- Art. 16 Appropriate $125,000 by taxation for turnout gear for volunteer firefighters Passed “Motion carried Unanimously.”
- Art. 17 Appropriate $80,000 by taxation for a Fire Department Ford Expedition and equipment Passed “Motion carried by a Majority.”
- Art. 18 Transfer $30,000 from free cash for paving at Fire Stations 1 and 2 Passed “Motion carried Unanimously.”
- Art. 19 Transfer $110,000 from free cash for flood barriers at Old Providence Road Failed “Motion was defeated by a Majority.”
- Art. 20 Transfer $130,000 from free cash for a Highway Department skid steer Failed “Motion was defeated by a Majority.”
- Art. 21 Transfer $372,000 from free cash for a Highway Western Star truck with swap loader system Failed “Motion was defeated by a Majority.”
- Art. 22 Transfer $25,000 from free cash for e-Permitting software Passed “Motion was carried by a Majority.”
- Art. 23 Appropriate $250,000 by taxation for study and design of Gardner Neck Rd/Route 103 intersection improvements Failed “Motion was defeated. · YES – 170. NO – 175.”
- Art. 24 Transfer $52,500 from free cash to expand Vinnicum Cemetery Passed “Motion carried by a Majority.”
- Art. 25 Transfer $2 million from free cash to renovate and restore the Gardner House at Swansea Memorial Park Failed “Motion is defeated. · YES-111. NO-227.”
- Art. 26 Transfer $85,000 from free cash to demolish the Gardner House and regrade at Swansea Memorial Park Passed “Motion passes. · YES-204. NO-92.”
- Art. 27 Appropriate $500,000 by taxation: $250,000 each to Stabilization and Capital Stabilization Funds Passed “Motion carried by a Majority.”
- Art. 28 Appropriate $250,000 by taxation for the OPEB Liability Trust Fund Passed “Motion carried by a Majority.”
- Art. 29 Appropriate $86,000 by taxation for the firefighters Length of Service Awards Program Passed “Motion carried by a Majority.”
- Art. 30 Home rule petition to allow up to six more all-alcohol on-premises licenses in the Swansea Mall area Passed “Motion carried Unanimously.”
- Art. 31 General bylaw: remove appointed board members who miss three straight or 25% of meetings Passed “Motion carried Unanimously.”
- Art. 32 General bylaw: let Treasurer, with Selectmen approval, sell tax-title land without further Town Meeting vote Passed “Motion carried by a Majority.”
- Art. 33 General bylaw: rewrite dumping ban and add ban on discharging water onto public ways, with fines Passed “Motion carried by a Majority.”
- Art. 34 General bylaw: replace rules on construction in public ways (driveway and excavation permits, surety, fines) Passed “Motion passes. · YES-134. NO-95.”
- Art. 35 Accept emergency access easement over 57 Main Street for Town Hall/library land, as gift or for $1 Passed “Motion carried by a 2/3’s declared Majority.”
- Art. 36 Accept High Hill Road and White Rock Lane as public ways Passed “Motion carried by a Majority.”
- Art. 37 Accept Keith Circle and Kyle Court as public ways Failed “Motion is defeated by a Majority.”
- Art. 38 Appropriate and borrow $21,600,000 for Phase 1A Route 6/Route 118 wastewater collection system Passed “Motion passes. · YES-241. NO-26.”
- Art. 39 Accept MGL c.44 §53F½ to establish Sewer Services enterprise fund from FY2025 Passed “Motion is carried Unanimously.”
Source: Town Clerk's certification of the May 20, 2024 Annual Town Meeting.
Not here yet: the Special Town Meeting held May 20, 2024 alongside the Annual Town Meeting, the May 19, 2025 Annual and Special Town Meetings, and any 2026 Town Meetings; no results for these were posted online that we could reach.
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
Vice-ChairRobert C. MedeirosVice Chairman · Elected townwide · at 14 of 14 meetings
Alanna B. SolitroClerk · Elected townwide · at 13 of 14 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
22 full-board meetings so far this year, through September 15. Ties share a rank.
1Michael K. Beaudette22 of 22 meetings Every meeting100%1Robert C. Medeiros22 of 22 meetings Every meeting100%1Steven H. Kitchin8 of 8 meetings · served until Apr Every meeting100%4Alanna B. Solitro13 of 14 meetings · served from Apr93%24 full-board meetings in 2025. Ties share a rank.
1Steven H. Kitchin24 of 24 meetings Every meeting100%1Robert C. Medeiros24 of 24 meetings Every meeting100%3Michael K. Beaudette23 of 24 meetings96%31 full-board meetings in 2024. Ties share a rank.
1Robert C. Medeiros31 of 31 meetings Every meeting100%1Michael K. Beaudette23 of 23 meetings · served from Apr Every meeting100%1Christopher R. Carreiro8 of 8 meetings · served until Apr Every meeting100%4Steven H. Kitchin28 of 31 meetings90%23 full-board meetings in 2023. Ties share a rank.
1Christopher R. Carreiro22 of 23 meetings96%1Steven H. Kitchin22 of 23 meetings96%3Robert C. Medeiros21 of 23 meetings91%25 full-board meetings in 2022. Ties share a rank.
1Steven H. Kitchin25 of 25 meetings Every meeting100%1Robert C. Medeiros18 of 18 meetings · served from Apr Every meeting100%1Derek W. Heim7 of 7 meetings · served until Mar Every meeting100%4Christopher R. Carreiro23 of 25 meetings92%26 full-board meetings in 2021. Ties share a rank.
1Derek W. Heim26 of 26 meetings Every meeting100%1Steven H. Kitchin26 of 26 meetings Every meeting100%3Christopher R. Carreiro23 of 26 meetings88%33 full-board meetings in 2020. Ties share a rank.
1Christopher R. Carreiro33 of 33 meetings Every meeting100%1Derek W. Heim33 of 33 meetings Every meeting100%1Steven H. Kitchin33 of 33 meetings Every meeting100%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
Not here yet: the town has posted Board of Selectmen minutes online only from January 2020, and some meetings have an agenda but no minutes online. Several minutes from 2020 to 2022 and 2026 are scanned documents, which we read with text recognition. Most votes are recorded as unanimous. When only two Selectmen are present, the minutes often say a motion “passed by a majority” without saying how each voted; those votes are noted and individual votes are not shown. Votes by other boards at joint meetings (such as the Sewer Commission, Planning Board or Water District) 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 5Appoint Mr. Jonah Creaney to Cable Access Production Manager…Motion: to appoint Mr. Jonah Creaney to Cable Access Production Manager with…Passed · see note
May 5, 2026: Appoint Mr. Jonah Creaney to Cable Access Production Manager with an effective date of June 1, 2026. VOTE TO APPOINT PART-TIME PRODUCTION COORDINATOR, EFFECTIVE MAY 11, 2026 Mr. Colby Molleo…
To appoint Mr. Jonah Creaney to Cable Access Production Manager with an effective date of June 1, 2026. VOTE TO APPOINT PART-TIME PRODUCTION COORDINATOR, EFFECTIVE MAY 11, 2026 Mr. Colby Molleo of Attleboro was selected as the proposed appointee but was not present for the appointment. Mr. Medeiros stated that the Cable Access Channel has experienced an increase in meetings and that there is a significant amount of production work taking place behind the scenes within the Swansea community
The minutes do not record a vote for this motion.
From the minutes
“MOTION made by Mr. Medeiros, seconded by Ms. Solitro to appoint Mr. Jonah Creaney to Cable Access Production Manager with an effective date of June 1, 2026. VOTE TO APPOINT PART-TIME PRODUCTION COORDINATOR, EFFECTIVE MAY 11, 2026 Mr. Colby Molleo of Attleboro was selected as the proposed appointee but was not present for the appointment. Mr. Medeiros stated that the Cable Access Channel has experienced an increase in meetings and that there is a significant amount of production work taking place behind the scenes within the Swansea community..” (Motion: Medeiros, second: Solitro)
From the Swansea Board of Selectmen’s official minutes, posted on the town’s website. We check every vote against the Selectmen present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades officials; votes and attendance are shown exactly as the minutes record them. Photos: Alanna Solitro, a still from her Swansea Cable Access Television candidate video (2026); Robert Medeiros, from his campaign Facebook page (Robert Medeiros Swansea Selectman).
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