How the Taunton Municipal Council voted, from the City Clerk's official minutes. 9 councilors, all elected at-large. Elected November 2017; took office January 2018. Council Presidents: Gerald Croteau (2018), Jeffrey Postell (2019). After Mayor Thomas C. Hoye, Jr. resigned, the council chose Councilor Donald Cleary as Mayor on November 23, 2019; Daniel Dermody was sworn in to his council seat November 26, 2019. Covers 111 meetings, January 9 to December 30, 2019.
A monthly email on what it voted on, starting in November.
What does the Municipal Council do? It is the city’s lawmaking body. It passes local laws (ordinances), votes on the yearly budget, and approves borrowing and zoning changes.
The mayor runs the city day to day and proposes the budget.
"At X of Y meetings" counts the roll call at the start of each meeting in this record. Councilors who step out are listed on each meeting page.
Meetings
About missing minutes
Covers January 2018 to today. The minutes are mostly scanned images; we read them with text recognition and checked every roll-call count against the councilors named. Inaugural ceremonies, which take no votes, are left out. Committee meetings are not included yet, except the January 5, 2026 Committee of the Whole meeting where the Council President was elected. A few motions were discussed but no vote is recorded in the minutes; those are left out.
Most council votes are unanimous. These are the ones where at least one councilor voted no or abstained, newest first.
Dec 30Councilor McCaul stated that last week in the Committee…Motion: to offer conditional employment to Michael Creamer and Nick Garnet subject…Passed · see note
December 30, 2019: Councilor McCaul stated that last week in the Committee on Police and License they : interviewed police officers.
ApprovePassed · Voice vote, names not recorded
To offer conditional employment to Michael Creamer and Nick Garnet subject to their physical and psychological
The minutes record a roll call but no count.
From the minutes
“Councilor McCaul made a motion to offer conditional employment to Michael Creamer and Nick Garnet subject to their physical and psychological. He asked that they be done on a roll call vote. Councilor Carr stated to the Assistant City Clerk that she doesn't think that those are normally done on a roll call vote, it is just to accept the recommendations..” (Motion: McCaul)
Dec 30Resolutions: City of Taunton FY2020 Supplemental Budget to be…Motion: to approve the final budgetFailed 3–3 · No: Carr, McCaul, Postell
December 30, 2019: Resolutions: City of Taunton FY2020 Supplemental Budget to be ordained on_a roll call vote A RESOLUTION OF APPROPRIATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020 SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MUNICIPAL…
“Councilor Borges made a motion to approve the final budget. On a roll call vote, six (6) Councilors present. Three (3) Councilors voting in favor, three (3) Councilors voting in opposition. Councilors Borges, Dermody and Croteau voting in favor, Councilors McCaul, Postell and Carr voting in opposition. MOTION DOES NOT CARRY..” (Motion: Borges)
Nov 23Filling the vacancy in the office of Mayor after…Motion: Roll call election of a Mayor to fill the vacancy for…Passed Ballot · see note
November 23, 2019 (Special meeting): Filling the vacancy in the office of Mayor after Mayor Thomas C. Hoye, Jr. resigned (nominees: Councilor Donald Cleary and Councilor Gerald Croteau)
Election by ballotPassed · Ballot
Roll call election of a Mayor to fill the vacancy for the rest of the term
Each councilor named one nominee: McCaul: Croteau; Postell: Croteau; Quinn: Cleary; Borges: Cleary; Carr: Croteau; Pottier: Cleary; Cleary: Cleary; Sanders: Cleary; Croteau: Croteau. Councilor Cleary received 5 votes and Councilor Croteau 4, and was sworn in as Mayor.
From the minutes
“Councilor McCaul voting for Councilor Croteau; Councilor Postell voting for Councilor Croteau; Councilor Quinn voting for Councilor Cleary; Councilor Borges voting for Councilor Cleary; Councilor Carr voting for Councilor Croteau; Councilor Pottier voting for Councilor Cleary; Councilor Cleary voting for Councilor Cleary; Councilor Sanders voting for Councilor Cleary; Councilor Croteau voting for Councilor Croteau. Acting Mayor Postell stated that it is a five (5) to four (4) vote in favor of Councilor Cleary to be named Honorable Mayor of the City of Taunton..”
Oct 22Com. from Chirag Patel, Manager, GTE Taunton, LLC which…Motion: to approve the transfer and amend the HCA for the change…Passed 5–4 · No: Carr, Croteau, McCaul, Postell
October 22, 2019: Com. from Chirag Patel, Manager, GTE Taunton, LLC which stated that they are excited to have another opportunity to conduct business in the City of Taunton
ApprovePassed · 5–4
To approve the transfer and amend the HCA for the change of address
“Motion was made to approve the transfer and amend the HCA for the change of address. On a roll call vote, nine (9) Councilors present, five (5) Councilors voting in favor. Four (4) Councilors voting in opposition. MOTION CARRIES. : Councilors Sanders, Cleary, Pottier, Borges, and Quinn voting in favor. Councilors Croteau, Carr, Postell and McCaul voting in opposition..”
“Motion was made to approve Peter Lamb. On a roll call vote, nine (9) Councilors present, eight (8) Councilors voting in favor and i Councilor Carr voting in opposition..”
“Motion was made to approve Brendan Mullen. On a roll call vote, nine (9) Councilors present, eight (8) Councilors voting in favor and Councilor Carr voting in opposition..”
“Motion was made to approve Bruce Thomas. On a roll call vote, nine (9) Councilors present, seven (7) Councilors voting in favor and Councilors Postell and Carr voting in opposition..”
“Councilor Pottier made a motion for the Council to endorse that recommendation. … On a roll call vote, nine (9) Councilors present, eight (8) Councilors voting in favor. Councilor Carr voting in opposition..” (Motion: Pottier)
“Councilor Postell made a motion to : deny the petition, Councilor Pottier asked if a yes vote will be to deny. Mayor Hoye confirmed. On a roll call vote, nine (9) Councilors present, five (5) Councilors . yoting in favor. Councilors Croteau, Carr, Postell and McCaul voting in favor. Councilors Sanders, Cleary, Borges, and Quinn voting in opposition..” (Motion: Postell)
“Councilor Sanders made a motion to approve the Special Permit to expire one year from today. Councilor Quinn added to the motion to incorporate all of the correspondence from all of the Boards, particularly the Planning Board. On a roll call vote, nine (9) Councilors present, seven (7) Councilors voting in favor and two (2) Councilors voting in opposition. Councilors Pottier and Carr voted in opposition..” (Motion: Sanders)
From the official minutes kept by the Taunton City Clerk (agendas and minutes). From the Taunton Municipal Council’s official minutes, posted in the city’s Agenda Center. Most items pass by voice (“So voted”), and the minutes record only the result for those; how each councilor voted is shown for roll calls. MassVoter never grades officials; votes and attendance are shown exactly as the minutes record them. MassVoter never grades officials; votes and attendance are shown exactly as the minutes record them. Councilor photos: City of Taunton Municipal Council page (taunton-ma.gov). Former councilors show initials.
MassVoter.com← Taunton
Deborah CarrCouncilor · At-large · at 100 of 111 meetingsDonald ClearyLeft the council November 23, 2019, when the council chose him as Mayor · At-large · at 91 of 104 meetings · until Nov 2019Daniel DermodySworn in November 26, 2019, to fill Donald Cleary’s seat · At-large · at 4 of 6 meetings · from Nov 2019
John McCaulCouncilor · At-large · at 101 of 111 meetingsJeffrey PostellCouncil President (2019) · At-large · at 98 of 111 meetings
David PottierCouncilor · At-large · at 103 of 111 meetingsJeanne QuinnCouncilor · At-large · at 106 of 111 meetings
Barry SandersCouncilor · At-large · at 104 of 111 meetings