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Taunton Municipal Council
How the Taunton Municipal Council voted, from the City Clerk's official minutes. 9 councilors, all elected at-large. Elected November 2021; sworn in January 3, 2022. Council Presidents: Phillip Duarte (2022), Kelly Dooner (2023). Covers 107 meetings, January 3 to December 26, 2023.
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.
Sources: Mass. General Laws c. 44 § 32 (city budgets)Council sessions
Coming up
- Tue, Oct 13City Council Agenda, October 13, 2026 →
- Tue, Oct 13City Council Committees →
From the agendas Taunton posts on its official site. Agendas can change; the posted agenda is the official one.
Councilors
Estele BorgesCouncilor · At-large · at 95 of 107 meetingsChristopher CouteCouncilor · At-large · at 93 of 107 meetings
Phillip DuarteCouncil President (2022) · At-large · at 107 of 107 meetings
John McCaulCouncilor · At-large · at 96 of 107 meetingsJeffrey PostellCouncilor · At-large · at 88 of 107 meetings
David PottierCouncilor · At-large · at 101 of 107 meetingsLawrence QuintalCouncilor · At-large · at 94 of 107 meetings
Barry SandersCouncilor · At-large · at 100 of 107 meetings"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.
Votes where councilors disagreed
Most council votes are unanimous. These are the ones where at least one councilor voted no or abstained, newest first.
Dec 19She stated that she is not looking to put…Motion: to support Chief Walsh's recommendation to revoke the tow contractPassed 7–2 · No: Pottier, Quintal
December 19, 2023: She stated that she is not looking to put anyone out of business, however, she could not go against the Chief's recommendation after receiving this information this evening and this…
To support Chief Walsh's recommendation to revoke the tow contract
Yes: Borges, Coute, Dooner, Duarte, McCaul, Postell, SandersNo: Pottier, Quintal
From the minutes
“Motion was made to support Chief Walsh's recommendation to revoke the tow contract. On a roll call vote, nine (9) Councilors were present, seven (7) Councilors voted in favor (Dooner, Duarte, Borges, McCaul, Coute, Sanders and Postell), two (2) Councilors were opposed (Pottier and Quintal). The motion passes..”
Nov 28Ordinance for a Grade I kennel license, the premises…Motion: to waive the requirement that the dogs be kept on a…Passed 7–2 · No: Borges, Pottier
November 28, 2023 (Joint meeting): Ordinance for a Grade I kennel license, the premises contains 0
To waive the requirement that the dogs be kept on a premises containing 0.5 acres or more and waive the requirement that the dogs be housed, sheltered or kept a minimum of 100 feet from the nearest residential dwelling based on a finding that said waivers will not be detrimental to the public health, safety and welfare and to approve the license
Yes: Coute, Dooner, Duarte, McCaul, Postell, Quintal, SandersNo: Borges, Pottier
From the minutes
“Motion was made to waive the requirement that the dogs be kept on a premises containing 0.5 acres or more and waive the requirement that the dogs be housed, sheltered or kept a minimum of 100 feet from the nearest residential dwelling based on a finding that said waivers will not be detrimental to the public health, safety and welfare and to approve the license. On a roll call vote, nine (9) Councilors were present, seven (7) Councilors voted in favor (Postell, Quintal, Sanders, Coute, McCaul, Duarte and Dooner), two (2) were opposed (Pottier and Borges). The motion passes..”
Nov 21So VotedMotion: to grant the waiver for the variance of the Ordinance and…Failed 5–2 · No: Borges, McCaul
November 21, 2023: So Voted.
To grant the waiver for the variance of the Ordinance and grant the petition
Yes: Dooner, Duarte, Postell, Pottier, QuintalNo: Borges, McCaulAbsent: Coute, SandersThe minutes say the motion did not pass even though more councilors voted for it than against; some council votes need more than a simple majority.
From the minutes
“Motion was made to grant the waiver for the variance of the Ordinance and grant the petition. On a roll call vote, seven (7) Councilors were present, five (5) Councilors voted in favor (Dooner, Duarte, Pottier, Quintal and Postell), two (2) Councilors were opposed (Borges and McCaul). The motion does not pass. Councilors Coute and Sanders were absent..”
Nov 14The motion passesMotion: to leave the tax rate shift at 1.745Passed 5–3 · No: Duarte, McCaul, Sanders
November 14, 2023: The motion passes.
To leave the tax rate shift at 1.745
Yes: Borges, Coute, Dooner, Pottier, QuintalNo: Duarte, McCaul, SandersAbsent: Postell
From the minutes
“Motion was made to leave the tax rate shift at 1.745. On a roll call vote, eight (8) Councilors were present, five (5) Councilors voted in favor (Dooner, Borges, Pottier, Coute and Quintal), three (3) Councilors were opposed (Duarte, McCaul and Sanders). Councilor Postell was absent. The motion passes..”
Oct 31Petitions: Hours of Operation License - RENEWAL 1Motion: to refer to the Committee on Police and License and the…Passed 6–2 · No: Dooner, Duarte
October 31, 2023: Petitions: Hours of Operation License - RENEWAL 1
To refer to the Committee on Police and License and the Police Chief
Yes: Borges, McCaul, Postell, Pottier, Quintal, SandersNo: Dooner, DuarteAbsent: Coute
From the minutes
“Motion was made to refer to the Committee on Police and License and the Police Chief. On a roll call vote, eight (8) Councilors were present, six (6) Councilors voted in favor (Councilors Postell, Quintal, Sanders, Pottier, McCaul and Borges), two (2) were opposed (Councilors Duarte and Dooner). Councilor Coute was absent. The motion passes..”
Sep 26Excellent workMotion: to instruct the Elections Director to not put the Charter on…Passed 5–4 · No: Borges, McCaul, Quintal, Sanders
September 26, 2023: Excellent work.
To instruct the Elections Director to not put the Charter on the November 2023 ballet
Yes: Coute, Dooner, Duarte, Postell, PottierNo: Borges, McCaul, Quintal, Sanders
From the minutes
“Motion was made to instruct the Elections Director to not put the Charter on the November 2023 ballet on a roll call vote. On a roll call vote, five (5) Councilors voted in favor (Dooner, Duarte, Pottier, Conte and Postell), four (4) Councilors voted in opposition (Borges, McCaul, Sanders and Quintal). So voted. Motion passed..”
Sep 12Councilor Coute stated that they would be doing their…Motion: to continue this hearing until next week and invite the Zoning…Failed 4–5 · No: Duarte, McCaul, Postell, Quintal, Sanders
September 12, 2023: Councilor Coute stated that they would be doing their due diligence to get feedback from the City officials who have had interaction with the Barchards in order to make a…
To continue this hearing until next week and invite the Zoning Enforcement Officer and a representative from the Police Department
Yes: Borges, Coute, Dooner, PottierNo: Duarte, McCaul, Postell, Quintal, Sanders
From the minutes
“Motion was made to continue this hearing until next week and invite the Zoning Enforcement Officer and a representative from the Police Department. On a roll call vote, nine (9) Councilors were present, four (4) Councilors voted in favor (Coute, Pottier, Borges and Dooner), five (5) Councilors were opposed (Postell, Quintal, Sanders, McCaul and Duarte). The motion does not pass..”
Sep 12Resolutions: NONEMotion: to refer the Solar Ray RFP to the Inspector General for…Failed 4–5 · No: Coute, Dooner, Duarte, Postell, Pottier
September 12, 2023: Resolutions: NONE
To refer the Solar Ray RFP to the Inspector General for the review of the RFP process
Yes: Borges, McCaul, Quintal, SandersNo: Coute, Dooner, Duarte, Postell, Pottier
From the minutes
“Councilor Borges motioned to refer the Solar Ray RFP to the Inspector General for the review of the RFP process. … On a roll call vote, nine (9) Councilors were present, four (4) Councilors voted in favor (Borges, McCaul, Sanders and Quintal), and five (5) Councilors voted in opposition (Dooner, Duarte, Pottier, Coute and Postell). The motion does not pass..” (Motion: Borges)
Sep 5Councilor Sanders called for a point of order and…Motion: to the table the voteFailed 4–4 · No: Coute, Dooner, Duarte, Pottier
September 5, 2023: Councilor Sanders called for a point of order and stated that there is a motion to table, and that there is no need to have a motion to press, because…
To the table the vote
Yes: Borges, McCaul, Quintal, SandersNo: Coute, Dooner, Duarte, PottierAbsent: Postell
From the minutes
“Motion was made to the table the vote. On a roll call vote, four (4) Councilors voted in favor (Quintal, Sanders, McCaul, and Borges), four (4) were opposed (Coute, Pottier, Duarte, and Dooner). Councilor Postell was absent. The motion does not pass..”
Sep 5Resolutions: Order to be accepted on a roll call…Motion: to refer to the Law Department to determine whether the City…Passed 5–3 · No: Coute, Dooner, Duarte
September 5, 2023: Resolutions: Order to be accepted on a roll call vote Ordered That, The City of Taunton shall establish a Taunton Triad agency I gift account in accordance with M
To refer to the Law Department to determine whether the City of Taunton has adopted M.G.L. Chapter 53 Sec. 18B, which would allow the City of Taunton to provide a booklet regarding the charter vote coming up on November 7th that explains what a yes vote would mean and what a no vote would mean
Yes: Borges, McCaul, Pottier, Quintal, SandersNo: Coute, Dooner, DuarteAbsent: Postell
From the minutes
“Councilor Borges motioned to refer to the Law Department to determine whether the City of Taunton has adopted M.G.L. Chapter 53 Sec. 18B, which would allow the City of Taunton to provide a booklet regarding the charter vote coming up on November 7th that explains what a yes vote would mean and what a no vote would mean. On discussion, Councilor Coute requested that this matter be placed on next week's agenda so that the Council has the opportunity to research the law. On a roll call vote, five (5) Councilors voted in favor (Borges, McCaul, Pottier, Sanders and Quintal), three (3) voted in opposition (Dooner, Duarte and Coute). Councilor Postell was absent..” (Motion: Borges)
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.
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 →