How the Tewksbury Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide for three-year terms. Jayne Wellman (written Jayne Wellman Miller in some 2019 minutes) joined the board after the April 6, 2019 town election, succeeding Todd R. Johnson. On April 10, 2019 the board unanimously chose Jay Kelly as Chair, Mark Kratman as Vice Chairman and Jayne Wellman as Clerk. From March 2020 the board met remotely and voted by roll call. The 2020 town election was postponed to June 16, 2020. Covers 28 meetings, April 10 to June 11, 2020.
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.
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 Tewksbury, 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 6, 2026 6 votes: 5 passed, 1 failed
Art. 4Adopt the FY2027 operating budget, amended to set Shawsheen Tech at $3,750,000 (general fund total $145,494,765)Passed as amended“Article 4 was Adopted as Amended”
Art. 15Transfer $300,000 from overlay surplus for a school facilities studyPassed“Article 15 was Adopted”
Art. 16Transfer from sewer retained earnings for sewer improvements and a vehicle ($785,000 as amended)Passed as amended“Article 16 was Adopted Unanimously”
Art. 17Transfer from water retained earnings for water improvements, projects and vehicles ($835,000 as amended)Passed as amended“Article 17 was Adopted Unanimously”
Art. 12Home rule petition to let charter appointees live within 50 miles of town (amended from 10 miles)Passed as amended“Article 12 was Adopted as Amended”
Art. 22Appropriate $30,000 in CPA open space funds to remove former pump station structures on town open spacePassed“Article 22 was Adopted Unanimously”
Art. 23Appropriate $200,000 in CPA funds to design upgrades and renovations to the Ella Flemings SchoolPassed“Article 23 was Adopted Unanimously”
Art. 32Home rule petition to change the deed restriction on Chandler Street Little League fields to allow pickleballPassed“Article 32 was Adopted · 84 Yes/25 No”
Art. 33Replace the Conservation Commission wetland protection bylaw (Town Code Chapter 18.04)Passed“Article 33 was Adopted”
Art. 34Citizen petition: require property owners to clear snow from abutting sidewalks ($10 fine)Failed“Article 34 Failed”
Art. 35Citizen petition: authorize the Select Board to accept an easement from East Street Tewksbury, LLCPassed“Article 35 was Adopted Unanimously”
Not here yet: The October 6, 2026 Special Town Meeting is not here yet because the Town Clerk has not posted its minutes.
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).
"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: Tewksbury Select Board minutes from January 9, 2018 through July 14, 2026: 214 meetings and 2,477 votes. The town’s Agenda Center holds the board’s minutes back to January 2017; MassVoter has loaded 2018 on. Until 2022 the board was the Board of Selectmen; Town Meeting asked the Legislature to rename it, the board approved the home rule petition’s wording on November 22, 2022, and on January 10, 2023 the Chair reported that the law had passed. The minutes use “Select Board” from then on. Most minutes are typed documents with searchable text; 12 sets from 2019 to 2025 are scanned images, which MassVoter read with text recognition and checked against the page images where the Town Clerk’s stamp covers a roll call. The May 16, 2023 minutes are posted as a Word file. Not here: executive-session minutes (some are posted beside the open-session minutes) and votes the board reported taking in executive session; cancelled meetings; votes of the Planning Board, School Committee, Board of Health and Library Trustees at joint meetings; meetings with an agenda but no posted minutes (among them June 24, 2019 (the file posted there is the July 1, 2019 minutes), September 4, 2019 (joint meeting with the School Committee), October 6, 2020, November 4, 2024, October 7, 2025, May 19, 2026 and June 23, 2026, and several short meetings before Town Meeting); and meetings after July 14, 2026 (the August 11, September 15, September 22, September 29 and October 6, 2026 minutes are not posted yet). Tewksbury’s minutes end each motion with the count, “MOTION CARRIED: 4 – 0 – 0,” and name the members who vote no or abstain (“MOTION CARRIED: 3 – 1 – 0. (Nay – Board Member Mackey)”); older minutes read “the motion unanimously carried 4-0.” When the count matches the members present, every member present is shown voting yes; when it names the no votes or abstentions, the other members present are shown voting yes. Whenever a member takes part remotely the board votes by roll call (“Yea: … Nay: …”), shown by name. Where a count does not match the members present, or a split count names no one, we show the count only, with a note (64 votes); where a failed motion’s count does not show which side had the votes, or members chose between two nominees, we show the result only (3 votes). Members who arrived late or left early are shown only in the votes they were there for. A motion with no recorded outcome is not counted as a vote. We will ask the town to confirm any noted vote.
MOTION: Mr. Kratman made the motion to recommend adoption of Article 27; seconded by Mr. Dick and the motion carried 3-2 by a roll call vote.
The minutes give the count as 3-2 but do not say who voted no or abstained. Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“MOTION: Mr. Kratman made the motion to recommend adoption of Article 27; seconded by Mr. Dick and the motion carried 3-2 by a roll call vote..” (Motion: Kratman, second: Dick)
MOTION: Mr. Dick made the motion to recommend adoption of Article 28; seconded by Mr. Kratman and the motion carried 4-1 by a roll call vote.
The minutes give the count as 4-1 but do not say who voted no or abstained. Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“MOTION: Mr. Dick made the motion to recommend adoption of Article 28; seconded by Mr. Kratman and the motion carried 4-1 by a roll call vote..” (Motion: Dick, second: Kratman)
Jun 2Approve Town Counsel Invoice for April 16, 2020 -…Motion: MOTION: Ms. made the motion to approve Town Counsel Invoice for…Passed Unanimous, 5 present · see note
June 2, 2020: Approve Town Counsel Invoice for April 16, 2020 - in the amount of $2,677.50 from April 16, 2020 - April 30, 2020
ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 5 present
MOTION: Ms. made the motion to approve Town Counsel Invoice for April 16, 2020 - in the amount of $2,677.50 from April 16, 2020 - April 30, 2020; seconded by Ms. Stronach and the motion unanimously carried 5-0 by a roll call vote.
The minutes do not say who made this motion.
From the minutes
“MOTION: Ms. made the motion to approve Town Counsel Invoice for April 16, 2020 - in the amount of $2,677.50 from April 16, 2020 - April 30, 2020; seconded by Ms. Stronach and the motion unanimously carried 5-0 by a roll call vote..” (second: Stronach)
Apr 21Approve Senior Town Counsel Invoice for February, 2020 in…Motion: MOTION: Mr. Made the motion to approve Senior Town Counsel Invoice…Passed Unanimous, 5 present · see note
April 21, 2020: Approve Senior Town Counsel Invoice for February, 2020 in the amount of $13,389.70
ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 5 present
MOTION: Mr. Made the motion to approve Senior Town Counsel Invoice for February, 2020 in the amount of $13,389.70; seconded by Mr. And the motion unanimously carried 5-0 by a roll call vote and the motion unanimously carried 5-0 by a roll vote.
The minutes leave the names blank (“Mr. Made the motion … seconded by Mr. And the motion unanimously carried”), so no mover or seconder is shown.
From the minutes
“MOTION: Mr. Made the motion to approve Senior Town Counsel Invoice for February, 2020 in the amount of $13,389.70; seconded by Mr. And the motion unanimously carried 5-0 by a roll call vote and the motion unanimously carried 5-0 by a roll vote..”
Mar 20Declare a State of Emergency (COVID-19) and direct the…Motion: Mr. Kratman moved, and Ms. Stronach seconded a motion to declare…Passed Unanimous, 5 present · see note
March 20, 2020 (Special meeting): Declare a State of Emergency (COVID-19) and direct the Chair to sign the declaration for the Board
ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 5 present
Mr. Kratman moved, and Ms. Stronach seconded a motion to declare a State of Emergency. Ms. Stronach also made a motion to direct the chair to sign the document for the board. The Roll call vote was unanimous.
The minutes record two motions (Mr. Kratman moved and Ms. Stronach seconded a motion to declare a State of Emergency; Ms. Stronach also moved to direct the Chair to sign the document) followed by one roll call: “The Roll call vote was unanimous.” Shown as one vote.
From the minutes
“Mr. Kratman moved, and Ms. Stronach seconded a motion to declare a State of Emergency. Ms. Stronach also made a motion to direct the chair to sign the document for the board. The Roll call vote was unanimous..” (Motion: Kratman, second: Stronach)
Feb 11Approve Senior Town Counsel Invoice for December, 2019 in…Motion: MOTION: Mr. made the motion to approve Senior Town Counsel Invoice…Passed Unanimous, 4 present · see note
February 11, 2020: Approve Senior Town Counsel Invoice for December, 2019 in the amount of $
ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 4 present
MOTION: Mr. made the motion to approve Senior Town Counsel Invoice for December, 2019 in the amount of $ ; seconded by Mr. and the motion unanimously carried 4-0.
The minutes do not say who made this motion.
From the minutes
“MOTION: Mr. made the motion to approve Senior Town Counsel Invoice for December, 2019 in the amount of $ ; seconded by Mr. and the motion unanimously carried 4-0..”
Feb 11Approve town counsel invoice in the amount of $3,017.50Motion: MOTION: Ms. Stronach made the motion to approve town counsel invoice…Passed Unanimous, 4 present · see note
February 11, 2020: Approve town counsel invoice in the amount of $3,017.50
ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 4 present
MOTION: Ms. Stronach made the motion to approve town counsel invoice in the amount of $3,017.50; seconded by Mr. Kratman and the motion unanimously carried 4-0.
The minutes name Anne Marie Stronach as the mover, but Anne Marie Stronach is not on the attendance list, so no mover is shown.
From the minutes
“MOTION: Ms. Stronach made the motion to approve town counsel invoice in the amount of $3,017.50; seconded by Mr. Kratman and the motion unanimously carried 4-0..” (second: Kratman)
Feb 11Approve the September 24, 2019 regular session meeting minutesMotion: MOTION: Ms. Wellman made the motion to approve the September 24,…Passed 5–0 · see note
February 11, 2020: Approve the September 24, 2019 regular session meeting minutes
Approve minutesPassed · 5–0
MOTION: Ms. Wellman made the motion to approve the September 24, 2019 regular session meeting minutes; seconded by Mr. and the motion unanimously carried 5-0.
The minutes give the count as 5-0, but 4 members were at the meeting (Jay Kelly, Mark Kratman, Brian H. Dick and Jayne E. Wellman). Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“MOTION: Ms. Wellman made the motion to approve the September 24, 2019 regular session meeting minutes; seconded by Mr. and the motion unanimously carried 5-0..” (Motion: Wellman)
Jan 21Appoint Daniel Ronan to the Conservation Commission, term to…Motion: MOTION: Ms. Wellman made the motion to appoint Daniel Ronan to…Passed Unanimous, 5 present · see note
January 21, 2020: Appoint Daniel Ronan to the Conservation Commission, term to expire June 30, 2020
AppointPassed · Unanimous, 5 present
MOTION: Ms. Wellman made the motion to appoint Daniel Ronan to the Conservation Commission, term to expire June 30, 2020; seconded by Ms. Wellman and the motion unanimously carried 5-0.
The minutes name Jayne E. Wellman as both the mover and the seconder, so no seconder is shown.
From the minutes
“MOTION: Ms. Wellman made the motion to appoint Daniel Ronan to the Conservation Commission, term to expire June 30, 2020; seconded by Ms. Wellman and the motion unanimously carried 5-0..” (Motion: Wellman)
Jan 21Appoint Michael McLaughlin to the Historic Commission, term to…Motion: MOTION: Ms. Wellman made the motion to appoint Michael McLaughlin to…Passed Unanimous, 5 present · see note
January 21, 2020: Appoint Michael McLaughlin to the Historic Commission, term to expire June 30, 2022
AppointPassed · Unanimous, 5 present
MOTION: Ms. Wellman made the motion to appoint Michael McLaughlin to the Historic Commission, term to expire June 30, 2022; seconded by Ms. Wellman and the motion unanimously carried 5-0.
The minutes name Jayne E. Wellman as both the mover and the seconder, so no seconder is shown.
From the minutes
“MOTION: Ms. Wellman made the motion to appoint Michael McLaughlin to the Historic Commission, term to expire June 30, 2022; seconded by Ms. Wellman and the motion unanimously carried 5-0..” (Motion: Wellman)
From the Tewksbury Select Board’s official minutes, posted in the town’s Agenda Center (Select Board). We check every vote against the Select Board members present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Photos (the town’s website has no Select Board photos): The Lowell Sun — John Lombardo (Peter Currier, April 2026), Richard Russo Jr. (Aaron Curtis, April 2025), Eric Ryder (courtesy photo, April 2024); Tewksbury Town Crier courtesy photos — Mark Kratman (March 2025) and James F. Mackey III (March 2024). Cropped by MassVoter. Former members show initials.