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Municipal votes · 2024–2025 Board

Townsend Select Board

How the Townsend Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide for three-year terms. Chaz Sexton-Diranian was re-elected at the April 22, 2024 town election; the minutes show no reorganization vote, and the officers stayed the same. Chaz Sexton-Diranian resigned as Chairman and from the board in early September 2024 (last meeting August 27, 2024), and Joseph Z. Shank resigned later that month (last meeting September 24, 2024). Veronica Kell (term to April 2026) and Laura Shifrin (term to April 2027) won the November 16, 2024 special election; on November 19, 2024 the board chose Theresa Morse as Chairman, Laura Shifrin as Vice-Chairman and Veronica Kell as Clerk. Theresa Morse’s last meeting was December 17, 2024; on January 7, 2025 the two remaining members made Laura Shifrin Chair and Veronica Kell Vice-Chair, leaving the Clerk’s seat empty until the April 2025 election. Covers 46 meetings, May 21 to April 16, 2025.

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 budget
Election Day · Tuesday, Nov 3

Your Townsend ballot: 13 quizzes, about a minute each.

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Board years

Coming up

MassVoter can’t read Townsend’s meeting calendar automatically yet. See upcoming meetings on the official site →

What Town Meeting decided

In Townsend, 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, 2026 1 votes: 1 passed

Sessions: May 5, 2026 (held during the Annual Town Meeting)

Source: Town Clerk: Annual and Special Town Meeting Minutes, May 5, 2026 (PDF) - Special Town Meeting part.

Annual Town Meeting · May 5, 2026 20 votes: 13 passed, 2 passed as amended, 1 indefinitely postponed, 4 no action

Source: Town Clerk: Annual and Special Town Meeting Minutes, May 5, 2026 (PDF) - Annual Town Meeting part.

Special Town Meeting · February 25, 2026 9 votes: 4 passed, 2 failed, 3 no action

Sessions: Called for February 25, 2026; recessed for weather and held March 19, 2026

Source: Town Clerk: Special Town Meeting Minutes, February 25, 2026 (held March 19, 2026) (PDF).

Special Town Meeting · September 25, 2025 6 votes: 3 passed, 2 failed, 1 tabled

Source: Town Clerk: Special Town Meeting Minutes, September 25, 2025 (PDF).

Special Town Meeting · June 18, 2025 5 votes: 3 passed, 1 passed as amended, 1 no action

Sessions: June 18 and June 23, 2025

Source: Town Clerk: Special and Annual Town Meeting Minutes, May 6, 2025, and Special Town Meeting Minutes, June 18, 2025 (rev1, PDF) - June 18, 2025 Special Town Meeting part (adjourned to June 23, 2025).

Special Town Meeting · May 6, 2025 4 votes: 4 passed

Sessions: May 6, 2025 (held during the Annual Town Meeting)

Source: Town Clerk: Special and Annual Town Meeting Minutes, May 6, 2025, and Special Town Meeting Minutes, June 18, 2025 (rev1, PDF) - May 6, 2025 Special Town Meeting part.

Annual Town Meeting · May 6, 2025 19 votes: 18 passed, 1 no action

Sessions: May 6, June 18 and June 23, 2025

Source: Town Clerk: Special and Annual Town Meeting Minutes, May 6, 2025, and Special Town Meeting Minutes, June 18, 2025 (rev1, PDF) - Annual Town Meeting part (sessions May 6, June 18 and June 23, 2025).

Special Town Meeting · August 20, 2024 11 votes: 9 passed, 1 failed, 1 no action

Source: Town of Townsend 2024 Annual Town Report: Special Town Meeting Minutes, August 20, 2024, by the Town Clerk (PDF pp. 80-85).

Special Town Meeting · May 7, 2024 17 votes: 13 passed, 1 passed as amended, 3 failed

Sessions: May 7, 2024 (opened during the Annual Town Meeting)

Source: Town of Townsend 2024 Annual Town Report: Annual and Special Town Meeting Minutes, May 7, 2024, by the Town Clerk - Special Town Meeting part (PDF pp. 34-39).

Annual Town Meeting · May 7, 2024 20 votes: 16 passed, 2 failed, 2 no action

Sessions: May 7 and May 9, 2024

Source: Town of Townsend 2024 Annual Town Report: Annual and Special Town Meeting Minutes, May 7, 2024 (reconvened May 9, 2024), by the Town Clerk - Annual Town Meeting part (PDF pp. 38-78).

Special Town Meeting · March 19, 2024 4 votes: 4 passed

Source: Town of Townsend 2024 Annual Town Report: Special Town Meeting Minutes, March 19, 2024, by the Town Clerk (PDF pp. 26-27).

Not here yet: A Special Town Meeting held January 28, 2025 is not here because its minutes are not posted; no Town Meeting after May 5, 2026 is posted yet.

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

Theresa A. MorseClerk · At-large · at 19 of 22 meetings · until Dec 2024Joseph Z. ShankVice-Chair · At-large · at 17 of 18 meetings · until Sep 2024Laura ShifrinChair · At-large · at 28 of 28 meetings · from Nov 2024

"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: Townsend Select Board minutes from January 16, 2018 through July 22, 2026: 305 meetings and 3,183 votes. The board had three members until 2026. Article 7 of the May 6, 2025 Annual Town Meeting (a citizens’ petition) enlarged it to five members, and voters ratified the change as Question 1 at the April 27, 2026 town election (884 to 380). The special election for the two new seats (terms to April 2028 and April 2029) was set for October 6, 2026 and then postponed by court order to December 8, 2026, so as of October 12, 2026 three members serve and two seats are vacant. The town’s Agendas and Minutes page holds the board’s minutes back to 2010 (2017 has few files); MassVoter has loaded 2018 on. The minutes call the board the Board of Selectmen until spring 2023; from May 2023 they use “Selectboard” or “Select Board,” mixed with the old name until late 2024. Nearly all minutes files are scanned images (signed, Town Clerk-stamped copies), which MassVoter read with text recognition and checked where names or counts were unclear; the March 20, 2018 and March 5, 2019 minutes are Word files, and a few files (among them April 7 to May 7, 2026) have searchable text. Not here: executive-session minutes (the June 9 and June 23, 2020 meetings, which have only executive-session minutes, are loaded from those released minutes); cancelled meetings; votes of the Housing Authority, Water Commissioners, Planning Board, Finance Committee and other boards at joint meetings; meetings with an agenda but no posted minutes, among them February 1 and 2, 2021, April 27 to June 15, 2021 (including the 2021 reorganization), and several dates in 2018, 2020, late 2021 and February 2022; dates where the file posted is the wrong one or incomplete (the March 10, 2020 file repeats the August 4, 2020 minutes and is loaded once; the July 30, 2020 file is the June 30, 2020 minutes, with page 2 missing; the March 6, 2020 agenda is a March 6, 2021 budget work session); and meetings after July 22, 2026 (the August 5 to October 6, 2026 minutes are not posted yet). Townsend’s minutes have used several forms: in 2018 and 2019 “Unanimous vote” or a count after the mover and seconder’s initials; from 2020 to 2022 roll calls by initials or name (“CSD (NO) VK (YES)”) or “Motion was passed with all in favor”; and since 2023 a roll call by name on nearly every vote (“Roll call vote: Veronica Kell - aye, Valerie Goodrich - aye, Laura Shifrin - aye”). A count equal to the members present, or unanimous wording, is shown as every member present voting yes. On a three-member board, when the minutes name one member voting no, the other two are shown voting yes. Where the count and the names in the minutes disagree we show the count only (1 vote), and where the minutes give no count or names we show the result only (55 votes, most of them the board’s positions on 2018 and 2019 Town Meeting articles). Members who recused themselves, abstained or were out of the room are shown that way or left out of that vote, with a note; 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.

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 · Regular meeting1 recorded votes, 0 with disagreementAll 5 members presentTuesday, April 15, 2025 · Regular meeting5 recorded votes, 0 with disagreementAll 5 members presentWednesday, April 9, 2025 · Joint meeting2 recorded votes, 0 with disagreementAll 5 members presentTuesday, April 8, 2025 · Regular meeting13 recorded votes, 1 with disagreementAll 5 members presentTuesday, April 1, 2025 · Regular meeting10 recorded votes, 1 with disagreementAll 5 members present

Votes where members disagreed

Most board votes are unanimous. These are the ones where at least one member voted no or abstained, newest first.

Apr 8(the minutes do not state the motion)Motion: Motion was made to approve Tavern 13 request for a One-…Passed Unanimous, 2 present · see note

April 8, 2025: (the minutes do not state the motion)

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 2 present

Motion was made to approve Tavern 13 request for a One- Day Special License (Alcohol) for a '""Mother's Day Market" event Birchhouse Botanicals on 05/10/2025 from 11AM- 3PM. Motion was passed with Laura Shiftin yes, Veronica Kell yes.

The minutes do not say who made this motion.

From the minutes

“Motion was made to approve Tavern 13 request for a One- Day Special License (Alcohol) for a '""Mother's Day Market" event Birchhouse Botanicals on 05/10/2025 from 11AM- 3PM. Motion was passed with Laura Shiftin yes, Veronica Kell yes..”

Read it in the official minutes, page 1 (PDF)

Apr 1Designate Nelson Mui, Town Administrator, as a signatory on…Motion: Motion was made by Veroncia Kell and seconded by Laura Shifrin…Passed Unanimous, 2 present · see note

April 1, 2025: Designate Nelson Mui, Town Administrator, as a signatory on the contract with Kimley Horn to provide design and engineering services for the Kids Kountry Playground project

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 2 present

Motion was made by Veroncia Kell and seconded by Laura Shifrin to designate Nelson Mui, Town Administrator, as a signatory on the contract with Kimley Horn to provide design and engineering services for the Kids Kountry Playground project. Motion was passed with Laura Shifrin yes, Veronica Kell yes.

The minutes do not say who made this motion.

From the minutes

“Motion was made by Veroncia Kell and seconded by Laura Shifrin to designate Nelson Mui, Town Administrator, as a signatory on the contract with Kimley Horn to provide design and engineering services for the Kids Kountry Playground project. Motion was passed with Laura Shifrin yes, Veronica Kell yes..” (second: Shifrin)

Read it in the official minutes, page 2 (PDF)

Mar 24Pursuant to G.L. c. 59, § 21C(g), the Board…Motion: Motion was made by Veroncia Kell and seconded by Laura Shifrin…Passed Unanimous, 2 present · see note

March 24, 2025: Pursuant to G.L. c. 59, § 21C(g), the Board place a Proposition 2' override question on the regular municipal election ballot for April 28, 2025, in the following form: Shall…

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 2 present

Motion was made by Veroncia Kell and seconded by Laura Shifrin that pursuant to G.L. c. 59, § 21C(g), the Board place a Proposition 2' override question on the regular municipal election ballot for April 28, 2025, in the following form: Shall the Town of Townsend be allowed to assess an additional $625,000 in real estate and personal property taxes for the purposes of funding the operating budgets of the Town and the Public Schools for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025? Motion was passed with a roll call vote Laura Shifrin yes, Veronica Kell yes.

The minutes do not say who made this motion.

From the minutes

“Motion was made by Veroncia Kell and seconded by Laura Shifrin that pursuant to G.L. c. 59, § 21C(g), the Board place a Proposition 2' override question on the regular municipal election ballot for April 28, 2025, in the following form: Shall the Town of Townsend be allowed to assess an additional $625,000 in real estate and personal property taxes for the purposes of funding the operating budgets of the Town and the Public Schools for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025? Motion was passed with a roll call vote Laura Shifrin yes, Veronica Kell yes..” (second: Shifrin)

Read it in the official minutes, page 4 (PDF)

Mar 4Submit a letter on behalf of the Selectboard in…Motion: Motion was made to direct the Town Administrator to submit a…Passed Unanimous, 2 present · see note

March 4, 2025 (Joint meeting): Submit a letter on behalf of the Selectboard in favor of extending the remote Public Meeting options

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 2 present

Motion was made to direct the Town Administrator to submit a letter on behalf of the Selectboard in favor of extending the remote Public Meeting options. Motion was passed with Veronica Kell yes, Laura Shifrin yes.

The minutes do not say who made this motion.

From the minutes

“Motion was made to direct the Town Administrator to submit a letter on behalf of the Selectboard in favor of extending the remote Public Meeting options. Motion was passed with Veronica Kell yes, Laura Shifrin yes..”

Read it in the official minutes, page 3 (PDF)

Mar 4Review and sign payroll and bills payable warrants out…Motion: Motion was made by Veronica [Kell and seconded by Laura Shifrin…Passed Unanimous, 2 present · see note

March 4, 2025 (Joint meeting): Review and sign payroll and bills payable warrants out of session

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 2 present

Motion was made by Veronica [Kell and seconded by Laura Shifrin to review and sign payroll and bills payable warrants out of session. Motion was passed with J].aura Shiftin yes, Veronica Kell yes.

The minutes do not say who made this motion.

From the minutes

“Motion was made by Veronica [Kell and seconded by Laura Shifrin to review and sign payroll and bills payable warrants out of session. Motion was passed with J].aura Shiftin yes, Veronica Kell yes..” (second: Shifrin)

Read it in the official minutes, page 5 (PDF)

Feb 18Approve the mecung minutes of 1/28/2025 and (1/30/2025Motion: Addinions: None Deletions: Note Monon was made by Vcrontea Kell and…Passed Unanimous, 2 present · see note

February 18, 2025 (Joint meeting): Approve the mecung minutes of 1/28/2025 and (1/30/2025

Approve minutesPassed · Unanimous, 2 present

Addinions: None Deletions: Note Monon was made by Vcrontea Kell and seconded by Laura Shifan to approve the mecung minutes of 1/28/2025 and (1/30/2025 . Motion was passed! with roll call vore Laura Shifrin yes, Veronica Kell yes

The minutes do not say who made this motion.

From the minutes

“Addinions: None Deletions: Note Monon was made by Vcrontea Kell and seconded by Laura Shifan to approve the mecung minutes of 1/28/2025 and (1/30/2025 . Motion was passed! with roll call vore Laura Shifrin yes, Veronica Kell yes.” (second: Shifrin)

Read it in the official minutes, page 1 (PDF)

Feb 18Grant signatory authority to Nelson Mur Town \dinisirator to…Motion: The contract should be amended Morton was amended by Veronica Kell…Passed Unanimous, 2 present · see note

February 18, 2025 (Joint meeting): Grant signatory authority to Nelson Mur Town \dinisirator to stgi a contract with Namiley-Plorn te perform surveying work on the Kids Kountry Playground project

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 2 present

The contract should be amended Morton was amended by Veronica Kell and seconded by | aaura Shetrin to grant signatory authority to Nelson Mur Town \dinisirator to stgi a contract with Namiley-Plorn te perform surveying work on the Kids Kountry Playground project. Motion was passed with roll call vote Laura Shifrin yes, Veronica Kell ves.

The minutes do not say who made this motion.

From the minutes

“The contract should be amended Morton was amended by Veronica Kell and seconded by | aaura Shetrin to grant signatory authority to Nelson Mur Town \dinisirator to stgi a contract with Namiley-Plorn te perform surveying work on the Kids Kountry Playground project. Motion was passed with roll call vote Laura Shifrin yes, Veronica Kell ves..”

Read it in the official minutes, page 4 (PDF)

Feb 4Appolnt Robert Vempleton as Vownsend Alternate to the Nashua…Motion: Motion was made by Verontea Kell and seconded by Laura Shifrin…Passed Unanimous, 2 present · see note

February 4, 2025 (Joint meeting): Appolnt Robert Vempleton as Vownsend Alternate to the Nashua Rivers Wild & Scenic Stewardship Council effective 02/04/2025 as an alternate member for term to expire 06/30/2027

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 2 present

Motion was made by Verontea Kell and seconded by Laura Shifrin to appolnt Robert Vempleton as Vownsend Alternate to the Nashua Rivers Wild & Scenic Stewardship Council effective 02/04/2025 as an alternate member for term to expire 06/30/2027. Motion was passed with Laura Shifrin yes, Veronica Kell yes.

The minutes do not say who made this motion.

From the minutes

“Motion was made by Verontea Kell and seconded by Laura Shifrin to appolnt Robert Vempleton as Vownsend Alternate to the Nashua Rivers Wild & Scenic Stewardship Council effective 02/04/2025 as an alternate member for term to expire 06/30/2027. Motion was passed with Laura Shifrin yes, Veronica Kell yes..” (second: Shifrin)

Read it in the official minutes, page 2 (PDF)

Feb 4Approve the contract for the $100,000 PARC grant for…Motion: Mouon was madg by Veronica Nell and seconded by Laura Shifrin…Passed Unanimous, 2 present · see note

February 4, 2025 (Joint meeting): Approve the contract for the $100,000 PARC grant for the Kids Kountry Playground and authorize Town Administrator Nelson Mui as signatory on behalf of the Selectboard

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 2 present

Mouon was madg by Veronica Nell and seconded by Laura Shifrin to approve the contract for the $100,000 PARC grant for the Kids Kountry Playground and authorize Town Administrator Nelson Mui as signatory on behalf of the Selectboard. Motion was passed with Veronica Kell yes, Laura Shifrin yes.

The minutes do not say who made this motion.

From the minutes

“Mouon was madg by Veronica Nell and seconded by Laura Shifrin to approve the contract for the $100,000 PARC grant for the Kids Kountry Playground and authorize Town Administrator Nelson Mui as signatory on behalf of the Selectboard. Motion was passed with Veronica Kell yes, Laura Shifrin yes..” (second: Shifrin)

Read it in the official minutes, page 4 (PDF)

Jan 21Take 2 short break to reboot the computer in…Motion: motion was made by Veronic2 Kell and seconded by Leura Shifrin…Passed Unanimous, 2 present · see note

January 21, 2025: Take 2 short break to reboot the computer in the Selectmen Chambers to fix technical issues

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 2 present

Motion was made by Veronic2 Kell and seconded by Leura Shifrin to take 2 short break to reboot the computer in the Selectmen Chambers to fix technical issues. Motion was passec with cll call vere Laura Shifrin yes, Veronica Kel! yes.

The minutes do not say who made this motion.

From the minutes

“motion was made by Veronic2 Kell and seconded by Leura Shifrin to take 2 short break to reboot the computer in the Selectmen Chambers to fix technical issues. Motion was passec with cll call vere Laura Shifrin yes, Veronica Kel! yes..”

Read it in the official minutes, page 2 (PDF)

From the Townsend Select Board’s official minutes, posted on the town’s Agendas and Minutes page (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): Town of Townsend Candidates Night video — Valerie Goodrich and Sarah Logan (April 2025); Just Townies — Laura Shifrin (October 2023). Cropped by MassVoter. Former members show initials.

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