How the Truro Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide. Susan Areson joined the board after the May 2019 town election; Paul Wisotzky left. On May 15, 2019 Robert Weinstein declined a nomination to stay on as Chair, and the board chose Janet Worthington as Chair, Maureen Burgess as Vice Chair and Kristen Reed as Clerk (each 5-0). Vice Chair Maureen Burgess died in the fall of 2019; on December 10, 2019 the board chose Robert Weinstein as Vice Chair (4-0) and called a special election, which Stephanie Rein won on February 18, 2020. The 2020 town election was moved to June 30 because of COVID-19. Covers 54 meetings, May 15 to July 7, 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.
In Truro, 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.
Annual Town Meeting · May 16, 2026 57 votes: 46 passed, 2 passed as amended, 6 failed, 1 indefinitely postponed, 2 tabled
Art. 3 · motion 2Free cash to the OPEB Trust Fund (recorded as $400,00.00)Passed“PASSES”
Art. 3 · motion 3Free cash: $575,000 to the Capital Expense Stabilization FundPassed“PASSES”
Art. 3 · motion 4Free cash: $100,000 to the Stabilization FundPassed“PASSES”
Art. 3 · motion 5Free cash: $125,000 to the Reserve FundPassed“PASSES”
Art. 3 · motion 6Free cash: $75,000 to the Employee Benefit AccountPassed“PASSES”
Art. 3 · motion 7Free cash: $1,150,000 for operating capital (police vehicles, septic, trucks, Motor Inn site work, jetty design and more)Passed“PASSES · 348-YEAS 56-NAYS”
Art. 3Transfer free cash for the tax rate, reserves, OPEB, EMS support, capital projects and other items (climate item cut to $10,000)Passed as amended“motion carries as declared by the Moderator.”
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: Select Board minutes (called the Board of Selectmen until May 2018) from January 8, 2018 through August 25, 2026, from the town’s CivicClerk portal, which holds minutes back to 2014 (MassVoter has loaded 2018 on). Also loaded: Budget Task Force meetings, joint meetings, and executive-session minutes the board has released where they are the only minutes posted for a meeting. Not here: minutes the town has not posted (about 85 calendar dates since 2018 have an agenda or listing but no minutes, including the open sessions of June 15 to July 30, 2021, October 14, 2025, January 13, 2026, July 16 and August 18, 2026); the April 2, 2024 minutes (the town posted the January 14, 2025 minutes in their place); May 5, 2020, where the posted file starts partway through; four files of an ADU subcommittee posted under the Select Board; and every meeting after August 25, 2026. All of Truro’s minutes are scanned copies; MassVoter read them with text-recognition software and checked doubtful votes against the page images. Truro’s minutes give the mover and seconder for each motion. Until 2020 they give a count (“the motion carried 4-0-1”); since 2020 most votes are roll calls that list each member’s vote by name (“Member Rein - Aye”), followed by a count (“So voted, 5-0-0, motion carries”). When the count matches the members present, we show every member present as voting yes, and when the minutes name the members who voted no or abstained, everyone else present as voting yes. Where the minutes give only a split count without names, a roll call leaves out a member who was there, names a member twice or names one who was not there, or the count does not match the members present, we show the count only and add a note. Motions with no vote written down are shown with no count. Members who stepped aside (recused) or had left are left out of that vote. Votes taken by other boards at joint meetings (such as the Finance Committee, Planning Board or Zoning Board of Appeals) are not included. We will ask the town to confirm any noted vote.
“Town Planner Jeffrey Ribeiro said a roll call vote was required. Kristen Reed, Susan Areson, Robert Weinstein, Stephanie Rein and Janet Worthington each said Aye. The motion carried unanimously.”
Jun 23Approve and adopt the policies and procedures as draftedMotion: To approve and adopt the policies and procedures as drafted.Passed 4–0 · see note
June 23, 2020: Approve and adopt the policies and procedures as drafted
ApprovePassed · 4–0
To approve and adopt the policies and procedures as drafted.
The minutes say 4-0, but 5 members were present for this vote (Janet Worthington, Susan Areson, Kristen Reed, Stephanie Rein and Robert Weinstein). Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“Susan Areson moved to approve and adopt the policies and procedures as drafted. Janet Worthington seconded, and the motion carried 4-0.” (Motion: Areson, second: Worthington)
May 19Authorize the Town Manager as agent of the Select…Motion: To authorize the Town Manager as agent of the Select Board…Passed 4–0 · Abstained: Reed
May 19, 2020: Authorize the Town Manager as agent of the Select Board to approve the suspension of alcohol licenses at the request of the licensee with no fees or penalties
ApprovePassed · 4–0
To authorize the Town Manager as agent of the Select Board to approve the suspension of alcohol licenses at the request of the licensee with no fees or penalties.
“Member Weinstein made a motion to authorize the Town Manager as agent of the Select Board to approve the suspension of alcohol licenses at the request of the licensee with no fees or penalties. Member Rein seconded. Town Manager Palmer noted there are no limits on seasonal alcohol licenses. So voted; 4-0-1 (Member Reed abstained), motion carries.” (Motion: Weinstein, second: Rein)
May 12Approve the submission of a regional FY19 CDBG-CV grant…Motion: To approve the submission of a regional FY19 CDBG-CV grant for…Passed 4–0 · see note
May 12, 2020: Approve the submission of a regional FY19 CDBG-CV grant for small business and microenterprise loans along with rental and mortgage subsidies
ApprovePassed · 4–0
To approve the submission of a regional FY19 CDBG-CV grant for small business and microenterprise loans along with rental and mortgage subsidies.
The minutes give only the count (4-0-1), not how each member voted.
From the minutes
“Stephanie Rein moved to approve the submission of a regional FY19 CDBG-CV grant for small business and microenterprise loans along with rental and mortgage subsidies. Robert Weinstein seconded, and the motion carried 4-0-1.” (Motion: Rein, second: Weinstein)
Apr 28Add three members to the selection committee for a…Motion: To add three members to the selection committee for a total…Failed 2–3 · see note
April 28, 2020: Add three members to the selection committee for a total of six representatives from the general public
ApproveFailed · 2–3
To add three members to the selection committee for a total of six representatives from the general public.
The minutes give only the count (2-3), not how each member voted.
From the minutes
“Susan Areson moved to add three members to the selection committee for a total of six representatives from the general public. Janet Worthington seconded. The motion did not carry 2-3.” (Motion: Areson, second: Worthington)
Apr 7Postpone the Annual Town Election to a date certain…Motion: To postpone the Annual Town Election to a date certain that…Passed 4–0 · see note
April 7, 2020: Postpone the Annual Town Election to a date certain that will be determined prior to May 12, 2020 and will be at least 20 days after such date is determined
ApprovePassed · 4–0
To postpone the Annual Town Election to a date certain that will be determined prior to May 12, 2020 and will be at least 20 days after such date is determined.
The minutes say 4-0, but 5 members were present for this vote (Janet Worthington, Susan Areson, Kristen Reed, Stephanie Rein and Robert Weinstein). Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“Robert Weinstein moved to postpone the Annual Town Election to a date certain that will be determined prior to May 12, 2020 and will be at least 20 days after such date is determined. Kristen Reed seconded, and the motion carried 4-0.” (Motion: Weinstein, second: Reed)
Mar 24Recommend Article 16, Sect. 5 as printed in the…Motion: To recommend Article 16, Sect. 5 as printed in the Warrant.Failed 2–3 · see note
March 24, 2020: Recommend Article 16, Sect. 5 as printed in the Warrant
ApproveFailed · 2–3
To recommend Article 16, Sect. 5 as printed in the Warrant.
The minutes give only the count (2-3), not how each member voted.
From the minutes
“Kristen Reed moved to recommend Article 16, Sect. 5 as printed in the Warrant. Susan Areson seconded. The motion to recommend did not carry 2-3-0.” (Motion: Reed, second: Areson)
Mar 24Recommend Article 16, Sect. 6 as printed in the…Motion: To recommend Article 16, Sect. 6 as printed in the Warrant.Failed 0–4 · see note
March 24, 2020: Recommend Article 16, Sect. 6 as printed in the Warrant
ApproveFailed · 0–4
To recommend Article 16, Sect. 6 as printed in the Warrant.
The minutes give only the count (0-4-1), not how each member voted.
From the minutes
“Kristen Reed moved to recommend Article 16, Sect. 6 as printed in the Warrant. Stephanie Rein seconded. The motion did not carry 0-4-1.” (Motion: Reed, second: Rein)
Mar 24Recommend Article 16, Sect. 7 as printed in the…Motion: To recommend Article 16, Sect. 7 as printed in the Warrant.Failed 0–5 · No: Areson, Reed, Rein, Weinstein, Worthington
March 24, 2020: Recommend Article 16, Sect. 7 as printed in the Warrant
ApproveFailed · 0–5
To recommend Article 16, Sect. 7 as printed in the Warrant.
No: Areson, Reed, Rein, Weinstein, Worthington
From the minutes
“Kristen Reed moved to recommend Article 16, Sect. 7 as printed in the Warrant. Robert Weinstein seconded. The motion did not carry 0-5-0.” (Motion: Reed, second: Weinstein)
From the Truro Select Board’s official minutes, posted on the town’s Agendas & Minutes calendar (CivicClerk). We check every vote against the Select Board members present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Photos: The Provincetown Independent (courtesy of the members, or by Aden Choate and Nancy Bloom).