How the Truro Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide. Same five members after the May 2023 town election. On May 10, 2023 the board chose Kristen Reed as Chair, Susan Areson as Vice Chair and John Dundas as Clerk. Covers 38 meetings, May 10 to May 28, 2024.
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.
Most board votes are unanimous. These are the ones where at least one member voted no or abstained, newest first.
May 28Approve the Consent Agenda as printed in the packetMotion: To approve the Consent Agenda as printed in the packet.Passed 5–0 · see note
May 28, 2024: Approve the Consent Agenda as printed in the packet
ApprovePassed · 5–0
To approve the Consent Agenda as printed in the packet.
The minutes give the result as 5-0, but the roll call reads: Susan Areson yes, John Dundas yes, Stephanie Rein yes, Kristen Reed yes. Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“Chair Reed made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda as printed in the packet. Member Weinstein seconded the motion. Roll Call Vote: Vice Chair Areson - Aye Member Dundas - Aye A cc: Member Weinstein L - Member Rein - Aye 1} g45 py Page 8 of 11 = } By: -RIS- -_j Chair Reed - Aye So voted, 5-0-0, motion carries.” (Motion: Reed, second: Weinstein)
May 14Approve the Consent Agenda as printed in the packetMotion: To approve the Consent Agenda as printed in the packet.Passed 5–0 · see note
May 14, 2024: Approve the Consent Agenda as printed in the packet
ApprovePassed · 5–0
To approve the Consent Agenda as printed in the packet.
The minutes give the result as 5-0, but the roll call reads: Susan Areson yes, John Dundas yes, Stephanie Rein yes, Kristen Reed yes. Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“Chair Reed made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda as printed in the packet. Member Weinstein seconded the motion. Roll Call Vote: Vice Chair Areson - Aye Member Dundas - Aye Member Weinstein Member Rein - Aye Chair Reed - Aye So voted, 5-0-0, motion carries.” (Motion: Reed, second: Weinstein)
May 14Chair Reed congratulated Town Manager Tangeman and noted that…Motion: Chair Reed congratulated Town Manager Tangeman and noted that the approval…Passed Unanimous, 5 present · see note
May 14, 2024: Chair Reed congratulated Town Manager Tangeman and noted that the approval by the Select Board was
ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 5 present
Chair Reed congratulated Town Manager Tangeman and noted that the approval by the Select Board was
The minutes do not say who made this motion.
From the minutes
“Chair Reed congratulated Town Manager Tangeman and noted that the approval by the Select Board was a unanimous vote.”
Apr 25Approve the Consent Agenda as printed in the packetMotion: To approve the Consent Agenda as printed in the packet.Passed 5–0 · see note
April 25, 2024: Approve the Consent Agenda as printed in the packet
ApprovePassed · 5–0
To approve the Consent Agenda as printed in the packet.
The minutes give the result as 5-0, but the roll call reads: Susan Areson yes, John Dundas yes, Stephanie Rein yes, Kristen Reed yes. Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“None Chair Reed made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda as printed in the packet. Vice Chair Areson seconded the motion. Roll Call Vote: Vice Chair Areson - Aye Member Dundas - Aye Member Weinstein Member Rein - Aye Chair Reed - Aye So voted, 5-0-0, motion carries.” (Motion: Reed, second: Areson)
“Chair Reed made a motion to recommend Article X: Debt Exclusion for Sand Pit Road as printed. Member Dundas seconded the motion. Discussion: Chair Reed recognized Health and Conservation Agent Beebe who noted the importance of this Town property acquisition. Members also commented on this topic and agreed with the removal of the language "for the site of a public works facility" from the explanation. Roll Call Vote: Vice Chair Areson - Abstained Member Dundas - Aye Member Weinstein - Nay Member Rein - Aye Chair Reed - Aye So voted, 3-1-1, motion carries.” (Motion: Reed, second: Dundas)
Mar 26Approve the order Warrant Article Preliminary Order as recommended…Motion: To approve the order Warrant Article Preliminary Order as recommended by…Passed 4–0 · see note
March 26, 2024: Approve the order Warrant Article Preliminary Order as recommended by Vice Chair Areson and Member Weinstein
Adopt orderPassed · 4–0
To approve the order Warrant Article Preliminary Order as recommended by Vice Chair Areson and Member Weinstein.
Yes: Areson, Dundas, Reed, WeinsteinThe roll call lists Stephanie Rein as absent.
From the minutes
“Chair Reed made a motion to approve the order Warrant Article Preliminary Order as recommended by Vice Chair Areson and Member Weinstein. Vice Chair Weinstein seconded the motion. Roll Call Vote: Vice Chair Areson - Aye Member Dundas - Aye Member Weinstein - Aye Member Rein - Absent Chair Reed - Aye So voted, 4-0-0, motion carries.” (Motion: Reed, second: Weinstein)
Mar 26Approve the Consent Agenda as printed in the packetMotion: To approve the Consent Agenda as printed in the packet.Passed 4–0 · see note
March 26, 2024: Approve the Consent Agenda as printed in the packet
ApprovePassed · 4–0
To approve the Consent Agenda as printed in the packet.
Yes: Areson, Dundas, Reed, WeinsteinThe roll call lists Stephanie Rein as absent.
From the minutes
“Chair Reed made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda as printed in the packet. Member Weinstein seconded the motion. Roll Call Vote: Vice Chair Areson - Aye Member Dundas - Aye Member Weinstein - Aye Member Rein - Absent Chair Reed - Aye So voted, 4-0-0, motion carries.” (Motion: Reed, second: Weinstein)
Mar 12Approve the purchase of one ImageCast Precinct Optical Scan…Motion: To approve the purchase of one ImageCast Precinct Optical Scan Tabulator.Passed · see note
March 12, 2024: Approve the purchase of one ImageCast Precinct Optical Scan Tabulator
ApprovePassed · No count or names in the minutes
To approve the purchase of one ImageCast Precinct Optical Scan Tabulator.
The minutes record this motion but no vote on it.
From the minutes
“Chair Reed made a motion to approve the purchase of one ImageCast Precinct Optical Scan Tabulator. Member Dundas seconded the motion..” (Motion: Reed, second: Dundas)
Mar 12Chair Reed announced that she and Member Weinstein were…Motion: Chair Reed announced that she and Member Weinstein were not present…Passed Unanimous, 5 present · see note
March 12, 2024: Chair Reed announced that she and Member Weinstein were not present at the Budget Task Force meeting, on January 23, 2024, and made a motion to amend the Consent Agenda…
ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 5 present
Chair Reed announced that she and Member Weinstein were not present at the Budget Task Force meeting, on January 23, 2024, and made a motion to amend the Consent Agenda to reflect that correction.
The minutes do not say who made this motion.
From the minutes
“Chair Reed announced that she and Member Weinstein were not present at the Budget Task Force meeting, on January 23, 2024, and made a motion to amend the Consent Agenda to reflect that correction. Member Rein seconded the motion. Roll Call Vote: Vice Chair Areson - Aye Member Dundas - Aye Member Weinstein - Aye Member Rein - Aye Chair Reed - Aye.” (second: Rein)
Feb 27Renew the five-acre Shellfish Aquaculture Grant License in the…Motion: To renew the five-acre Shellfish Aquaculture Grant License in the Aquaculture…Passed 4–0 · Abstained: Reed
February 27, 2024: Renew the five-acre Shellfish Aquaculture Grant License in the Aquaculture Development Area for Orion White for five (5) years ending February 27, 2029
ApprovePassed · 4–0
To renew the five-acre Shellfish Aquaculture Grant License in the Aquaculture Development Area for Orion White for five (5) years ending February 27, 2029.
“Chair Reed made a motion to renew the five-acre Shellfish Aquaculture Grant License in the Aquaculture Development Area for Orion White for five (5) years ending February 27, 2029. Member Weinstein seconded the motion. Roll Call Vote: Vice Chair Areson - Aye Member Dundas - Aye Member Weinstein - Aye Member Rein - Aye Chair Reed - Abstained So voted, 4-0-1, motion carries.” (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).