MassVoter.com← WalpoleMunicipal votes · 2022–2023 Board
Walpole Select Board
How the Walpole Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide for three-year terms. After the spring 2022 town election, the board on June 6, 2022 chose James O’Neil as Chair, Glenn Maffei as Vice Chair and Allyson Hamilton as Clerk (each 5-0-0). Allyson Hamilton joined the board; Nancy Mackenzie left it. Covers 26 meetings, June 6 to May 23, 2023.
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 budgetBoard years
Coming up
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Members
ChairJames O’NeilChair · Elected townwide · at 25 of 26 meetings
Vice-ChairGlenn MaffeiVice Chair · Elected townwide · at 26 of 26 meetings
Benjamin BarrettMember · Elected townwide · at 23 of 26 meetings
Mark GallivanMember · Elected townwide · at 24 of 26 meetings
Allyson HamiltonClerk · Elected townwide · at 25 of 26 meetings"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: Walpole Select Board minutes (the board was called the Board of Selectmen until the end of 2020) from January 9, 2018 through September 1, 2026: 225 meetings and 2881 votes. Minutes from 2018 through 2024 come from the town’s Document Center (Agendas & Minutes, Select Board), which holds the board’s minutes back to 2010 (MassVoter has loaded 2018 on); minutes from January 2025 on come from the town’s Agenda Center. Joint meetings are included (for example with the Finance Committee, the School Committee or the Board of Sewer and Water Commissioners), but only the Select Board’s own votes are shown. Not here: executive-session minutes, and meetings after September 1, 2026 (the September 22, 2026 minutes are not posted yet). Twelve sets of minutes from 2018 to 2020 are scanned images; MassVoter read them with text recognition, so quoted words may keep small reading errors. Walpole’s minutes give a count for each vote (“VOTED 5-0-0”, “Motion Passed (5-0-0)”) and name any member who votes no or abstains (“Ms. Ragosta opposed”, “Vice Chair Maffei opposed”); in 2018 to 2020 some votes were roll calls with each member named (“Mr. Salvatore-Aye”). When the count matches the members present, each member is shown voting as recorded. When a member arrived late or left early and the count matches the members there at the time, those members are shown, with a note. Where the count does not match the members present, or the names given do not match the count, we show the count only and add a note; a few votes record no count and show the result only. On February 4, 2025 the town confirmed that Benjamin Barrett, who arrived late, did not vote on the first seven items; it also confirmed the typing errors noted on January 21, May 13, May 21, November 18 and December 2, 2025. We will ask the town to confirm any other noted vote.
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 11Sign the Verizon New England Television Renewal License effective…Motion: On motion of Clerk Hamilton, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted…Passed Unanimous, 4 present · see note
April 11, 2023: Sign the Verizon New England Television Renewal License effective April 30, 2023 for a 5-year term
On motion of Clerk Hamilton, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted to sign the Verizon New England Television Renewal License effective April 30, 2023 for a 5-year term.
Benjamin Barrett arrived at 7:15pm and is not counted in this vote; the count (4-0-0) matches the 4 members there at the time.
From the minutes
“On motion of Clerk Hamilton, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted to sign the Verizon New England Television Renewal License effective April 30, 2023 for a 5-year term. Motion Passed (4-0-0).” (Motion: Hamilton, second: Maffei)
Apr 11Approve request of VSO Melissa Bingham to use the…Motion: On motion of Clerk Hamilton, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted…Passed Unanimous, 4 present · see note
April 11, 2023: Approve request of VSO Melissa Bingham to use the Town Common on May 29, 2023 for Memorial Day observance and block off a portion of Elm Street from 11am-2pm
On motion of Clerk Hamilton, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted to approve request of VSO Melissa Bingham to use the Town Common on May 29, 2023 for Memorial Day observance and block off a portion of Elm Street from 11am-2pm.
Benjamin Barrett arrived at 7:15pm and is not counted in this vote; the count (4-0-0) matches the 4 members there at the time.
From the minutes
“On motion of Clerk Hamilton, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted to approve request of VSO Melissa Bingham to use the Town Common on May 29, 2023 for Memorial Day observance and block off a portion of Elm Street from 11am-2pm. Motion Passed (4-0-0).” (Motion: Hamilton, second: Maffei)
Mar 28For Favorable Action on Article 27Motion: On motion of Clerk Hamilton, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted…Passed 3–2 · No: Hamilton, Maffei
March 28, 2023: For Favorable Action on Article 27
On motion of Clerk Hamilton, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted for Favorable Action on Article 27.
Yes: Barrett, Gallivan, O’NeilNo: Hamilton, Maffei
From the minutes
“On motion of Clerk Hamilton, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted for Favorable Action on Article 27. Motion Passed (3-2-0) (Vice Chair Maffei and Clerk Hamilton opposed).” (Motion: Hamilton, second: Maffei)
Mar 28For Favorable Action on Article 28Motion: On motion of Clerk Hamilton, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted…Passed 3–2 · No: Hamilton, Maffei
March 28, 2023: For Favorable Action on Article 28
On motion of Clerk Hamilton, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted for Favorable Action on Article 28.
Yes: Barrett, Gallivan, O’NeilNo: Hamilton, Maffei
From the minutes
“On motion of Clerk Hamilton, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted for Favorable Action on Article 28. Motion Passed (3-2-0) (Vice Chair Maffei and Clerk Hamilton opposed).” (Motion: Hamilton, second: Maffei)
Mar 28Approve the substitute motion language to be forwarded to…Motion: on motion of Chair O’Neil, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted…Passed 4–1 · No: Barrett
March 28, 2023: Approve the substitute motion language to be forwarded to the Finance Committee that leaves the Special Permit process intact and changes ’shall’ to ’may’
On motion of Chair O’Neil, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted to approve the substitute motion language to be forwarded to the Finance Committee that leaves the Special Permit process intact and changes ’shall’ to ’may’.
Yes: Gallivan, Hamilton, Maffei, O’NeilNo: Barrett
From the minutes
“on motion of Chair O’Neil, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted to approve the substitute motion language to be forwarded to the Finance Committee that leaves the Special Permit process intact and changes ’shall’ to ’may’. Motion passed (4-1-0) (Board member Barrett opposed).” (Motion: O’Neil, second: Maffei)
Mar 28Accept with gratitude the following donations: COA Pool Players…Motion: On motion of Clerk Hamilton, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted…Passed 4–0 · Abstained: O’Neil
March 28, 2023: Accept with gratitude the following donations: COA Pool Players to COA Pool Table Expenses $55 Various Donors to Smiling Eyes Financial Assistance $60 Gloria Denneen to COA Gifts $100 Friends…
On motion of Clerk Hamilton, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted to accept with gratitude the following donations: COA Pool Players to COA Pool Table Expenses $55 Various Donors to Smiling Eyes Financial Assistance $60 Gloria Denneen to COA Gifts $100 Friends of St. Patrick to Friends of COA Account $5,000 J.D. Murphy Management Co., Inc. to DPW Signal at Main/East Account $12,000
Yes: Barrett, Gallivan, Hamilton, MaffeiAbstained: O’Neil
From the minutes
“On motion of Clerk Hamilton, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted to accept with gratitude the following donations: COA Pool Players to COA Pool Table Expenses $55 Various Donors to Smiling Eyes Financial Assistance $60 Gloria Denneen to COA Gifts $100 Friends of St. Patrick to Friends of COA Account $5,000 J.D. Murphy Management Co., Inc. to DPW Signal at Main/East Account $12,000 Motion Passed (4-0-1) (Chair O’Neil abstained).” (Motion: Hamilton, second: Maffei)
Dec 6Approve request of Walpole Discount Beer and Wine for…Motion: On motion of Clerk Hamilton, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted…Passed Unanimous, 4 present · see note
December 6, 2022: Approve request of Walpole Discount Beer and Wine for Change of Manager to Bhavesh Patel
On motion of Clerk Hamilton, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted to approve request of Walpole Discount Beer and Wine for Change of Manager to Bhavesh Patel.
Mark Gallivan arrived at 7:30pm and is not counted in this vote; the count (4-0-0) matches the 4 members there at the time.
From the minutes
“On motion of Clerk Hamilton, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted to approve request of Walpole Discount Beer and Wine for Change of Manager to Bhavesh Patel. Motion Passed (4-0-0).” (Motion: Hamilton, second: Maffei)
Dec 6Approve request of DDO- New England LLC dba Taco…Motion: On motion of Clerk Hamilton, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted…Passed Unanimous, 4 present · see note
December 6, 2022: Approve request of DDO- New England LLC dba Taco Bell for a Common Victualler license to operate at 124 Providence Highway
On motion of Clerk Hamilton, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted to approve request of DDO- New England LLC dba Taco Bell for a Common Victualler license to operate at 124 Providence Highway.
Mark Gallivan arrived at 7:30pm and is not counted in this vote; the count (4-0-0) matches the 4 members there at the time.
From the minutes
“On motion of Clerk Hamilton, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted to approve request of DDO- New England LLC dba Taco Bell for a Common Victualler license to operate at 124 Providence Highway. Motion Passed (4-0-0).” (Motion: Hamilton, second: Maffei)
Dec 6Appoint Judith Conroy to the full position on the…Motion: On motion of Chair O’Neil, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted…Passed 4–1 · No: Maffei
December 6, 2022: Appoint Judith Conroy to the full position on the Zoning Board of Appeals
On motion of Chair O’Neil, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted to appoint Judith Conroy to the full position on the Zoning Board of Appeals. On roll call vote of the Board,
Yes: Barrett, Gallivan, Hamilton, O’NeilNo: Maffei
From the minutes
“On motion of Chair O’Neil, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted to appoint Judith Conroy to the full position on the Zoning Board of Appeals. On roll call vote of the Board, Motion Passed (4-1-0) (Vice Chair Maffei opposed).” (Motion: O’Neil, second: Maffei)
Dec 6Approve request of Friends of Saint Patrick to hold…Motion: On motion of Clerk Hamilton, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted…Passed 4–0 · Abstained: O’Neil
December 6, 2022: Approve request of Friends of Saint Patrick to hold the annual parade on March 17, 2023 beginning at 11:25-11:30am and block a section of Main Street between Stone and Common…
On motion of Clerk Hamilton, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted to approve request of Friends of Saint Patrick to hold the annual parade on March 17, 2023 beginning at 11:25-11:30am and block a section of Main Street between Stone and Common Street at the conclusion of the parade for approximately 15minutes. On roll call vote of the Board,
Yes: Barrett, Gallivan, Hamilton, MaffeiAbstained: O’Neil
From the minutes
“On motion of Clerk Hamilton, seconded by Vice Chair Maffei, voted to approve request of Friends of Saint Patrick to hold the annual parade on March 17, 2023 beginning at 11:25-11:30am and block a section of Main Street between Stone and Common Street at the conclusion of the parade for approximately 15minutes. On roll call vote of the Board, Motion Passed (4-0-1) (Chair O’Neil abstained).” (Motion: Hamilton, second: Maffei)
From the Walpole Select Board’s official minutes: 2018 to 2024 from the town’s Document Center (Agendas & Minutes, Select Board), and 2025 on from its Agenda Center. We check every vote against the Select Board members present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Photos: the members’ own campaign Facebook pages (Allyson Hamilton, Glenn Maffei, Benjamin Barrett, James O’Neil); Walpole Media Corp (Mark Gallivan, “Mark Gallivan Candidate Special,” June 2020); the Town of Walpole’s Annual Town Reports (Nancy Mackenzie, 2019 report, board photo with name card; David Salvatore, 2020 report, board photo); Hometown Weekly (Ann Ragosta, “An Outside View,” November 2018). No photo found for Eric Kraus.
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