How the Wellesley Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide. Same five members after the March 7, 2023 town election. On June 12, 2023 the board chose Lise Olney as Chair from July 1, 2023 through the fall Special Town Meeting (3-2), Colette Aufranc as Vice Chair (3-2) and Beth Sullivan Woods as Secretary (5-0). On October 10, 2023 it chose Thomas Ulfelder as Chair until June 30, 2024. Covers 46 meetings, March 13 to February 27, 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.
From the agendas Wellesley posts on its official site. Agendas can change; the posted agenda is the official one.
What Town Meeting decided
In Wellesley, 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. Town Meeting members are elected by precinct; counts are from the town’s electronic voting.
Special Town Meeting · May 11, 2026 3 votes: 1 passed, 1 no action, 1 advisory
Art. 1No motion was made under this article.No action“NO MOTION”
Art. 15 · motion 2Community Preservation: up to $750,000 (or 50% of cost) to dredge the Duck Pond and Reeds PondPassed“Passed unanimously by voice vote”
Art. 15 · motion 3Community Preservation: $450,000 for playgrounds at Sprague School, Hunnewell Field Tot Lot and Perrin ParkPassed“Passed unanimously by voice vote”
Art. 16Transfer $500,000 from Free Cash for Wellesley High School and Hunnewell Fields irrigation systemPassed“Passed unanimously by voice vote”
Art. 17Playground Reconstruction (title from the Town's scorecard; no motion made)No action“no motions”
Art. 18Great Plain Avenue Road Construction (title from the Town's scorecard; no motion made)No action“no motions”
Art. 6Set Town Clerk annual salary at $113,625 effective July 1, 2024Passed“Passed by voice vote”
Art. 7 · motion 1Appropriate $400,000 from Free Cash for FY24 snow and ice removalPassed“Passed by voice vote”
Art. 7 · motion 2Transfer $2,500 from the Graves Officer stipend to the Celebrations CommitteePassed“Passed by voice vote”
Art. 7 · motion 3Transfer $190,000 from Town Hall interior design funds to the Town Hall interior construction contingencyPassed“Passed by voice vote”
Art. 8 · motion 1Appropriate $1,000,000 paid by the Municipal Light Plant to the Board of Assessors to reduce the FY25 tax ratePassed“Passed by voice vote”
Art. 17 · motion 1Community Preservation: $100,000 for CPC administration and FY24 reserves for historic resources and community housingPassed“Passed by voice vote”
Art. 32Accept M.G.L. c.44 s.53F3/4 to create a PEG Access and Cable Related FundPassed“Passed by voice vote”
Art. 33No motion was made under this article.No action“no motions”
Art. 34No motion was made under this article.No action“no motions”
Art. 35No motion was made under this article.No action“no motions”
Art. 36Amend General Bylaw 29.5 so the Board of Public Works can set stormwater utility rates and policiesPassed“Passed by voice vote”
Art. 37 · motion 1Amend General Bylaw 39.5 to set a term limit for the Veterans' Grave Officer and fix a statutory referencePassed“Passed by voice vote”
Not here yet: the October 2024 Special Town Meeting and the 2025 Annual Town Meeting (the Town Clerk's records for these are scanned pages in the 2024–2025 Annual Town Report), and the November 2025 Special Town Meeting. The May 2026 Special Town Meeting results come from the motions as voted and the electronic voting report, not the Town Clerk's 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: Select Board minutes (called the Board of Selectmen until November 2020) from January 8, 2018 through August 17, 2026, from the town’s online Agenda Center, which holds minutes back to 2014 (MassVoter has loaded 2018 on). Retreats, budget summits, short meetings held to go into executive session, and joint meetings with other boards are included; at joint meetings only the Select Board’s own votes are shown. Not here: the minutes of the board’s Policy Subcommittee and of the Bylaw Review Committee; the closed executive-session minutes themselves; 25 other meeting dates listed in the Agenda Center with an agenda but no minutes (mostly executive-session-only meetings, retreats, budget summits and workshops, sessions the board attended at another board’s meeting, and a few meetings in 2018, 2019 and 2021); and every meeting after August 17, 2026. The minutes are typed PDFs. Wellesley’s minutes give the mover and seconder and a count for almost every vote, such as “the Board voted (5-0)”. Split votes usually name the members who voted no or abstained (“(4-1; Sullivan Woods opposed)”), and from 2020 on polled votes, and since 2025 most votes, list each member’s vote by name (“Aufranc - Aye Freiman - Aye Largess - No”). When the count matches the members present, or the minutes say the vote was unanimous, we show every member present as voting yes; when the minutes name the members who voted no or abstained and the count adds up, 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 or names one the attendance list does not show, or the count does not match the members present, we show the count only and add a note. At joint meetings the minutes often give one count for both boards (“the Boards voted (10-0)”); unless the Select Board members are listed by name, those votes show the result only. Votes with no count written down are shown with the result only. Members who stepped aside (recused), had not yet arrived or had left are left out of that vote. We will ask the town to confirm any noted vote.
To approve the Capital Financing Policy as amended
Yes: Aufranc, Olney, UlfelderNo: Lanza, Woods
From the minutes
“Upon a motion by Ms. Olney and seconded by Ms. Aufranc, the Board was polled and voted (3-2) to approve the Capital Financing Policy as amended. Olney - Aye Sullivan Woods - No Ulfelder - Aye Aufranc - Aye Lanza - No.” (Motion: Olney, second: Aufranc)
Jan 30Support the schedule proposed by the Moderator for the…Motion: To support the schedule proposed by the Moderator for Annual Town…Passed 4–0 · Abstained: Woods
January 30, 2024: Support the schedule proposed by the Moderator for the 2024 Annual Town Meeting
ApprovePassed · 4–0
To support the schedule proposed by the Moderator for Annual Town Meeting as follows: Week One: Monday, March 25th; Tuesday, March 26th; and Wednesday, March 27th Week Two: Monday, April 1st; Tuesday, April 2nd; and Wednesday, April 3rd Week Three: Monday, April 8th; Wednesday, April 10th Week Four: Monday, April 29th; and Tuesday, April 30th
“Upon a motion by Ms. Sullivan Woods, and seconded by Ms. Aufranc, the Board was polled and voted (4-0-1) to support the schedule proposed by the Moderator for Annual Town Meeting as follows: Week One: Monday, March 25th; Tuesday, March 26th; and Wednesday, March 27th Week Two: Monday, April 1st; Tuesday, April 2nd; and Wednesday, April 3rd Week Three: Monday, April 8th; Wednesday, April 10th Week Four: Monday, April 29th; and Tuesday, April 30th. Olney - Aye Sullivan Woods - Abstains citing as the reason that she did not have the information to evaluate the reaction of Town Meeting Members. Ulfelder - Aye Aufranc - Aye Lanza - Aye.” (Motion: Woods, second: Aufranc)
Dec 19Approve the Abbreviated Code of Conduct for distribution to…Motion: To approve the Abbreviated Code of Conduct for distribution to appointed…Passed 3–2 · No: Lanza, Woods
December 19, 2023: Approve the Abbreviated Code of Conduct for distribution to appointed boards, committees, and commissions with a request for a code to be adopted by March 2024
AppointPassed · 3–2
To approve the Abbreviated Code of Conduct for distribution to appointed boards, committees, and commissions with a request for a code to be adopted by March 2024
Yes: Aufranc, Olney, UlfelderNo: Lanza, Woods
From the minutes
“Upon a motion by Ms. Sullivan Woods and seconded by Ms. Aufranc, the Board was polled and voted (3-2) to approve the Abbreviated Code of Conduct for distribution to appointed boards, committees, and commissions with a request for a code to be adopted by March 2024. Olney - Aye Sullivan Woods - No Ulfelder - Aye Aufranc - Aye Lanza - No.” (Motion: Woods, second: Aufranc)
“Upon a motion by Ms. Sullivan Woods and seconded by Ms. Lanza the Board was polled and voted (2-3) to support Article 10. The motion failed with Mr. Ulfelder, Ms. Aufranc, and Ms. Olney voting no. Olney - No Sullivan Woods - Aye Ulfelder - No Aufranc - No Lanza - Aye.” (Motion: Woods, second: Lanza)
To appoint Mr. Ulfelder as Chair until June 30, 2024
Yes: Aufranc, Olney, UlfelderNo: Lanza, Woods
From the minutes
“Upon a motion by Ms. Olney and seconded by Ms. Aufranc the Board was polled and voted (3-2 Lanza and Sullivan Woods opposed) to appoint Mr. Ulfelder as Chair until June 30, 2024..” (Motion: Olney, second: Aufranc)
Sep 19Approve the one-day license for Babson College for their…Motion: To approve the one-day license for Babson College for their Campaign…Passed 5–0 · see note
September 19, 2023: Approve the one-day license for Babson College for their Campaign Kick Off Event to be held on October 19, 2023, at the BRAC (Babson Recreation and Athletic Complex) gym
ApprovePassed · 5–0
To approve the one-day license for Babson College for their Campaign Kick Off Event to be held on October 19, 2023, at the BRAC (Babson Recreation and Athletic Complex) gym
The minutes give the result as "Upon a motion by Ms. Sullivan Woods and seconded by Ms. Lanza, the Board was polled and voted (5-0) to approve the one-day license for Babson College for their Campaign Kick Off Event to be held on October 19, 2023, at the BRAC (Babson Recreation and Athletic Complex) gym.", but the roll call reads: Lise Olney yes, Beth Sullivan Woods yes, Thomas Ulfelder yes, Ann-Mara Lanza yes. Showing the count only. Colette Aufranc had not yet arrived.
From the minutes
“Upon a motion by Ms. Sullivan Woods and seconded by Ms. Lanza, the Board was polled and voted (5-0) to approve the one-day license for Babson College for their Campaign Kick Off Event to be held on October 19, 2023, at the BRAC (Babson Recreation and Athletic Complex) gym. Olney - Aye Sullivan Woods - Aye Ulfelder - Aye Lanza - Aye.” (Motion: Woods, second: Lanza)
Jul 24Approve the edits proposed to the Memorandum of Agreement…Motion: To approve the edits proposed to the Memorandum of Agreement between…Failed 2–3 · No: Aufranc, Olney, Ulfelder
July 24, 2023: Approve the edits proposed to the Memorandum of Agreement between the HR Board and the Select Board
ApproveFailed · 2–3
To approve the edits proposed to the Memorandum of Agreement between the HR Board and the Select Board
Yes: Lanza, WoodsNo: Aufranc, Olney, Ulfelder
From the minutes
“Upon a motion by Ms. Sullivan Woods and seconded by Ms. Lanza, the Board was polled and voted (2-3) to approve the edits proposed to the Memorandum of Agreement between the HR Board and the Select Board. Olney - No Sullivan Woods - Aye Ulfelder - No Aufranc - No Lanza - Aye.” (Motion: Woods, second: Lanza)
Jul 24Approve the Memorandum of Agreement between the HR Board…Motion: To approve the Memorandum of Agreement between the HR Board and…Passed 3–1 · No: Woods · Abstained: Lanza
July 24, 2023: Approve the Memorandum of Agreement between the HR Board and Select Board to designate the Executive Director as Supervisor to the Human Resources Board
ApprovePassed · 3–1
To approve the Memorandum of Agreement between the HR Board and Select Board to designate the Executive Director as Supervisor to the Human Resources Board
“Upon a motion by Ms. Aufranc and seconded by Mr. Ulfelder, the Board was polled and voted (3-1- 1) to approve the Memorandum of Agreement between the HR Board and Select Board to designate the Executive Director as Supervisor to the Human Resources Board. Olney - Aye Sullivan Woods - No Ulfelder - Aye Aufranc - Aye Lanza - Abstained.” (Motion: Aufranc, second: Ulfelder)
Jul 24Approve the Select Board Priorities and Departmental Work Plan…Motion: To approve the Select Board Priorities and Departmental Work Plan for…Passed 4–1 · No: Lanza
July 24, 2023: Approve the Select Board Priorities and Departmental Work Plan for FY24 in the document provided
ApprovePassed · 4–1
To approve the Select Board Priorities and Departmental Work Plan for FY24 in the document provided
Yes: Aufranc, Olney, Ulfelder, WoodsNo: Lanza
From the minutes
“Upon a motion by Ms. Sullivan Woods and seconded by Ms. Aufranc, the Board was polled and voted (4-1) to approve the Select Board Priorities and Departmental Work Plan for FY24 in the document provided. Olney - Aye Sullivan Woods - Aye Ulfelder - Aye Aufranc - Aye Lanza - No.” (Motion: Woods, second: Aufranc)
From the Wellesley Select Board’s official minutes, posted in the town’s Agenda Center. We check every vote against the Select Board members present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Photos: Town of Wellesley (the Select Board page on wellesleyma.gov).