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Municipal votes · 2020–2021 Board

Westford Select Board

How the Westford Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide for three-year terms. Andrea Peraner-Sweet chaired the board from May 26, 2020, with Tom Clay as Vice Chair; the minutes of the May 12, 2020 meeting, where the board probably reorganized, are not online. The 2020 town election was moved to June 30, 2020 because of COVID-19: Tom Clay was re-elected and Anita Tonakarn-Nguyen succeeded Elizabeth Almeida (June 23, 2020 was Elizabeth Almeida’s last regular meeting). The board was the Board of Selectmen until the Legislature approved the Town Charter change to “Select Board” on November 13, 2020; its minutes are headed “Select Board” from December 8, 2020. Most meetings were remote, with roll-call votes. Covers 31 meetings, May 26 to April 27, 2021.

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

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Board years

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

What Town Meeting decided

In Westford, 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 · March 28, 2026 33 votes: 28 passed, 1 failed, 2 no action, 2 other

Sessions: Saturday, March 28, 2026

Source: Town Clerk: Annual Town Meeting, March 28, 2026, Minutes (Westford document archive, category "Town Meeting", type Minutes).

Special Town Meeting · October 27, 2025 20 votes: 18 passed, 2 failed

Sessions: Monday, October 27, 2025

Source: Office of the Town Clerk: Special Town Meeting Results, October 27, 2025 (Document Center PDF, linked as "Results for STM Oct 27 2025 - Copy").

Annual Town Meeting · March 22, 2025 28 votes: 23 passed, 2 failed, 2 no action, 1 advisory

Sessions: Saturday, March 22, 2025

Source: Town Clerk: Annual Town Meeting, March 22, 2025, minutes (Document Center PDF, linked as "March 22 2025 TM Minutes final").

Special Town Meeting · October 21, 2024 10 votes: 8 passed, 1 failed, 1 advisory

Sessions: Monday, October 21, 2024

Source: Town Clerk: 2024 Special Town Meeting, October 21, 2024, minutes (Document Center PDF, linked as "STM 10-24-24 final minutes").

Annual Town Meeting · April 27, 2024 24 votes: 19 passed, 2 passed as amended, 1 failed, 2 no action

Sessions: Saturday, April 27, 2024

Source: Town Clerk: Annual Town Meeting, April 27, 2024, Minutes (Westford document archive, category "Town Clerk", type Minutes).

Not here yet: All Westford Town Meetings held from January 2024 to October 12, 2026 are here; the 2026 Special Town Meeting is on October 26, 2026.

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

Elizabeth AlmeidaMember · At-large · at 4 of 4 meetings · until Jun 2020Scott HazeltonMember · At-large · at 29 of 31 meetingsMark KostMember · At-large · at 27 of 31 meetingsAnita Tonakarn-NguyenMember · At-large · at 26 of 27 meetings · from Jul 2020

"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: Westford Select Board minutes from January 9, 2018 through July 28, 2026: 262 meetings and 3,234 votes. The town’s document archive holds Select Board and Board of Selectmen minutes back to 1890 (typed, searchable files from 2003); MassVoter loaded January 2018 on. The board was the Board of Selectmen until the Legislature approved the Town Charter change on November 13, 2020; its minutes are headed “Select Board” from December 8, 2020. Most 2018–2019 approved minutes are signed scans, which MassVoter read with text recognition (where the archive also has the typed draft, the approved copy is used). Also loaded: joint meetings with the Finance Committee, School Committee and Town and School Safety Task Force that are filed with the board’s minutes; only the Select Board’s own votes are shown. Not online: the minutes of some meetings with posted agendas, among them March 13 and October 15, 2018; February 12, 2019; May 12 and June 9, 2020; January 14, April 8 and April 22, 2025; and the October 2025 goal-setting retreat. MassVoter is asking the town for them. Not here: executive-session minutes, cancelled meetings, and the votes of the Finance Committee, School Committee and other boards at joint meetings. Minutes after July 28, 2026 are not posted yet (the board approves them before posting, usually about two months later). The town also reposts each agenda the day after a meeting with “ACTION TAKEN” notes under the items; those are not minutes, and MassVoter does not use them. Westford’s minutes name the mover and seconder and give a count, naming any member who votes no, abstains, recuses or is absent (“VOTED 3 IN FAVOR, 2 OPPOSED (Hazelton, Kost) TO RECOMMEND Article 11”); a count that equals the members present, with the members voting no or abstaining named, is shown as each member’s vote. Meetings with a member taking part remotely (2018) and the 2020 remote meetings add roll calls by name (“Clay - yes, Kost - no”). Members who arrived late, left, recused or were out of the room are not shown in the votes they missed. Where the count does not fit the members present or does not match the roll call, we show the count only (14 votes); where the minutes say the board voted by roll call but give no count, we show the result only (4 votes). A motion with no recorded outcome is not counted as a vote. We will ask the town to confirm any noted vote.

Tuesday, April 27, 2021 · Regular meeting23 recorded votes, 2 with disagreementAll 6 members presentTuesday, April 13, 2021 · Regular meeting16 recorded votes, 0 with disagreementAbsent: Scott HazeltonThursday, April 8, 2021 · Joint meeting3 recorded votes, 1 with disagreementAbsent: Scott HazeltonThursday, April 1, 2021 · Joint meeting2 recorded votes, 0 with disagreementAbsent: Andrea Peraner-Sweet, Mark KostTuesday, March 23, 2021 · Regular meeting6 recorded votes, 0 with disagreementAll 6 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 27Approve the minutes from the joint meeting of the…Motion: It was moved by SBM Clay, seconded by SBM Hazelton, and…Passed 3–0 · Abstained: Kost, Peraner-Sweet

April 27, 2021: Approve the minutes from the joint meeting of the Select Board and the Finance Committee of April 1, 2021

Approve minutesPassed · 3–0

It was moved by SBM Clay, seconded by SBM Hazelton, and VOTED 3 IN FAVOR, 2 ABSTAIN (Peraner-Sweet, Kost) TO APPROVE the minutes from the joint meeting of the Select Board and the Finance Committee of April 1, 2021.

Yes: Clay, Hazelton, Tonakarn-NguyenAbstained: Kost, Peraner-Sweet

From the minutes

“It was moved by SBM Clay, seconded by SBM Hazelton, and VOTED 3 IN FAVOR, 2 ABSTAIN (Peraner-Sweet, Kost) TO APPROVE the minutes from the joint meeting of the Select Board and the Finance Committee of April 1, 2021..” (Motion: Clay, second: Hazelton)

Read it in the official minutes, page 8 (PDF)

Apr 8Allocate $17,750 from the FY22 budget surplus to fund…Motion: It was moved by Clay, seconded by Tonakarn-Nguyen and VOTED 3…Passed 3–1 · No: Kost

April 8, 2021 (Joint meeting): Allocate $17,750 from the FY22 budget surplus to fund the three police hybrid cruisers ($17,750 to be added to FY22 police cruiser line item)

ApprovePassed · 3–1

It was moved by Clay, seconded by Tonakarn-Nguyen and VOTED 3 IN FAVOR (Kost opposed) to allocate $17,750 from the FY22 budget surplus to fund the three police hybrid cruisers ($17,750 to be added to FY22 police cruiser line item).

Yes: Clay, Peraner-Sweet, Tonakarn-NguyenNo: Kost

From the minutes

“It was moved by Clay, seconded by Tonakarn-Nguyen and VOTED 3 IN FAVOR (Kost opposed) to allocate $17,750 from the FY22 budget surplus to fund the three police hybrid cruisers ($17,750 to be added to FY22 police cruiser line item)..” (Motion: Clay, second: Tonakarn-Nguyen)

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

Mar 9Not to pursue purchasing 22 Griffin Road and not…Motion: It was moved by SBM Kost, seconded by SBM Clay, and…Passed 4–1 · No: Hazelton

March 9, 2021: Not to pursue purchasing 22 Griffin Road and not to exercise the right of first refusal

ApprovePassed · 4–1

It was moved by SBM Kost, seconded by SBM Clay, and VOTED 4 IN FAVOR, 1 OPPOSED (Hazelton) not to pursue purchasing 22 Griffin Road and not to exercise the right of first refusal.

Yes: Clay, Kost, Peraner-Sweet, Tonakarn-NguyenNo: Hazelton

From the minutes

“It was moved by SBM Kost, seconded by SBM Clay, and VOTED 4 IN FAVOR, 1 OPPOSED (Hazelton) not to pursue purchasing 22 Griffin Road and not to exercise the right of first refusal..” (Motion: Kost, second: Clay)

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

Jan 26Approve the request to adopt minimum wage increases for…Motion: It was moved by SBM Hazelton, seconded by SBM Clay, and…Passed 4–1 · No: Kost

January 26, 2021: Approve the request to adopt minimum wage increases for municipal employees from $12.75 to $13.50

ApprovePassed · 4–1

It was moved by SBM Hazelton, seconded by SBM Clay, and VOTED 4 IN FAVOR, 1 OPPOSED (Kost) TO APPROVE the request to adopt minimum wage increases for municipal employees from $12.75 to $13.50.

Yes: Clay, Hazelton, Peraner-Sweet, Tonakarn-NguyenNo: Kost

From the minutes

“It was moved by SBM Hazelton, seconded by SBM Clay, and VOTED 4 IN FAVOR, 1 OPPOSED (Kost) TO APPROVE the request to adopt minimum wage increases for municipal employees from $12.75 to $13.50..” (Motion: Hazelton, second: Clay)

Read it in the official minutes, page 6 (PDF)

Oct 18Not recommend the amendment to Article 24Motion: On a motion made and seconded, it was VOTED 5 IN…Passed Unanimous, 5 present · see note

October 18, 2020: Not recommend the amendment to Article 24

ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 5 present

On a motion made and seconded, it was VOTED 5 IN FAVOR TO NOT RECOMMEND the amendment to Article 24.

The minutes say the motion was made and seconded but do not name the mover or seconder.

From the minutes

“On a motion made and seconded, it was VOTED 5 IN FAVOR TO NOT RECOMMEND the amendment to Article 24..”

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

Oct 13Not recommend Article 23Motion: It was moved by Selectman Kost, seconded by Selectman Hazelton and…Passed 4–1 · No: Tonakarn-Nguyen

October 13, 2020: Not recommend Article 23

ApprovePassed · 4–1

It was moved by Selectman Kost, seconded by Selectman Hazelton and VOTED 4 IN FAVOR, 1 OPPOSED (Tonakarn-Nguyen) TO NOT RECOMMEND Article 23.

Yes: Clay, Hazelton, Kost, Peraner-SweetNo: Tonakarn-Nguyen

From the minutes

“It was moved by Selectman Kost, seconded by Selectman Hazelton and VOTED 4 IN FAVOR, 1 OPPOSED (Tonakarn-Nguyen) TO NOT RECOMMEND Article 23..” (Motion: Kost, second: Hazelton)

Read it in the official minutes, page 6 (PDF)

Sep 29Recommend Article 11Motion: It was moved by Selectman Clay, seconded by Selectman Tonakarn-Nguyen and…Passed 3–2 · No: Hazelton, Kost

September 29, 2020: Recommend Article 11

ApprovePassed · 3–2

It was moved by Selectman Clay, seconded by Selectman Tonakarn-Nguyen and VOTED 3 IN FAVOR, 2 OPPOSED (Hazelton, Kost) TO RECOMMEND Article 11.

Yes: Clay, Peraner-Sweet, Tonakarn-NguyenNo: Hazelton, Kost

From the minutes

“It was moved by Selectman Clay, seconded by Selectman Tonakarn-Nguyen and VOTED 3 IN FAVOR, 2 OPPOSED (Hazelton, Kost) TO RECOMMEND Article 11..” (Motion: Clay, second: Tonakarn-Nguyen)

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

Sep 29Recommend 14Motion: It was moved by Selectman Clay, seconded by Selectman Hazelton and…Passed 4–1 · No: Kost

September 29, 2020: Recommend 14

ApprovePassed · 4–1

It was moved by Selectman Clay, seconded by Selectman Hazelton and VOTED 4 IN FAVOR, 1 OPPOSED (Kost) TO RECOMMEND 14.

Yes: Clay, Hazelton, Peraner-Sweet, Tonakarn-NguyenNo: Kost

From the minutes

“It was moved by Selectman Clay, seconded by Selectman Hazelton and VOTED 4 IN FAVOR, 1 OPPOSED (Kost) TO RECOMMEND 14..” (Motion: Clay, second: Hazelton)

Read it in the official minutes, page 6 (PDF)

Aug 25Approve the flag policy as amendedMotion: It was moved by Selectman Clay, seconded by Selectman Tonakarn-Nguyen and…Passed 4–0 · Abstained: Kost

August 25, 2020: Approve the flag policy as amended

ApprovePassed · 4–0

It was moved by Selectman Clay, seconded by Selectman Tonakarn-Nguyen and VOTED 4 IN FAVOR, 1 ABSTAIN (Kost) TO APPROVE the flag policy as amended.

Yes: Clay, Hazelton, Peraner-Sweet, Tonakarn-NguyenAbstained: Kost

From the minutes

“It was moved by Selectman Clay, seconded by Selectman Tonakarn-Nguyen and VOTED 4 IN FAVOR, 1 ABSTAIN (Kost) TO APPROVE the flag policy as amended..” (Motion: Clay, second: Tonakarn-Nguyen)

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

Jul 28Approve the request from Emily Teller to display the…Motion: It was moved by Selectman Clay, seconded by Selectman Hazelton and…Passed 4–0 · Abstained: Kost

July 28, 2020: Approve the request from Emily Teller to display the lights at the police station, old center fire station, the J.V. Fletcher Library, Parish Center for the Arts, and the First…

ApprovePassed · 4–0

It was moved by Selectman Clay, seconded by Selectman Hazelton and VOTED 4 IN FAVOR, 1 ABSTAIN (Kost)TO APPROVE the request from Emily Teller to display the lights at the police station, old center fire station, the J.V. Fletcher Library, Parish Center for the Arts, and the First Parish Church United, in addition to the trees on the Town Common and the Town Hall from Sunday, August 23, 2020 through Thursday, August 27, 2020, subject to the applicant receiving all parties' approval. Hazelton - yes, Kost - abstain, Clay - yes, Tonakarn-Nguyen - yes, Peraner-Sweet - yes

Yes: Clay, Hazelton, Peraner-Sweet, Tonakarn-NguyenAbstained: Kost

From the minutes

“It was moved by Selectman Clay, seconded by Selectman Hazelton and VOTED 4 IN FAVOR, 1 ABSTAIN (Kost)TO APPROVE the request from Emily Teller to display the lights at the police station, old center fire station, the J.V. Fletcher Library, Parish Center for the Arts, and the First Parish Church United, in addition to the trees on the Town Common and the Town Hall from Sunday, August 23, 2020 through Thursday, August 27, 2020, subject to the applicant receiving all parties' approval. Hazelton - yes, Kost - abstain, Clay - yes, Tonakarn-Nguyen - yes, Peraner-Sweet - yes.” (Motion: Clay, second: Hazelton)

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

From the Westford Select Board’s official minutes, posted in the town’s document archive (“View all meeting minutes” on the Select Board page) and, for recent meetings, 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 town’s website has only an unnamed group photo): League of Women Voters of Westford Voters’ Guides — Chris Barrett, Tom Clay and Elizabeth Sawyer (2026); Sean Kelly and Noëlle Donovan (2025). Cropped by MassVoter. Former members show initials.

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