MassVoter.com← WestonMunicipal votes · 2023–2024 Board
Weston Select Board
How the Weston Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide for three-year terms (3 members until 2026). Thomas Palmer joined the board after the May 2023 town election (first meeting May 16, 2023), succeeding Harvey Boshart. On May 16, 2023 the board chose Laurie Bent as Chair and Thomas Palmer as Clerk, each 3-0 (roll calls). Christopher Houston’s last meeting was May 6, 2024. Covers 25 meetings, May 16 to May 6, 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.
Sources: Massachusetts Select Board Handbook (MMA) · Mass. Division of Local Services: the town budgetBoard years
Coming up
From the agendas Weston posts on its official site. Agendas can change; the posted agenda is the official one.
Members
Christopher HoustonMember · At-large · at 23 of 25 meetingsThomas PalmerClerk · At-large · at 25 of 25 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: Weston Select Board minutes from January 18, 2018 through September 8, 2026: 237 meetings and 1,101 votes. Minutes back to June 2013 are online; MassVoter loaded 2018 on. The minutes call the board the Board of Selectmen through November 13, 2019 and the Select Board from December 10, 2019. The board had three members until May 2026; a special act approved by the May 2025 Annual Town Meeting, the Legislature (signed October 2025) and the voters at a January 13, 2026 special election enlarged it to five, and the first five-member meeting was May 12, 2026. Many minutes from 2024 to 2026 are posted as scanned images; MassVoter read them with text recognition and checked every name and vote line by hand. Included: regular and special meetings, joint meetings with other boards (only the Select Board members’ votes are shown), the Financial Summits and All Committee meetings the board posted, and the board’s own Water Tank Working Group meetings (all three members, 2025-2026). Not here: executive-session minutes; the MBTA 3A Working Group and Fire Station Working Group (separate groups that include some Select Board members), whose minutes are filed in the same Agenda Center folder; summaries of site visits (informational, no votes); meetings with an agenda but no posted minutes (regular meetings on January 11, April 12, June 7 and July 26, 2022 and November 14 and December 5, 2023; a joint meeting with the Recreation Commission on December 13, 2022; and most of the yearly Financial Summits and All Committee meetings, including October 27 and November 1, 2025); and meetings after September 8, 2026 (the September 29, 2026 minutes are not posted yet). Through 2019 most votes read “2nd by Mr. Gillespie. Approved unanimously”, shown as every member present voting yes. Since 2020 nearly every vote is a roll call naming each member who voted yes, with any no vote or abstention named (“Ms. Revers and Mr. McDonald voted in the affirmative and Mr. Palmer voted against”), shown by name. A roll call that leaves out a member who was at the meeting is shown with the named votes only, with a note; where the minutes give no names or count we show the result only (3 votes), and where a roll call names one member twice we show the count only (1 vote). Members who recused themselves, arrived late or left early are shown only in the votes they took part in. A motion with no recorded outcome (several consent agendas, for example) is not counted as a vote. We will ask the town to confirm any 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 23Reject the town's Right of first refusal for approximately…Motion: MOTION: Mr. Houston moved to reject the town's Right of first…Passed 2–0 · see note
April 23, 2024: Reject the town's Right of first refusal for approximately 3.5 acres at 300 Conant Rd
MOTION: Mr. Houston moved to reject the town's Right of first refusal for approximately 3.5 acres at 300 Conant Rd. Roll Call Vote: Mr. Houston and Mr. Palmer voted in the affirmative. Approved Unanimously.
Yes: Houston, PalmerChair Laurie Bent recused herself from this item (she is a near neighbor of the property), so she is not shown voting.
From the minutes
“MOTION: Mr. Houston moved to reject the town's Right of first refusal for approximately 3.5 acres at 300 Conant Rd. Roll Call Vote: Mr. Houston and Mr. Palmer voted in the affirmative. Approved Unanimously..” (Motion: Houston)
Jan 9Approve three changes to DPW Transfer Stations RegulationsMotion: MOTION: Ms. Bent made a motion to approve three changes to…Passed 2–0 · see note
January 9, 2024 (Special meeting): Approve three changes to DPW Transfer Stations Regulations
MOTION: Ms. Bent made a motion to approve three changes to DPW Transfer Stations Regulations, seconded by Mr. Palmer. Roll call Vote: Mr. Palmer and Ms. Bent voted in the affirmative
Yes: Bent, PalmerThe roll call does not list Christopher Houston, who was at the meeting, so that member is left out of this vote.
From the minutes
“MOTION: Ms. Bent made a motion to approve three changes to DPW Transfer Stations Regulations, seconded by Mr. Palmer. Roll call Vote: Mr. Palmer and Ms. Bent voted in the affirmative.” (Motion: Bent, second: Palmer)
Oct 24Add Article 6 to the November 28, 2023, Special…Motion: MOTION: Mr. Houston moved to add Article 6 to the November…Passed 2–1 · No: Palmer
October 24, 2023: Add Article 6 to the November 28, 2023, Special Town Meeting warrant
MOTION: Mr. Houston moved to add Article 6 to the November 28, 2023, Special Town Meeting warrant. 2nd by Ms. Bent. Roll call vote: Mr. Houston, and Ms. Bent voted in the affirmative. Mr. Palmer voted against. Motion Approved
Yes: Bent, HoustonNo: Palmer
From the minutes
“MOTION: Mr. Houston moved to add Article 6 to the November 28, 2023, Special Town Meeting warrant. 2nd by Ms. Bent. Roll call vote: Mr. Houston, and Ms. Bent voted in the affirmative. Mr. Palmer voted against. Motion Approved.” (Motion: Houston, second: Bent)
Sep 26Appoint Thomas Szekely and Anne Benning to full voting…Motion: MOTION: Mr. Palmer moved to appoint Thomas Szekely and Anne Benning…Passed 2–0 · see note
September 26, 2023: Appoint Thomas Szekely and Anne Benning to full voting members of the Tree Advisory Group with a term expiration of June 30, 2026
MOTION: Mr. Palmer moved to appoint Thomas Szekely and Anne Benning to full voting members of the Tree Advisory Group with a term expiration of June 30, 2026. 2nd by Ms. Bent. Roll call vote: Mr. Palmer and Ms. Bent voted in the affirmative. Approved unanimously.
Yes: Bent, PalmerChristopher Houston had not yet joined the meeting and is not shown voting.
From the minutes
“MOTION: Mr. Palmer moved to appoint Thomas Szekely and Anne Benning to full voting members of the Tree Advisory Group with a term expiration of June 30, 2026. 2nd by Ms. Bent. Roll call vote: Mr. Palmer and Ms. Bent voted in the affirmative. Approved unanimously..” (Motion: Palmer, second: Bent)
Sep 26Appoint Thomas Palmer to be the Board's representative to…Motion: MOTION: Ms. Bent moved to appoint Thomas Palmer to be the…Passed 2–0 · see note
September 26, 2023: Appoint Thomas Palmer to be the Board's representative to the Affordable Housing Trust
MOTION: Ms. Bent moved to appoint Thomas Palmer to be the Board's representative to the Affordable Housing Trust. 2nd by Mr. Palmer. Roll call vote: Mr. Palmer and Ms. Bent voted in the affirmative. Approved unanimously.
Yes: Bent, PalmerChristopher Houston had not yet joined the meeting and is not shown voting.
From the minutes
“MOTION: Ms. Bent moved to appoint Thomas Palmer to be the Board's representative to the Affordable Housing Trust. 2nd by Mr. Palmer. Roll call vote: Mr. Palmer and Ms. Bent voted in the affirmative. Approved unanimously..” (Motion: Bent, second: Palmer)
Sep 26Approve a portion of the Consent AgendaMotion: MOTION: Mr. Houston moved a portion of the Consent Agenda as…Passed 2–0 · Abstained: Palmer
September 26, 2023: Approve a portion of the Consent Agenda
MOTION: Mr. Houston moved a portion of the Consent Agenda as follows. 2nd by Ms. Bent. Roll call vote: Mr. Houston and Ms. Bent voted in the affirmative. Mr. Palmer abstained. Approved unanimously.
Yes: Bent, HoustonAbstained: PalmerThe minutes call the vote unanimous; the member who abstained is shown abstaining.
From the minutes
“MOTION: Mr. Houston moved a portion of the Consent Agenda as follows. 2nd by Ms. Bent. Roll call vote: Mr. Houston and Ms. Bent voted in the affirmative. Mr. Palmer abstained. Approved unanimously..” (Motion: Houston, second: Bent)
Aug 30Appoint Dianne Poole as temporary Town Clerk retroactive to…Motion: MOTION: Mr. Palmer moved to appoint Dianne Poole as temporary Town…Passed 2–0 · see note
August 30, 2023 (Special meeting): Appoint Dianne Poole as temporary Town Clerk retroactive to Saturday, August 26, 2023, until a new Town Clerk can be recruited and sworn to office
MOTION: Mr. Palmer moved to appoint Dianne Poole as temporary Town Clerk retroactive to Saturday, August 26, 2023, until a new Town Clerk can be recruited and sworn to office. 2nd by Ms. Bent. Roll call vote: Mr. Palmer and Ms. Bent voted in the affirmative. Approved unanimously.
Yes: Bent, PalmerChristopher Houston had left the meeting before this vote and is not shown voting.
From the minutes
“MOTION: Mr. Palmer moved to appoint Dianne Poole as temporary Town Clerk retroactive to Saturday, August 26, 2023, until a new Town Clerk can be recruited and sworn to office. 2nd by Ms. Bent. Roll call vote: Mr. Palmer and Ms. Bent voted in the affirmative. Approved unanimously..” (Motion: Palmer, second: Bent)
Aug 30Adopt the aforementioned trial Town Hall business hours with…Motion: MOTION: Mr. Palmer moved to adopt the aforementioned trial Town Hall…Passed 2–0 · see note
August 30, 2023 (Special meeting): Adopt the aforementioned trial Town Hall business hours with the exception of Friday closing at 1:00 p.m
MOTION: Mr. Palmer moved to adopt the aforementioned trial Town Hall business hours with the exception of Friday closing at 1:00 p.m. 2nd by Ms. Bent. Roll call vote: Mr. Palmer and Ms. Bent voted in the affirmative. Approved unanimously.
Yes: Bent, PalmerChristopher Houston had left the meeting before this vote and is not shown voting.
From the minutes
“MOTION: Mr. Palmer moved to adopt the aforementioned trial Town Hall business hours with the exception of Friday closing at 1:00 p.m. 2nd by Ms. Bent. Roll call vote: Mr. Palmer and Ms. Bent voted in the affirmative. Approved unanimously..” (Motion: Palmer, second: Bent)
Aug 30Approve the consent agendaMotion: MOTION: Mr. Palmer moved the Consent Agenda as follows. 2nd by…Passed 2–0 · see note
August 30, 2023 (Special meeting): Approve the consent agenda
MOTION: Mr. Palmer moved the Consent Agenda as follows. 2nd by Ms. Bent. Roll call vote: Mr. Palmer and Ms. Bent voted in the affirmative. Approved unanimously.
Yes: Bent, PalmerChristopher Houston had left the meeting before this vote and is not shown voting.
From the minutes
“MOTION: Mr. Palmer moved the Consent Agenda as follows. 2nd by Ms. Bent. Roll call vote: Mr. Palmer and Ms. Bent voted in the affirmative. Approved unanimously..” (Motion: Palmer, second: Bent)
From the Weston Select Board’s official minutes, posted in the town’s Agenda Center (Select Board). 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 no Select Board photos): Weston Observer — Al Aydelott, Rebecca Mercuri and Anupam Sachdev (Addison Antonoff, April 2026); Weston Owl — Lise Revers (April 2024) and John McDonald (courtesy photo, January 2025). Cropped by MassVoter. Former members show initials.
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