MassVoter.com← WestportMunicipal votes · 2022–2023 Board
Westport Select Board
How the Westport Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 members elected townwide to 3-year terms, 1 or 2 seats each April. Elected April 12, 2022 (Shana M. Shufelt, re-elected); board reorganized April 25, 2022. Covers 26 meetings, April 25 to April 12, 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 budgetYour Westport ballot: 16 quizzes, about a minute each.
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What Town Meeting decided
In Westport, 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 6, 2025 34 votes: 30 passed, 3 passed as amended, 1 no action
- Art. 1 Pay prior-year bills (motion to pass over) No action “Carried Unanimously, 7:25pm”
- Art. 2 Transfer $94,000 between FY2025 budget lines Passed “Carried Unanimously, 7:28pm”
- Art. 3 Fix FY2026 salaries of elected Town officers, total $156,077 Passed “Carried Unanimously, 7:30pm”
- Art. 4 FY2026 operating budget, $55,250,298 as moved ($54,454,439 from taxation); Transfer Station line amended to add $21,500 from receipts Passed as amended “Vote on amended item: Carried, 7:47pm”
- Art. 5 Capital items totaling $2,271,000 from Free Cash and Assessor Overlay (cemetery, cruisers, fire trucks, school security, generators) Passed “Vote on amended item: Carried, 7:51pm”
- Art. 6 Authorize borrowing in anticipation of FY2026 revenue Passed “Carried Unanimously, 7:57pm”
- Art. 7 Marine Services Enterprise FY2026 budget, $187,701 from user charges Passed “Carried Unanimously, 7:58pm”
- Art. 8 Waterline Enterprise FY2026 budget, $442,500 ($287,500 user charges, $155,000 retained earnings) Passed “Carried Unanimously, 8:00pm”
- Art. 9 Town Beaches Enterprise FY2026 budget, $169,830 from user charges Passed “Carried Unanimously, 8:02pm”
- Art. 10 Community Television FY2026 budget, $233,049 from the Cable Television Special Revenue Fund Passed “Carried Unanimously, 8:04pm”
- Art. 11 Set Fire Department ambulance revolving fund spending limit at $195,000 Passed “Carried Unanimously, 8:05pm”
- Art. 12 Set FY2026 spending limits for the Town's revolving funds Passed “Carried Unanimously, 8:09pm”
- Art. 13 Community Preservation budget: playground $250,000, youth league $150,000, Affordable Housing Trust $300,000, historic grants, reserves Passed “Carried, 8:13pm”
- Art. 14 Raise local room occupancy (hotel) tax from 4% to 6% Passed as amended “Vote to approve motion as amended: Carried, 8:27pm”
- Art. 15 Transfer $27,000 from the Municipal Waterways Fund for Marine Services skiffs Passed “Carried Unanimously, 8:29pm”
- Art. 16 Transfer $60,900 (2021 balance) to the Assessors for software and revaluation Passed “Carried, 8:30pm”
- Art. 17 Borrow $500,000 through the Mass. Clean Water Trust for residential septic system repair loans Passed “Carried with 2/3 Vote, 8:34pm”
- Art. 18 Appropriate $15,000 from Free Cash for household hazardous waste collection Passed “Carried Unanimously, 8:35pm”
- Art. 19 Transfer $25,000 from Transfer Station Receipts Reserve for a roll-off container and light equipment Passed “Carried Unanimously, 8:36pm”
- Art. 20 Amend 2022 vote so Tax Title Collection Revolving Fund money can be spent by the Treasurer/Collector Passed “Carried Unanimously, 8:38pm”
- Art. 21 Set Tax Title Collection Revolving Fund spending limit at $75,000 Passed “Carried Unanimously, 8:39pm”
- Art. 22 Accept deed in lieu of foreclosure for two tax-title parcels off Briggs Road (Map 29, Parcels 6 and 7) Passed “Carried Unanimously, 8:44pm”
- Art. 23 Rescind unused $83,500 borrowing authorization from 2006 for open space land Passed “Carried Unanimously, 8:46pm”
- Art. 24 By-law: no elected officer may serve on the Finance Committee Passed “Vote to approve motion as printed on warrant: Carried, 9:07pm”
- Art. 25 By-law: remove residency requirements, keeping a hiring preference for residents Passed “Carried Unanimously, 9:09pm”
- Art. 26 Zoning: add Short Term Rental section requiring an annual permit Passed “Carried by 2/3 Vote, 9:20pm”
- Art. 27 General by-law: Short Term Rental permit issued annually by the Select Board Passed “Carried, 9:24pm”
- Art. 28 Zoning: replace accessory apartment rules with Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) rules Passed as amended “Vote on Article: Carried, 9:33pm”
- Art. 29 Personnel By-Law: add part-time Production Assistant for Cable Advisory Passed “Carried Unanimously, 9:35pm”
- Art. 30 Accept Granite Post Road as a public way (citizen petition) Passed “Carried Unanimously, 9:38pm”
- Art. 31 Accept Maya Way as a public way (citizen petition) Passed “Carried, 9:40pm”
- Art. 32 Transfer $350,000 from Free Cash to the Stabilization Fund Passed “Carried Unanimously, 9:40pm”
- Art. 33 Transfer $300,000 from Free Cash to the Capital Stabilization Fund Passed “Carried Unanimously, 9:41pm”
- Art. 34 Transfer $175,000 from Free Cash to the Special Education Reserve Fund Passed “Carried, 9:48pm”
Source: Town Clerk's minutes of the May 6, 2025 Annual Town Meeting.
Annual Town Meeting · May 7, 2024 46 votes: 35 passed, 1 passed as amended, 5 failed, 5 no action
- Art. 1 Article removed from warrant; motion to pass over No action “Vote: Carried Unanimously”
- Art. 2 Transfer $240,571.07 among accounts, including $124,310.29 from Free Cash to the Opioid Settlement Account Passed “Vote: Carried Unanimously”
- Art. 3 Fix FY2025 salaries of elected Town officers, total $146,501 Passed “Vote: Carried Unanimously”
- Art. 4 FY2025 operating budget, $52,836,487 as moved ($51,923,589 from taxation); school, library and debt lines amended Passed as amended “Vote: Carried Unanimously”
- Art. 5 Capital items totaling $1,000,000 from Free Cash (firewall, 2 cruisers, brush truck, highway vehicles, school bathrooms, truck) Passed “Vote: Carried Unanimously”
- Art. 6 Authorize borrowing in anticipation of FY2025 revenue Passed “Vote: Carried Unanimously”
- Art. 7 Marine Services Enterprise FY2025 budget, $183,632 from user charges Passed “Vote: Carried Unanimously”
- Art. 8 Waterline Enterprise FY2025 budget, $288,050 from user charges Passed “Vote: Carried”
- Art. 9 Town Beaches Enterprise FY2025 budget, $143,750 from user charges Passed “Vote: Carried Unanimously”
- Art. 10 Community Television FY2025 budget, $226,134 from the Cable Television Special Revenue Fund Passed “Vote: Carried Unanimously”
- Art. 11 Set Fire Department ambulance revolving fund spending limit at $190,000 Passed “Vote: Carried Unanimously”
- Art. 12 Set FY2025 spending limits for the Town's revolving funds Passed “Vote: Carried Unanimously”
- Art. 13 Community Preservation budget: $350,000 Bicentennial Park playground, $300,000 Affordable Housing Trust, historic projects, reserves Passed “Vote: Carried Unanimously”
- Art. 14 Borrow $7,000,000 (contingent on a debt exclusion) for water and sewer on Route 6 from Fall River line to Route 88 Failed “Vote: Defeated”
- Art. 15 Authorize sewer betterment assessments (20% of costs) for the Route 6 sewer project, Fall River line to Route 88 Failed “Vote: Defeated”
- Art. 16 Establish a Sewer Enterprise Fund and create a Sewer Commission Failed “Vote: Defeated”
- Art. 17 Accept G.L. c. 59, § 57A: property tax bills of $100 or less payable in one installment Passed “Vote: Carried”
- Art. 18 Accept G.L. c. 44, § 54(b) to let Town trust funds be invested under the Prudent Investment Rule Passed “Vote: Carried”
- Art. 19 Rescind unused $211,000 borrowing authorization from 2021 for a conservation restriction Passed “Vote: Carried”
- Art. 20 Appropriate $20,000 from Free Cash for the Assessors' revaluation program Passed “Vote: Carried”
- Art. 21 Article removed from warrant; motion to pass over No action “Vote: Carried”
- Art. 22 Amend 2021 Town Meeting vote (Art. 28) by deleting "with qualified nitrogen reducing systems" Passed “Vote: Carried Unanimously”
- Art. 23 Appropriate $29,000 from Transfer Station Receipts Reserve for two roll-off containers and light equipment Passed “Vote: Carried”
- Art. 24 Rescind 2023 transfers of $93,497.85 and $9,175 to Capital Stabilization Passed “Vote: Carried Unanimously”
- Art. 25 Transfer $93,497.85 (unused middle school remediation funds) to Westport Community Schools for building repairs Passed “Vote: Carried Unanimously”
- Art. 26 Transfer $9,175 (unused police station mold remediation funds) for Town building repairs Passed “Vote: Carried Unanimously”
- Art. 27 Transfer $41,605.10 (unused gym floor funds) to Westport Community Schools to pave the Elementary School parking lot Passed “Vote: Carried Unanimously”
- Art. 28 Transfer $15,000 from the Beach Enterprise Fund to buy land at Cherry & Webb Beach (Map 91, Lots 29 & 30) Passed “Vote: Carried Unanimously”
- Art. 29 Transfer $49,000 from the Beach Enterprise Fund to replace Cherry & Webb Beach fence and buy a beach vehicle Passed “Vote: Carried Unanimously”
- Art. 30 Transfer $30,000 from the Municipal Waterways Fund for Marine Services outboard motors Passed “Vote: Carried Unanimously”
- Art. 31 Transfer Map 79, Lots 4 and 5 from the Select Board to the Conservation Commission for conservation Passed “Vote: Carried by 2/3 vote per moderator”
- Art. 32 Elect a five-member municipal light board (motion to pass over) No action “Vote: Carried”
- Art. 33 Zoning: add Short-Term Rental (STR) section with registration and rules Failed “Vote: Defeated”
- Art. 34 Zoning: revise Science and Technology Overlay District into a Mixed Use overlay and expand its map (motion to pass over) No action “Vote: Carried Unanimously”
- Art. 35 Zoning: add a definition of "Congregate Living" Passed “Vote: Carried Unanimously”
- Art. 36 Zoning: eliminate the Unrestricted district and rezone that land to Residential/Agricultural Passed “Vote: Carried by 2/3 vote per moderator”
- Art. 37 Zoning: add a new Westport Gateway District on Route 6 (motion to pass over) No action “Vote: Carried Unanimously”
- Art. 38 Zoning: raise minimum front yard lot width from 50 to 100 feet Failed “Vote: Defeated”
- Art. 39 Personnel By-Law: add beach, IT and Town Engineer positions; make Recreation Director full-time Passed “Vote: Carried Unanimously”
- Art. 40 Petition the Legislature for an extra package-store liquor license at 634 American Legion Highway Passed “Vote: Carried”
- Art. 41 Accept gift of land from F. L. Tripp and Sons, Inc. (Map 54, Parcels 33 and 33A) Passed “Vote: Carried Unanimously”
- Art. 42 Accept Rita Lane Extension as a public way (citizen petition) Passed “Vote: Carried”
- Art. 43 Accept G.L. c. 40, § 13E to create a Special Education Reserve Fund Passed “Vote: Carried”
- Art. 44 Transfer $55,496.42 (unused clock/paging funds) to the Special Education Stabilization Fund Passed “Vote: Carried”
- Art. 45 Transfer $250,000 from Free Cash to the Capital Stabilization Fund Passed “Vote: Carried Unanimously”
- Art. 46 Transfer $100,000 from Free Cash to the Stabilization Fund Passed “Vote: Carried Unanimously”
Source: Town Clerk's minutes of the May 7, 2024 Annual Town Meeting.
Not here yet: the 2026 Annual Town Meeting (the Town Clerk has not posted its minutes yet). No Special Town Meeting records were found for 2024 to 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
ChairShana TeasChair · Elected townwide · at 23 of 26 meetings
Vice-ChairRichard W. BrewerVice Chair · Elected townwide · at 26 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
Not here yet: the town has posted minutes online only from January 2022. Its Select Board page has no minutes for the April 22, 2024 meeting (when the board is believed to have reorganized), for May through mid-August 2025 (June 16, 2025 has an agenda only), or for February 23 and September 28, 2026. The minutes are scanned images; we read them with text recognition and checked the counts by hand. A few motions were made and seconded but no vote is recorded, or the motion was withdrawn; those are left out, as are votes by other boards (such as the Housing Authority) at joint meetings. Where a count doesn’t match the members listed as present, the vote is noted; we will ask the town to confirm.
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 3Review and update Town Warrant ArticlesMotion: to amend Article 6 to include $1.1 million dollars for the…Passed 4–0 · Abstained: Ouellette
April 3, 2023 · Item e: Review and update Town Warrant Articles
To amend Article 6 to include $1.1 million dollars for the school in FY24
Yes: Boxler, Brewer, Teas, ValcourtAbstained: Ouellette
From the minutes
“MOTION by Ms. Shufelt to amend Article 6 to include $1.1 million dollars for the school in FY24, seconded by Brewer. The Board voted 4-0 in favor. Mr. Ouellette abstained.” (Motion: Teas, second: Brewer)
Jan 23Request from the Acoaxet Club IncMotion: to approve that change of officers for the Acoaxet Club, Inc…Passed 4–0 · see note
January 23, 2023 · Item a: Request from the Acoaxet Club Inc
To approve that change of officers for the Acoaxet Club, Inc and the Acoaxet Club Inc. d/b/a The Pro Shop
The minutes record this vote as 4–0 but list 5 members as present, so we can’t say who voted.
From the minutes
“MOTION by Mr. Ouellette to approve that change of officers for the Acoaxet Club, Inc and the Acoaxet Club Inc. d/b/a The Pro Shop, seconded by Mr. Brewer. The Board voted 4-0 in favor.” (Motion: Ouellette, second: Brewer)
Jan 23Request from Jim Hartnett, Town Administrator to appoint Bernadette…Motion: to appoint Bernadette Oliver as Temporary Town Clerk, with a letter…Passed 4–0 · see note
January 23, 2023 · Item a: Request from Jim Hartnett, Town Administrator to appoint Bernadette Oliver as Temporary Town Clerk effective February 21, 2023
To appoint Bernadette Oliver as Temporary Town Clerk, with a letter of thanks
The minutes record this vote as 4–0 but list 5 members as present, so we can’t say who voted.
From the minutes
“MOTION by Mr. Ouellette to appoint Bernadette Oliver as Temporary Town Clerk, with a letter of thanks, seconded by Mr. Brewer. The Board voted 4-0 in favor.” (Motion: Ouellette, second: Brewer)
Jan 23Request from Excel Recycling to remove Charlene Garcia as…Motion: to appoint Emily Nickerson as Public WeigherPassed 4–0 · see note
January 23, 2023 · Item b: Request from Excel Recycling to remove Charlene Garcia as Public Weigher, and to appoint Emily Nickerson as Public Weigher
To appoint Emily Nickerson as Public Weigher
The minutes record this vote as 4–0 but list 5 members as present, so we can’t say who voted.
From the minutes
“MOTION by Mr. Ouellette to appoint Emily Nickerson as Public Weigher, seconded by Mr. Brewer. The Board voted 4-0 in favor.” (Motion: Ouellette, second: Brewer)
Jan 23Request from the Council on Aging to accept the…Motion: to accept the donationsPassed 4–0 · see note
January 23, 2023 · Item a: Request from the Council on Aging to accept the following donations $50; Ralph Urban Donation for Best Use, $10; Gloria Veloza for Outreach, $5; Ora Caya for Outreach, $5; Anonymous…
To accept the donations
The minutes record this vote as 4–0 but list 5 members as present, so we can’t say who voted.
From the minutes
“MOTION by Mr. Ouellette to accept the donations, seconded by Mr. Brewer, the Board voted 4-0 in favor.” (Motion: Ouellette, second: Brewer)
Jan 23Request to approve the Employment Agreement for Principal Assessor,…Motion: to approve the Employment AgreementPassed 4–0 · see note
January 23, 2023 · Item b: Request to approve the Employment Agreement for Principal Assessor, Theodora Gabriel
To approve the Employment Agreement
The minutes record this vote as 4–0 but list 5 members as present, so we can’t say who voted.
From the minutes
“MOTION by Mr. Ouellette to approve the Employment Agreement, seconded by Mr. Brewer. The Board voted 4-0 in favor.” (Motion: Ouellette, second: Brewer)
Jan 23Request from Matt Armendo, Board of Health Director to…Motion: to post the positions and forward to the Personnel Board for…Passed 4–0 · see note
January 23, 2023 · Item c: Request from Matt Armendo, Board of Health Director to recommend approval of three positions to be hired under the Board of Health Shared Service Grant to the Personnel Board
To post the positions and forward to the Personnel Board for the proposed positions
The minutes record this vote as 4–0 but list 5 members as present, so we can’t say who voted.
From the minutes
“MOTION by Mr. Ouellette to post the positions and forward to the Personnel Board for the proposed positions, seconded by Mr. Brewer. The Board voted 4-0 in favor.” (Motion: Ouellette, second: Brewer)
Jan 23Request from the Planning Board for $20,000 Bristol County…Motion: to approve the use of $20,000 in ARPA Funds for the…Passed 4–0 · see note
January 23, 2023 · Item d: Request from the Planning Board for $20,000 Bristol County American Rescue Plan Act Funds for the Route 6 Rezoning Project
To approve the use of $20,000 in ARPA Funds for the Rte 6 Rezoning Project
The minutes record this vote as 4–0 but list 5 members as present, so we can’t say who voted.
From the minutes
“MOTION by Mr. Ouellette to approve the use of $20,000 in ARPA Funds for the Rte 6 Rezoning Project, seconded by Mr. Brewer. The Board voted 4-0 in favor.” (Motion: Ouellette, second: Brewer)
Jan 23Request from AttyMotion: to approve granting of the waiverPassed 4–0 · see note
January 23, 2023 · Item e: Request from Atty
To approve granting of the waiver
The minutes record this vote as 4–0 but list 5 members as present, so we can’t say who voted.
From the minutes
“MOTION by Mr. Ouellette to approve granting of the waiver, seconded by Mr. Brewer. The Board voted 4-0 in favor.” (Motion: Ouellette, second: Brewer)
Jan 23Request from Carol Freitas, Veterans Service Officer to accept…Motion: to accept the donation from the Kozy NookPassed 4–0 · see note
January 23, 2023 · Item f: Request from Carol Freitas, Veterans Service Officer to accept the $100
To accept the donation from the Kozy Nook
The minutes record this vote as 4–0 but list 5 members as present, so we can’t say who voted.
From the minutes
“MOTION by Mr. Ouellette to accept the donation from the Kozy Nook, seconded by Mr. Brewer. The Board voted 4-0 in favor.” (Motion: Ouellette, second: Brewer)
From the Westport Select Board’s official minutes, posted on the town’s website. Every vote in these minutes has a count, and the minutes name anyone who voted no, abstained or was absent. We check every count against the members named and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades officials; votes and attendance are shown exactly as the minutes record them. Member photos: Westport Shorelines (EastBayRI). Craig Dutra from a video titled with his name (Coastal Healing channel, about 2021).
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