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Municipal votes · 2022–2023 Board

Wilmington Select Board

How the Wilmington Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide for three-year terms. The same five members served after the April 23, 2022 town election, at which Gregory B. Bendel and Kevin A. Caira were re-elected. The May 9, 2022 agenda lists the reorganization of the board; those minutes are not posted, and Judith L. O’Connell chairs every posted meeting from June 27, 2022. The 2022 Annual Town Meeting voted to petition the Legislature to rename the Board of Selectmen the Select Board; the minutes use “Select Board” from January 9, 2023. Covers 14 meetings, June 27 to May 8, 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 budget
Election Day · Tuesday, Nov 3

Your Wilmington ballot: 13 quizzes, about a minute each.

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Board years

Coming up

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

What Town Meeting decided

In Wilmington, 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.

Special Town Meeting · May 2, 2026 4 votes: 4 passed

Source: Town Clerk: Minutes for the Special Town Meeting on May 2, 2026 (scanned PDF).

Special Town Meeting · November 20, 2025 2 votes: 2 passed

Source: Town of Wilmington 2025 Annual Town Report, Town Meetings & Elections: Special Town Meeting - November 20, 2025, with action taken thereon (PDF p. 194).

Special Town Meeting · September 13, 2025 2 votes: 2 passed

Source: Town Clerk: Minutes for the September 13, 2025 Special Town Meeting (scanned PDF).

Annual Town Meeting · May 3, 2025 42 votes: 36 passed, 2 passed as amended, 2 failed, 2 no action

Source: Town Clerk: Minutes of the Annual Town Meeting, May 3, 2025, with action taken thereon (scanned PDF).

Special Town Meeting · May 3, 2025 2 votes: 1 failed, 1 no action

Sessions: May 3, 2025 (held during a recess of the Annual Town Meeting)

Source: Town Clerk: Minutes for the Special Town Meeting on May 3, 2025 (scanned PDF).

Special Town Meeting · December 7, 2024 5 votes: 3 passed, 2 failed

Source: Town Clerk: Minutes of the Special Town Meeting, December 7, 2024, with action taken thereon (PDF).

Annual Town Meeting · May 4, 2024 52 votes: 45 passed, 1 failed, 1 withdrawn, 4 no action, 1 referred

Source: Town Clerk: Minutes of the Annual Town Meeting, May 4, 2024, with action taken thereon (PDF).

Not here yet: Wilmington's May 2, 2026 Annual Town Meeting is not here because the Town Clerk has not posted its minutes yet; no other 2026 Town Meeting record is in the files.

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

Gregory B. BendelMember · At-large · at 14 of 14 meetingsKevin A. CairaMember · At-large · at 13 of 14 meetingsGary B. DePalmaMember · At-large · at 14 of 14 meetingsLilia MaselliMember · At-large · at 12 of 14 meetingsFrank J. WestMember · At-large · at 1 of 1 meetings · from May 2023

"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: Wilmington Select Board minutes from January 8, 2018 through August 17, 2026: 153 meetings and 1,585 votes. The town’s website posts the board’s minutes back to 2013; MassVoter has loaded 2018 on. Until the end of 2022 the board was the Board of Selectmen; the 2022 Annual Town Meeting voted to petition the Legislature to rename it the Select Board, and the minutes use the new name from January 9, 2023. The minutes are typed documents with searchable text, except five scanned copies (May 8 and May 22, 2023; March 25, 2024; May 26 and August 17, 2026), which MassVoter read with text recognition. Not here: executive-session minutes (two executive-session files posted in the list, March 13, 2023 and March 25, 2024, are not loaded); the September 30, 2019 meeting, which was not held; and meetings with an agenda but no posted minutes – 67 from 2018 to October 2026, among them 13 in 2022 and 14 in 2023 and the May 2021 and May 2022 reorganization meetings, and, since July 2025, July 14, September 22, November 10 and November 24, 2025, and January 12, February 23, March 4, March 9, June 8, June 22 and July 13, 2026. Minutes after August 17, 2026 are not posted yet (the September 14 and September 28, 2026 minutes are on later agendas for approval). Wilmington’s minutes usually name the mover and seconder and read “by the affirmative vote of all, it was VOTED,” shown as every member present voting yes; split votes give a count with the members who voted no or abstained named (“by the affirmative vote of four with Select Board Member Caira opposed”), shown with the other members present voting yes. Where the count and the members present do not match (for example “the affirmative vote of four” with five members present and no one named), we show the count only (6 votes); one vote with no motion or count shows the result only. Motions that failed are written in the text of the minutes (“The vote was one in favor (Selectman McCoy) and four opposed, motion failed”) and are shown member by member when the minutes name them (7 failed votes). Members who recused themselves, left the room or had not yet arrived are not shown in that vote. A motion that died for lack of a second is not counted as a vote. We will ask the town to confirm any noted vote.

Monday, May 8, 2023 · Regular meeting14 recorded votes, 2 with disagreementAbsent: Kevin A. CairaMonday, April 10, 2023 · Regular meeting12 recorded votes, 0 with disagreementAll 6 members presentMonday, March 27, 2023 · Regular meeting9 recorded votes, 0 with disagreementAll 6 members presentMonday, March 13, 2023 · Regular meeting14 recorded votes, 1 with disagreementAll 6 members presentMonday, February 13, 2023 · Regular meeting14 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.

May 8Approve the minutes of their meeting held March 13,…Motion: A motion was made by Select Board Member Bendel, seconded by…Passed 3–0 · Abstained: West

May 8, 2023: Approve the minutes of their meeting held March 13, 2023 and that all actions taken are hereby ratified and confirmed

Approve minutesPassed · 3–0

A motion was made by Select Board Member Bendel, seconded by Select Board Member DePalma and by the affirmative vote of three with Select Board Member West abstaining, it was VOTED: That the Select Board approve the minutes of their meeting held March 13, 2023 and that all actions taken are hereby ratified and confirmed.

Yes: Bendel, DePalma, MaselliAbstained: West

From the minutes

“A motion was made by Select Board Member Bendel, seconded by Select Board Member DePalma and by the affirmative vote of three with Select Board Member West abstaining, it was VOTED: That the Select Board approve the minutes of their meeting held March 13, 2023 and that all actions taken are hereby ratified and confirmed..” (Motion: Bendel, second: DePalma)

Read it in the official minutes, page 1 (PDF)

May 8Approve the request of Verizon New England Inc. and…Motion: A motion was made by Select Board Member Bendel, seconded by…Passed 3–1 · No: DePalma

May 8, 2023: Approve the request of Verizon New England Inc. and Reading Municipal Light Department to relocate one pole on Dunton Road and further that the Town Manager be directed to send…

ApprovePassed · 3–1

A motion was made by Select Board Member Bendel, seconded by Select Board Member West and by the affirmative vote of three with Select Board Member DePalma opposed, it was VOTED: That the Select Board approve the request of Verizon New England Inc. and Reading Municipal Light Department to relocate one pole on Dunton Road and further that the Town Manager be directed to send a letter to Karen Levesque, Right of Way Manager, reiterating the Town of Wilmington's procedure for locating a pole.

Yes: Bendel, Maselli, WestNo: DePalma

From the minutes

“A motion was made by Select Board Member Bendel, seconded by Select Board Member West and by the affirmative vote of three with Select Board Member DePalma opposed, it was VOTED: That the Select Board approve the request of Verizon New England Inc. and Reading Municipal Light Department to relocate one pole on Dunton Road and further that the Town Manager be directed to send a letter to Karen Levesque, Right of Way Manager, reiterating the Town of Wilmington's procedure for locating a pole..” (Motion: Bendel, second: West)

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

Mar 13Approve the recommendation of Thomas Gibson, Executive Director, Middlesex…Motion: A motion was made by Select Board Member DePalma, seconded by…Passed 4–0 · Abstained: Caira

March 13, 2023: Approve the recommendation of Thomas Gibson, Executive Director, Middlesex County Retirement System, to accept Chapter 269 of the Acts of 2022 and provide a one-time Cost of Living Adjustment...

ApprovePassed · 4–0

A motion was made by Select Board Member DePalma, seconded by Select Board Member Bendel and by the affirmative vote of four with Select Board Member Caira abstaining, it was VOTED: That the Select Board approve the recommendation of Thomas Gibson, Executive Director, Middlesex County Retirement System, to accept Chapter 269 of the Acts of 2022 and provide a one-time Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) to Retirees of 5% instead of 3%

Yes: Bendel, DePalma, Maselli, O'ConnellAbstained: Caira

From the minutes

“A motion was made by Select Board Member DePalma, seconded by Select Board Member Bendel and by the affirmative vote of four with Select Board Member Caira abstaining, it was VOTED: That the Select Board approve the recommendation of Thomas Gibson, Executive Director, Middlesex County Retirement System, to accept Chapter 269 of the Acts of 2022 and provide a one-time Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) to Retirees of 5% instead of 3%.” (Motion: DePalma, second: Bendel)

Read it in the official minutes, page 9 (PDF)

Nov 28Approve the minutes of their meeting held November 14,…Motion: A motion was made by Selectman Caira, seconded by Selectman DePalma…Passed 4–0 · Abstained: Maselli

November 28, 2022: Approve the minutes of their meeting held November 14, 2022 and all action taken is hereby ratified and confirmed

Approve minutesPassed · 4–0

A motion was made by Selectman Caira, seconded by Selectman DePalma and by the affirmative vote of four with Selectman Maselli abstaining, it was VOTED: That the Board of Selectmen approve the minutes of their meeting held November 14, 2022 and all action taken is hereby ratified and confirmed.

Yes: Bendel, Caira, DePalma, O'ConnellAbstained: Maselli

From the minutes

“A motion was made by Selectman Caira, seconded by Selectman DePalma and by the affirmative vote of four with Selectman Maselli abstaining, it was VOTED: That the Board of Selectmen approve the minutes of their meeting held November 14, 2022 and all action taken is hereby ratified and confirmed..” (Motion: Caira, second: DePalma)

Read it in the official minutes, page 1 (PDF)

Sep 26Endorse Option 2. It Starts HereMotion: A motion was made by Selectman Maselli, seconded by Selectman DePalma…Passed 3–2 · No: Bendel, Caira

September 26, 2022: Endorse Option 2. It Starts Here

ApprovePassed · 3–2

A motion was made by Selectman Maselli, seconded by Selectman DePalma and by the affirmative vote of three with Selectmen Bendel and Caira opposed, it was VOTED: That the Board of Selectmen endorse Option 2. It Starts Here.

Yes: DePalma, Maselli, O'ConnellNo: Bendel, Caira

From the minutes

“A motion was made by Selectman Maselli, seconded by Selectman DePalma and by the affirmative vote of three with Selectmen Bendel and Caira opposed, it was VOTED: That the Board of Selectmen endorse Option 2. It Starts Here..” (Motion: Maselli, second: DePalma)

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

Jul 18Approve the minutes of their meeting held June 27,…Motion: A motion was made by Selectman Caira, seconded by Selectman Bendel…Passed 4–0 · Abstained: Maselli

July 18, 2022: Approve the minutes of their meeting held June 27, 2022 and all actions taken are hereby ratified and confirmed

Approve minutesPassed · 4–0

A motion was made by Selectman Caira, seconded by Selectman Bendel and by the affirmative vote of four with Selectman Maselli abstaining, it was VOTED: That the Board of Selectmen approve the minutes of their meeting held June 27, 2022 and all actions taken are hereby ratified and confirmed.

Yes: Bendel, Caira, DePalma, O'ConnellAbstained: Maselli

From the minutes

“A motion was made by Selectman Caira, seconded by Selectman Bendel and by the affirmative vote of four with Selectman Maselli abstaining, it was VOTED: That the Board of Selectmen approve the minutes of their meeting held June 27, 2022 and all actions taken are hereby ratified and confirmed..” (Motion: Caira, second: Bendel)

Read it in the official minutes, page 1 (PDF)

From the Wilmington Select Board’s official minutes, posted on the town’s Town Manager – Select Board minutes page. We check every vote against the Select Board members present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Photos: Town of Wilmington Annual Town Reports (captioned Select Board photos) — 2023 report: Kevin Caira, Gary DePalma, Lilia Maselli and Frank West; 2025 report: Jacob Gearwar. Cropped by MassVoter. Former members show initials.

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