Town Government 101: The Select Board begins its five-member era

Editor’s note: This article is an installment of “Town Government 101,” a series of stories explaining how municipal government works. Have a question about how Weston operates? Email us at [email protected].

After four years, two Town Meeting votes and a special election, the Weston Select Board has officially begun its five-member era.

In a conference room still smelling of fresh paint, Select Board member Lise Revers noted the historic change as she welcomed new members to the town’s executive branch.

“I look forward to the vibrant deliberation of town issues these members will provide, as well as their support and expertise as we strive to manage town affairs in the best interest of Weston residents,” she said.

The conversation about expanding the Select Board from three to five members began in 2021. Former Planning Board member Susan Zacharias filed a non-binding citizen’s petition seeking to ask the Legislature to expand the Select Board at the 2022 Annual Town Meeting, which passed by a 402-159 vote.

In 2023, the Select Board created the Town Governance Study Committee to analyze the structure of town government. The committee voted unanimously against an expansion, but recommended the Select Board put the question to a vote at Annual Town Meeting.

Residents again voted in favor of the expansion at the May 2025 Annual Town Meeting. In October 2025, Gov. Maura Healey signed a home rule petition that allowed Weston to put the issue to a final vote. At a special election in January of this year, voters once again affirmed their desire to expand the Select Board. Finally, this month, Westonians elected three new members to fill two new seats and a vacancy.

Through the change, the Board’s duties remain the same — to set policy and guide the municipal decisions of the town.

Here’s a look at how it works.

Nearly 300 towns in Massachusetts are governed by a Select Board, according to the Massachusetts Municipal Association. The Weston Select Board meets twice a month.

Town Manager Leon Gaumond, who oversees daily operations of the town and acts on behalf of the Select Board, said the board’s responsibility is wide because it holds authority on a range of municipal decisions, although some things, like the schools and the Weston Public Library, are separate.

“They are the chief elected officers for the town of Weston. The community should be looking to them for what’s important, what the key issues are facing the community.” he said. “They set the vision for the community and how it looks.”

Select Board agenda items vary from meeting to meeting, often including discussions on large town projects, potential spending and the work of other boards and committees.

In addition to voting on policy, the Select Board decides what residents vote on each year at the Annual Town Meeting. The board sets the warrant, which outlines the town budget, capital projects, bylaw changes and other items that are considered by Westonians each May.

During each meeting, there is time allotted for resident comments, where Westonians can bring things to the Select Board’s attention and ask questions. The Select Board does not have to respond to comments.

In some towns, Select Board members receive a small stipend. In Weston, board members do not.

Beyond the Board’s bimonthly meetings, members are often assigned to other committees to oversee large projects in town. For example, all three members in the past were members of the Water Tank Working Group.

Workload

The amount of time spent in Town Hall and looking over meeting materials can vary depending on time of year and what projects are on the docket, according to former Select Board member Tom Palmer.

“It can be anywhere from a couple hours a week, particularly when things tend to get a little bit quieter in the summertime, to as much as 10 to 15 hours a week,” he said.

In addition to hours spent in meetings, that workload includes consulting with Gaumond and other town officials, reviewing materials provided to the board and conducting additional research.

Revers, who served asSelect Board chair over the last year, said the amount of time preparing for meetings can vary for each member. Like Palmer, she said she likes to do extra research to keep up with not just the town, but also with other towns around the state. She follows news out of Wayland and Duxbury because she finds them similar to Weston.

“It depends on the Select Board member. Some people are fine receiving the materials, others want to go and read more and find out more,” she said.

Beyond the time commitment, there is an emotional element to the job, too, according to Palmer. Tempers can get heated when Select Board members disagree, and because each decision is so local, emotions can run high.

“If there’s a surprise [about serving on the Select Board], it was how emotional some of the decisions can be at times,” Palmer said. “Particularly when we’re talking about issues that affect individual homes or individuals deeply.”

Structure

The range of responsibilities for the Select Board is wide. Members of the last three-member Select Board acknowledged that since so much falls directly under their purview, their time can be spread thin.

“People don’t realize how many decisions the Select Board has to make. Some of the smaller matters take a lot of time,” Revers said. “Like dog hearings, that’s a lot of time to be taken up by the managing board of the town.”

She said more time could be freed up if there were additional commissions, such as a water commission, that would take items like water abatements off the agenda.

John McDonald, who was appointed Select Board Chair at Tuesday’s meeting, also cited dangerous dog hearings as agenda items that take up large portions of time as well, suggesting that the matter may be better handled by an animal control officer.

With the board expanded to five members, Palmer, who did not run for re-election, said it will be important to rely on delegation to keep the board effective.

“In order to be effective and for us to scale as a committee, we need to continue to do that,” Palmer said. “I think that is a core debate as to what’s the role of the Select Board, direct versus using committees to help delegate the work.”

What it takes

Members of the last three-member board serving Weston came from different professional backgrounds.

Revers practiced corporate and tax law by day. In town, she served on the Agricultural Commission. She was also on the board of the Weston Community Children’s Association, a nonprofit group geared towards connecting families with young children in town. For Revers, the most important characteristic for a Select Board member is curiosity.

“I don’t see any particular background or skills that are necessary,” she said. “What I think is necessary is the quality of curiosity and inquisitiveness and a desire to understand all of the different issues that are presented to the Select Board.”

McDonald came to the Board after more than a decade on the Finance Committee. He is a former tax director in the technology sector. Although he has spent many years in town government, he says that newcomers may offer a fresh perspective as Weston’s Select Board expands.

“I think it will be important that someone has some experience in managing projects and in doing sort of strategic, long-range planning,” he said. “It”s also important to have a collegial personality and be able to work with other people, even if you disagree.”

Palmer also served on the Finance Committee, as well as the Town Manager Selection Committee. He said newcomers to municipal service might face a steep learning curve, but having a good disposition was most important.

“You have to have the right temperament,” he said. “At the end of the day, a lot of the issues affect certain residents very deeply, whether that be abutters for the water tanks or people that have been impacted by misbehaving dogs.”

What comes next

The Select Board typically meets twice a month. Massachusetts Open Meeting Law requires towns to post meeting notices 48 hours in advance of the meeting, which can be found on the town’s website.