Mattapoistett 'indefinitely postpones' vote on Select Board expansion

MATTAPOISETT — Over 500 Mattapoisett residents packed into the Old Rochester Regional High School Gymnasium for Special Town Meeting on Saturday, Oct. 4, where voters ultimately decided to “indefinitely postpone” the discussion and conclude the meeting without an official vote on Select Board expansion.

At Town Meeting on May 12, Mattapoisett resident Nicki Demakis’ petition to expand the Select Board from three to five members was approved by voters. Gov. Maura Healey signed the expansion into law on Aug. 22.

Prior to the expansion being signed into law, resident Paul Criscuolo created a petition that garnered approximately 330 signatures in support of maintaining a three-person Select Board. This created a legal obligation from the town to host a Special Town Meeting, even if the result of the vote wouldn’t result in legal action.

Since the expansion was signed into law, any vote taken at Special Town Meeting would have acted as a “non-binding referendum” — meaning that the result of the vote would not overturn the expansion.

At Special Town Meeting, Criscuolo listed the benefits of maintaining the three-member Select Board.

He stated that under the leadership of a three-member board, the town earned a AAA bond rating, no major lawsuits from the Select Board and that Mattapoisett maintained one of the lowest rates of tax increases in the area in the past 20 years.

“The results show stability, accountability and success — the hallmarks of a good government,” said Criscuolo.

He also argued that with a three-person board, conflict is less likely and work will be more efficient.

Additionally, he perceived that the expansion was signed into law with “unusual speed.”

Demakis initiated a motion to indefinitely postpone the vote on the expansion warrant at Special Town Meeting. A motion to indefinitely postpone the vote ends the meeting without any further debate and no official vote on the expansion is taken.

“We must stand by the decisions of the voters who did their civic duty at Town Meeting, regardless of the numbers,” said Demakis, adding that of the 281 residents who signed the petition to maintain a three-member board, “only 39 of those folks showed up at Town Meeting on May 12.”

Mattapoisett resident and former Town Moderator Jack Eklund supported the motion to postpone the vote indefinitely.

“In the nearly 40 years I’ve lived here and served as moderator for 22 years, it is unprecedented that the vote of Town Meeting would be subject to this kind of referendum,” said Eklund. 

He emphasized that at Town Meeting in May, residents who questioned the legitimacy of the vote to expand the Select Board could have ordered a recount and did not take the opportunity to do so.

William Straus, former Massachusetts State Rep. for the 10th Bristol District, also supported suspending the vote indefinitely.

He contradicted Criscuolo’s argument that the law passed with “unusual speed.”

“That’s simply not true, and I have some experience on this,” he stated, adding that “I never thought I’d hear anybody attack the legislature for doing its job.”

Former Mattapoisett Town Administrator Michael Botelho supported the continuation of the vote and wanted residents to continue the discussion of the expansion.

“This is a major change in the director of our town governance, and we really need to [discuss] it. I’m in favor of not postponing so we can, in fact, debate this,” said Botelho.

Resident Aaron Goldberg also voiced his support to continue with the Special Town Meeting vote.

“I find it hypocritical that people want to shut down the voice of maybe over [500] voters that are here today. I think that’s terrible,” said Goldberg.

He continued, “It’s not right, it’s not appropriate and frankly, I’m a bit disappointed the motion was made because I expect more from people who take their positions of leadership.” 

Resident Frances McIntyre spoke in favor of postponing the vote.

“I do not favor any further action here and ask that you simply pause and come to a level of acceptance that there’s going to be an election day next spring,” she stated.

Ultimately, attendees elected to indefinitely postpone the expansion vote with a 317-218 majority and the meeting was promptly adjourned with no further debate.

Following Special Town Meeting, Criscuolo stated it was “disappointing in the sense that about 100 of our [petition] signers didn’t show up to the meeting.”

“They got their vote, they got their people there and they voted — so [the] majority spoke,” he said of the result.

Moving forward, Criscuolo is focused on seeking strong candidates to run for Select Board in the 2026 election in hopes that they will do “the right kind of service or justice to the position given.”

“We’ll have to do more work in the future if you want to change the direction of the town,” he said.

Demakis could not be reached for comment at the time of publication.