How the Brewster Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide. Same five members after the May 21, 2019 town election. The board reorganized on May 22, 2019, but the town has not posted minutes for that meeting; later minutes show David Whitney as Chair, Mary Chaffee as Vice Chair and John Dickson as Clerk. The 2020 town election was moved to June because of COVID-19. Covers 41 meetings, June 3 to June 17, 2020.
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.
In Brewster, 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 4, 2026 29 votes: 27 passed, 1 passed as amended, 1 indefinitely postponed
Art. 12Acquire land at 0 W.H. Besse Cartway: $275,000 from CPA open space reserves (reconsidered; eminent domain struck)Passed as amended“Adopted by a unanimous vote.”
Art. 8Acquire a conservation restriction on about 20-22 acres at 379 Main Street, Harwich: $300,000 (eminent domain struck)Passed as amended“Adopted by a unanimous vote.”
Art. 18Petition: fund a town-wide Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan (estimated $300,000)Indefinitely postponed“Adopted to Indefinitely Postpone.”
Art. 19Petition: non-binding resolution supporting Medicare for All legislationAdvisory“Adopted by a majority vote.”
Art. 20Approve a Nauset Regional School District Special Education Stabilization FundPassed“Adopted by a majority vote.”
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).
"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: every Select Board meeting from January 2018 through August 31, 2026 whose minutes are posted in the town’s online records archive (Laserfiche), 338 meetings in all, including 29 closed (executive session) meetings from 2020-2021 whose minutes the board has since released. Not here: 50 meetings since January 2018 that have an agenda but no minutes in the archive (including September 14, 2026 and September 28, 2026), and separate executive-session minutes for meetings whose open-session minutes are loaded (the vote to go into executive session is in the open-session minutes). Brewster’s minutes are scanned paper copies with a computer-read text layer; we read that text (and, for five files with a missing or unreadable text layer, our own text recognition), and checked split votes against the page images. The minutes name the mover and seconder of each motion and give the result as a count (for example 5-0); from 2020 to 2024 most votes are also roll calls with each member’s yes or no by name. When the count equals the number of members present and no one voted no, or the minutes say all members voted in favor, we show every member present as voting yes; when the minutes give a roll call, or name the members who voted no or abstained, we show each member’s vote as recorded. Where the minutes give only a count with no names (for example 4-1), or the count does not match the members present, or a roll call lists a member the minutes show as absent or lists a member twice, we show the count only and add a note. Votes where the minutes give no count and no names are shown as result only. Members who had not yet arrived, had left, or stepped aside (recused) are left out of that vote. Votes by other boards at joint meetings (Finance Committee, Board of Health, Planning Board, Conservation Commission and others) are not included. We will ask the town to confirm any noted vote.
Most board votes are unanimous. These are the ones where at least one member voted no or abstained, newest first.
Jun 9Approve the new beach monitor/ ambassador positionsMotion: to approve the new beach monitor/ ambassador positionsPassed Unanimous, 4 present · see note
June 9, 2020: Approve the new beach monitor/ ambassador positions
ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 4 present
To approve the new beach monitor/ ambassador positions
John Dickson had left the meeting.
From the minutes
“Selectperson deRuyter moved to approve the new beach monitor/ ambassador positions ,Selectperson Bingham second .Roll Call Vote : Selectperson Chaffee — yes , Selectperson deRuyter — yes , Selectperson Bingham — yes, Chair Whitney — yes .The Select Board voted 4-Yes 0 -No.” (Motion: deRuyter, second: Bingham)
Jun 9Allow the Town Administrator to adjust the beach access…Motion: to allow the Town Administrator to adjust the beach access restriction…Passed Unanimous, 4 present · see note
June 9, 2020: Allow the Town Administrator to adjust the beach access restriction as needed
ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 4 present
To allow the Town Administrator to adjust the beach access restriction as needed
John Dickson had left the meeting.
From the minutes
“Selectperson deRuyter moved to allow the Town Administrator to adjust the beach access restriction as needed ,Selectperson Chaffee second . Roll Call Vote : Selectperson Chaffee — yes, Selectperson deRuyter — yes, Selectperson Bingham — yes , Chair Whitney — yes .The Select Board voted 4-Yes 0 -No.” (Motion: deRuyter, second: Chaffee)
Jun 9Add Block :9 .Pandemic Leadership, with sub points .The…Motion: to add Block :9 .Pandemic Leadership, with sub points .The blocks…Passed Unanimous, 4 present · see note
June 9, 2020: Add Block :9 .Pandemic Leadership, with sub points .The blocks correspond with the vision plan .Mr .Lombardi suggested this be added to Block 5
ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 4 present
To add Block :9 .Pandemic Leadership, with sub points .The blocks correspond with the vision plan .Mr .Lombardi suggested this be added to Block 5
John Dickson had left the meeting.
From the minutes
“Selectperson Chaffee moved to add Block :9 .Pandemic Leadership, with sub points .The blocks correspond with the vision plan .Mr .Lombardi suggested this be added to Block 5 . Selectperson Bingham second . Roll Call Vote : Selectperson Chaffee — yes ,Selectperson deRuyter — yes , Selectperson Bingham — yes, Chair Whitney — yes .The Select Board voted 4-Yes 0 -No.” (Motion: Chaffee, second: Bingham)
May 18Approve the consent agenda (with the nomination of Cynthia…Motion: Approve the consent agenda (with the nomination of Cynthia Bingham to…Passed Unanimous, 5 present · see note
May 18, 2020: Approve the consent agenda (with the nomination of Cynthia Bingham to the COVID Relief Fund Committee)
AppointPassed · Unanimous, 5 present
Approve the consent agenda (with the nomination of Cynthia Bingham to the COVID Relief Fund Committee)
The minutes record one roll call after the consent agenda motion and Mary Chaffee's nomination of Cynthia Bingham to the COVID Relief Fund Committee.
From the minutes
“Selectperson deRuyter moved the Consent Agenda .Selectperson Chaffee second . Selectperson Chaffee nominated Selectperson Bingham to the COVID Relief Fund Committee . Roll Call Vote : Selectperson Chaffee — yes ,Selectperson deRuyter — yes, Selectperson Bingham — yes , Selectperson Dickson — yes, Chair Whitney — yes . The Select Board voted 5 -yes 0- no.” (Motion: deRuyter, second: Chaffee)
Apr 6Approve the consent agenda as recommended by AdministrationMotion: to approve the consent agenda as recommended by AdministrationPassed 4–0 · see note
April 6, 2020: Approve the consent agenda as recommended by Administration
ApprovePassed · 4–0
To approve the consent agenda as recommended by Administration
The roll call as written lists only Cynthia Bingham, Ben deRuyter, Mary Chaffee and David Whitney (4 yes, 0 no); it does not list John Dickson. Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“Selectperson deRuyter moved to approve the consent agenda as recommended by Administration , Selectperson Chaffee second .The Board voted ; Selectperson Bingham — Yes, Selectperson deRuyter — Yes, Selectperson Chaffee — Yes, Chair Whitney — Yes.” (Motion: deRuyter, second: Chaffee)
The minutes give only the count (1-4), not how each member voted.
From the minutes
“Selectperson deRuyter moved article 24 as printed in the warrant, Selectperson Dickson second . The Board voted 1 -Yes 4- No.” (Motion: deRuyter, second: Dickson)
Dec 16Approve the consent agenda ,as recommended by Administration ,with…Motion: to approve the consent agenda ,as recommended by Administration ,with the…Passed 4–0 · see note
December 16, 2019: Approve the consent agenda ,as recommended by Administration ,with the removal of the item for Ocean Edge drift fence installation and sand nourishment project
ApprovePassed · 4–0
To approve the consent agenda ,as recommended by Administration ,with the removal of the item for Ocean Edge drift fence installation and sand nourishment project
The minutes give the vote as 4-0, but 5 members were present for this vote (David Whitney, Cynthia Bingham, Ben deRuyter, Mary Chaffee and John Dickson). Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“Selectperson Bingham moved to approve the consent agenda ,as recommended by Administration ,with the removal of the item for Ocean Edge drift fence installation and sand nourishment project, Selectperson deRuyter second .The Board voted 4-Yes 0- No.” (Motion: Bingham, second: deRuyter)
Dec 16Approve and sign the OPEIU Memorandum of Agreement regarding…Motion: to approve and sign the OPEIU Memorandum of Agreement regarding assignment…Passed 4–0 · see note
December 16, 2019: Approve and sign the OPEIU Memorandum of Agreement regarding assignment of overtime
ApprovePassed · 4–0
To approve and sign the OPEIU Memorandum of Agreement regarding assignment of overtime
The minutes give the vote as 4-0, but 5 members were present for this vote (David Whitney, Cynthia Bingham, Ben deRuyter, Mary Chaffee and John Dickson). Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“Selectperson deRuyter moved to approve and sign the OPEIU Memorandum of Agreement regarding assignment of overtime, Selectperson Bingham second .The Board voted 4-Yes 0-No.” (Motion: deRuyter, second: Bingham)
The minutes give the vote as 4-0, but 5 members were present for this vote (David Whitney, Cynthia Bingham, Ben deRuyter, Mary Chaffee and John Dickson). Showing the count only.
From the minutes
“Selectperson Bingham moved the 2020 rates, Selectperson Chaffee second .The Board voted 4-Yes, 0- No.” (Motion: Bingham, second: Chaffee)
From the Brewster Select Board’s official minutes, posted in the town’s online records archive. We check every vote against the Select Board members present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Photos: Town of Brewster (Select Board and Staff Biographies page).