← Brewster

Municipal votes · 2019–2020 Board

Brewster Select Board

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.

Sources: Massachusetts Select Board Handbook (MMA) · Mass. Division of Local Services: the town budget
Election Day · Tuesday, Nov 3

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

Start my ballot →

Board years

Coming up

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

What Town Meeting decided

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

Source: Town Clerk's Report of the May 4, 2026 Annual Town Meeting.

Special Town Meeting · November 17, 2025 14 votes: 12 passed, 1 passed as amended, 1 advisory

Source: Town Clerk's Report of the November 17, 2025 Special Town Meeting.

Annual Town Meeting · May 5, 2025 21 votes: 18 passed, 1 failed, 1 indefinitely postponed, 1 advisory

Source: Town Clerk's Report of the May 5, 2025 Annual Town Meeting.

Special Town Meeting · November 18, 2024 14 votes: 13 passed, 1 indefinitely postponed

Source: Town Clerk's Report of the November 18, 2024 Special Town Meeting.

Annual Town Meeting · May 11, 2024 24 votes: 22 passed, 2 indefinitely postponed

Source: Town Clerk's Report of the May 11, 2024 Annual Town Meeting.

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

Cynthia BinghamMember · Elected townwide · at 40 of 41 meetingsJohn DicksonClerk · Elected townwide · at 29 of 41 meetingsBen deRuyterMember · Elected townwide · at 38 of 41 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

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.

Wednesday, June 17, 2020 · Joint meeting1 recorded votes, 0 with disagreementAll 5 members presentMonday, June 15, 2020 · Regular meeting5 recorded votes, 0 with disagreementAll 5 members presentTuesday, June 9, 2020 · Regular meeting7 recorded votes, 5 with disagreementAll 5 members presentMonday, June 1, 2020 · Regular meeting8 recorded votes, 1 with disagreementAll 5 members presentWednesday, May 20, 2020 · Joint meeting1 recorded votes, 1 with disagreementAbsent: Ben deRuyter

Votes where members disagreed

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)

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

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)

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

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)

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

Jun 1Approve the Daley Shellfish Grant ExpansionMotion: to approve the Daley Shellfish Grant ExpansionPassed 4–0 · see note

June 1, 2020: Approve the Daley Shellfish Grant Expansion

ApprovePassed · 4–0

To approve the Daley Shellfish Grant Expansion

The minutes give only the count (4-0-1), not how each member voted.

From the minutes

“Selectperson Bingham moved to approve the Daley Shellfish Grant Expansion ,Selectperson Chaffee second . Roll Call Vote :Selectperson Chaffee — yes, Selectperson Bingham — yes, Selectperson Dickson — yes, Chair Whitney — yes .The Select Board voted 4-Yes 0- No 1 -Abs.” (Motion: Bingham, second: Chaffee)

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

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)

Read it in the official minutes, page 2 (PDF)

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)

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

Mar 2Article 24 as printed in the warrantMotion: article 24 as printed in the warrantFailed 1–4 · see note

March 2, 2020: Article 24 as printed in the warrant

ApproveFailed · 1–4

Article 24 as printed in the warrant

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)

Read it in the official minutes, page 4 (PDF)

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)

Read it in the official minutes, page 2 (PDF)

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)

Read it in the official minutes, page 2 (PDF)

Dec 16Move the 2020 ratesMotion: Move the 2020 ratesPassed 4–0 · see note

December 16, 2019: Move the 2020 rates

ApprovePassed · 4–0

Move the 2020 rates

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)

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

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).

How to read these pagesWhere the votes come from, how we check them against the official minutes, what isn't included yet, and how to report a mistake.About city pages →
Get an email when new quizzes open

MassVoter.com · nonpartisan match quiz · About · How the Legislature voted · Local Votes · Privacy · Support MassVoter

Report an error on this page

See something wrong? A wrong vote, name, date or number? Tell us and we’ll check it against the source and fix it. Fixes are listed on our corrections page.