How the Chatham Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide. Cory Metters chaired the board (then called the Board of Selectmen), with Dean Nicastro as Vice Chair and Shareen Davis as Clerk. The board had four members until the May 2018 election: Amanda Love had resigned, and on January 8, 2018 the board voted 4-0 to leave her seat empty until the Annual Town Election rather than call a special election. Covers 21 meetings, January 8 to May 7, 2018.
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 Chatham, 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 10, 2025 59 votes: 51 passed, 4 failed, 4 no action
Art. 1Annual Town Election (officers elected by ballot)No action“NO MOTION”
Art. 2Authorize appointment of officers and accept annual reportsPassed“So Voted Unanimously.”
Art. 3FY2025 budget adjustments: transfer $378,200, including $316,200 from free cash to the Affordable Housing TrustPassed“So Voted Unanimously.”
Not here yet: the May 11, 2026 Annual Town Meeting (the Town Clerk's minutes are not posted yet; only an unofficial scorecard is online).
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: 398 meetings from January 8, 2018 to September 15, 2026, with 4,081 votes, from the board’s official minutes on mytowngovernment.org/02633, the town’s minutes site. Not online: 21 meetings since January 2018 with no usable minutes online: for 8 the site says the minutes are “on record with the Town Clerk” (paper only), and for 13 the posted file is empty, belongs to another town or board, or is an attachment rather than the minutes. MassVoter is asking the Town Clerk for these. Released minutes of closed (executive) sessions are loaded as their own Special meetings in 5 cases: where they are the only minutes for that date (December 10, 2018; January 5, 2021; July 5, 2023) and the two sessions on the Town Manager’s contract (January 13 and February 17, 2026). At joint meetings only the Select Board’s own votes are shown; votes of the other board, including the Affordable Housing Trust trustees, are left out. How votes were read: Chatham’s minutes give each motion with its mover and seconder, then either a count (“Vote: 5-0”, sometimes naming who voted no or abstained) or, since 2020, a roll call with each member’s vote. A roll call, or a count that adds up to the members present with any no votes or abstentions named, shows each member’s vote (98% of votes). A count that does not add up, or does not say who voted no, is shown as a count only. Choices between nominees (each member names a person) show the result only, with the roll call quoted in the note. Members and officers for each year come from the board’s reorganization minutes. Discussion settled “by consensus”, without a vote, is not shown as a vote. We will ask the town to confirm any noted vote. On October 7, 2026 the Town Clerk’s office answered our questions about roll calls that did not match the members present (public records request #26-297): name typos, an attendance line that was not updated, roll calls with no votes written in, and the joint Affordable Housing Trust votes. The 24 votes affected now show each member’s vote, with the answer quoted in the vote’s note. Thank you to the Chatham Town Clerk’s office for its help.
Most board votes are unanimous. These are the ones where at least one member voted no or abstained, newest first.
May 7Send a letter to MDOT confirming the Board’s agreement…Motion: to send a letter to MDOT confirming the Board’s agreement to…Passed Unanimous, 3 present · see note
May 7, 2018: Send a letter to MDOT confirming the Board’s agreement to work on the north side of the road in June during construction and confirming the Board’s understanding of the scope…
ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 3 present
To send a letter to MDOT confirming the Board’s agreement to work on the north side of the road in June during construction and confirming the Board’s understanding of the scope of work that will be permitted
Jeffrey Dykens stepped aside (recused).
From the minutes
“Motion: by Shareen Davis to send a letter to MDOT confirming the Board’s agreement to work on the north side of the road in June during construction and confirming the Board’s understanding of the scope of work that will be permitted. Second: by Dean Nicastro. Vote: 3-0.” (Motion: Davis, second: Nicastro)
Apr 30Grant a Special One-Day Liquor License for Wine &…Motion: to grant a Special One-Day Liquor License for Wine & Malt…Passed Unanimous, 3 present · see note
April 30, 2018: Grant a Special One-Day Liquor License for Wine & Malt Beverages to Karen Murdoch as a representative of Women of Fishing Families for Saturday, May 26, 2018 from 10:00 a.m.…
ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 3 present
To grant a Special One-Day Liquor License for Wine & Malt Beverages to Karen Murdoch as a representative of Women of Fishing Families for Saturday, May 26, 2018 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., for service at the Chatham Fish Pier, Barcliff Avenue
Shareen Davis stepped aside (recused).
From the minutes
“Motion: by Jeffrey Dykens to grant a Special One-Day Liquor License for Wine & Malt Beverages to Karen Murdoch as a representative of Women of Fishing Families for Saturday, May 26, 2018 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., for service at the Chatham Fish Pier, Barcliff Avenue. Second: by Dean Nicastro. Vote: 3-0.” (Motion: Dykens, second: Nicastro)
Apr 30Designate Shareen Davis to attend the meeting on May…Motion: to designate Shareen Davis to attend the meeting on May 21,…Passed 3–0 · Abstained: Davis
April 30, 2018: Designate Shareen Davis to attend the meeting on May 21, 20187 regarding Chatham’s Housing Production Plan as a representative of the Chatham Board of Selectmen
ApprovePassed · 3–0
To designate Shareen Davis to attend the meeting on May 21, 20187 regarding Chatham’s Housing Production Plan as a representative of the Chatham Board of Selectmen
Yes: Dykens, Metters, NicastroAbstained: Davis
From the minutes
“Motion: by Dean Nicastro to designate Shareen Davis to attend the meeting on May 21, 20187 regarding Chatham’s Housing Production Plan as a representative of the Chatham Board of Selectmen. Second: by Jeffrey Dykens. Vote: 3-0-1, Shareen Davis abstaining..” (Motion: Nicastro, second: Dykens)
Apr 23That the Board approve the Town Landing Special Use…Motion: that the Board approve the Town Landing Special Use Permit for…Passed Unanimous, 3 present · see note
April 23, 2018: That the Board approve the Town Landing Special Use Permit for Mr. Abdow
ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 3 present
That the Board approve the Town Landing Special Use Permit for Mr. Abdow
Shareen Davis stepped aside (recused).
From the minutes
“Motion: by Dean Nicastro that the Board approve the Town Landing Special Use Permit for Mr. Abdow. Second: by Jeffrey Dykens. Vote: 3-0.” (Motion: Nicastro, second: Dykens)
Mar 26Approve the sale of goods on Town property by…Motion: to approve the sale of goods on Town property by Women…Passed Unanimous, 3 present · see note
March 26, 2018: Approve the sale of goods on Town property by Women of Fishing Families on Saturday, May 26, 2018 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Chatham Municipal Fish Pier…
ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 3 present
To approve the sale of goods on Town property by Women of Fishing Families on Saturday, May 26, 2018 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Chatham Municipal Fish Pier and lower parking lot
Shareen Davis stepped aside (recused).
From the minutes
“Motion: by Jeffrey Dykens to approve the sale of goods on Town property by Women of Fishing Families on Saturday, May 26, 2018 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Chatham Municipal Fish Pier and lower parking lot. Second: by Dean Nicastro. Vote: 3-0.” (Motion: Dykens, second: Nicastro)
Mar 26Approve the placement of a sundial at Stage Harbor…Motion: to approve the placement of a sundial at Stage Harbor in…Passed Unanimous, 3 present · see note
March 26, 2018: Approve the placement of a sundial at Stage Harbor in memory of Alison Barabe
ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 3 present
To approve the placement of a sundial at Stage Harbor in memory of Alison Barabe
Shareen Davis stepped aside (recused).
From the minutes
“Motion: by Jeffrey Dykens to approve the placement of a sundial at Stage Harbor in memory of Alison Barabe. Second: by Dean Nicastro. Vote: 3-0.” (Motion: Dykens, second: Nicastro)
Mar 26Approve the renewal of the fish weir permits as…Motion: to approve the renewal of the fish weir permits as presentedPassed Unanimous, 3 present · see note
March 26, 2018: Approve the renewal of the fish weir permits as presented
ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 3 present
To approve the renewal of the fish weir permits as presented
Shareen Davis stepped aside (recused).
From the minutes
“Motion: by Dean Nicastro to approve the renewal of the fish weir permits as presented. Second: Jeffrey Dykens. Vote: 3-0.” (Motion: Nicastro, second: Dykens)
Mar 5Place Chatham Marconi Maritime Center Archives article on the…Motion: to place Chatham Marconi Maritime Center Archives article on the 2018…Passed 3–1 · No: Davis
March 5, 2018: Place Chatham Marconi Maritime Center Archives article on the 2018 Annual Town Meeting warrant
ApprovePassed · 3–1
To place Chatham Marconi Maritime Center Archives article on the 2018 Annual Town Meeting warrant
Yes: Dykens, Metters, NicastroNo: Davis
From the minutes
“Motion: by Jeffrey Dykens to place Chatham Marconi Maritime Center Archives article on the 2018 Annual Town Meeting warrant. Second: by Dean Nicastro. Vote: 3-1, Shareen Davis dissenting..” (Motion: Dykens, second: Nicastro)
Mar 5Recommend Chatham Marconi Maritime Center Archives article to 2018…Motion: to recommend Chatham Marconi Maritime Center Archives article to 2018 Annual…Passed 3–1 · No: Davis
March 5, 2018: Recommend Chatham Marconi Maritime Center Archives article to 2018 Annual Town Meeting
ApprovePassed · 3–1
To recommend Chatham Marconi Maritime Center Archives article to 2018 Annual Town Meeting
Yes: Dykens, Metters, NicastroNo: Davis
From the minutes
“Motion: by Jeffrey Dykens to recommend Chatham Marconi Maritime Center Archives article to 2018 Annual Town Meeting. Second: by Dean Nicastro. Vote: 3-1, Shareen Davis dissenting..” (Motion: Dykens, second: Nicastro)
Feb 12Grant a Special One-Day Liquor License for Wine &…Motion: to grant a Special One-Day Liquor License for Wine & Malt…Passed Unanimous, 3 present · see note
February 12, 2018: Grant a Special One-Day Liquor License for Wine & Malt Beverages to Dominic Boreffi as a representative of Galery Antonia for Saturday, February 17, 2018 from 4 p.m. to 6:30…
ApprovePassed · Unanimous, 3 present
To grant a Special One-Day Liquor License for Wine & Malt Beverages to Dominic Boreffi as a representative of Galery Antonia for Saturday, February 17, 2018 from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. for service at 1291 Main Street
Jeffrey Dykens had not yet arrived (“Jeffrey Dykens arrived”).
From the minutes
“Motion: by Shareen Davis to grant a Special One-Day Liquor License for Wine & Malt Beverages to Dominic Boreffi as a representative of Galery Antonia for Saturday, February 17, 2018 from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. for service at 1291 Main Street. Second: by Dean Nicastro. Vote: 3-0.” (Motion: Davis, second: Nicastro)
From the Chatham Select Board’s official minutes on mytowngovernment.org, where the town posts them. We check every vote against the Select Board members present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Photos: Town of Chatham (town website, Select Board Members).