How the Chilmark Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 3 Select Board members elected townwide. Minutes are loaded from January 5, 2021 (the Board of Selectmen became the Select Board in 2021). Bill Rossi chaired the board until June 1, 2021, when it chose James Malkin as Chair, Warren Doty as Vice Chair and Bill Rossi as Clerk. Covers 47 meetings, January 5 to April 19, 2022.
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 Chilmark, 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.
Special Town Meeting · June 29, 2026 1 votes: 1 passed
Art. 1Appropriate $200,000 more for the FY2026 Reserve Fund ($100,000 available funds, $100,000 from June 2020 ATM Article 9)Passed“Article 1 carried unanimously.”
Art. 25AAmend zoning to allow Protected Use ADUs by right and remove guest house and accessory apartment sections (size amended to 900 sq ft)Passed as amended“amended, is passed, not unanimously.”
Special Town Meeting · July 15, 2024 1 votes: 1 passed as amended
Art. 1Transfer $403,831.63 from General Stabilization for listed items (reserve fund, computers, vehicles, repairs); Menemsha Beach item struckPassed as amended“Article 1, as amended, carried unanimously.”
Special Town Meeting · January 22, 2024 1 votes: 1 passed as amended
Art. 1Authorize a lease of up to 30 years of town land behind Chilmark School for a preschool; area amended from 3,000 to 4,500 sq ftPassed as amended“Article 1 is carried unanimously, as amended.”
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: Select Board (Board of Selectmen until 2021) minutes from January 5, 2021 through September 1, 2026, as posted on the town website. Older minutes back to 2017 are online but not loaded yet. Executive session minutes are not included. The minutes give the mover, the seconder and a tally such as “SO VOTED: 3 Ayes” or “SO VOTED: 2 Ayes, 1 Nay Jeffrey Maida”, naming any member who voted no or abstained. With three members, each member’s vote can be shown on nearly every motion. Votes taken by other boards at joint meetings (Finance Committee, Planning Board, Park & Recreation) are not listed. Where the tally does not match the members present, only the count is shown. 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.
Apr 5Appoint Jim Malkin as the representative on the working…Motion: appoint Jim Malkin as the representative on the working committeePassed 2–0 · Abstained: Malkin
April 5, 2022: Appoint Jim Malkin as the representative on the working committee
AppointPassed · 2–0
Appoint Jim Malkin as the representative on the working committee
Yes: Doty, RossiAbstained: Malkin
From the minutes
“Mr. Doty moved to appoint Jim Malkin as the representative on the working committee. Mr. Rossi seconded the motion. SO VOTED: 2 Ayes, 1 abstain Jim Malkin Planning Board request regarding Peaked Hill Pastures Affordable Hou.” (Motion: Doty, second: Rossi)
“Mr. Doty moved to approve Chairperson Malkin seconded the motion. SO VOTED: 2 Ayes, 1 Abstain Mr. Rossi Minutes from January 25, 2022, February 1, 2022, February 15, 2022, F.” (Motion: Doty, second: Malkin)
Dec 7Reappoint Joan Malkin as Chilmark’s Select Board appointed representative…Motion: reappoint Joan Malkin as Chilmark’s Select Board appointed representative on the…Passed 2–0 · Abstained: Malkin
December 7, 2021: Reappoint Joan Malkin as Chilmark’s Select Board appointed representative on the MV Commission
AppointPassed · 2–0
Reappoint Joan Malkin as Chilmark’s Select Board appointed representative on the MV Commission
Yes: Doty, RossiAbstained: Malkin
From the minutes
“Mr. Rossi moved to reappoint Joan Malkin as Chilmark’s Select Board appointed representative on the MV Commission. Mr. Doty seconded the motion. SO VOTED: 2 Ayes, 1 Abstain James Malkin as he is spouse Planning Board ‐ Memo on setbacks for new Homesite.” (Motion: Rossi, second: Doty)
Apr 6Approve and sign documents to sell 4 North Ridge…Motion: approve and sign documents to sell 4 North Ridge RdPassed 2–0 · see note
April 6, 2021: Approve and sign documents to sell 4 North Ridge Rd
ApprovePassed · 2–0
Approve and sign documents to sell 4 North Ridge Rd
The minutes give the count (2 Ayes, 1 Abstain) but not clearly who, so individual votes are not shown.
From the minutes
“Mr. Doty moved to approve and sign documents to sell 4 North Ridge Rd. Chair Rossi seconded the motion. SO VOTED: 2 Ayes, 1 Abstain Mr. Carroll said the taxes and expenses (to date estimate $97,000 and some more.” (Motion: Doty, second: Rossi)
“Mr. Doty moved to wave as a minor informality. Chairman Rossi seconded the motion. SO VOTED: 2 Ayes, 1 Abstain Malkin Mr. Doty recommended a warrant article on the ATM to pay town back the t.” (Motion: Doty, second: Rossi)
Feb 2Approved and accept this Memorandum of UnderstandingMotion: approved and accept this Memorandum of UnderstandingPassed 2–1 · see note
February 2, 2021: Approved and accept this Memorandum of Understanding
ApprovePassed · 2–1
Approved and accept this Memorandum of Understanding
The minutes give the count (2 Ayes, 1 Nay) but not clearly who, so individual votes are not shown.
From the minutes
“Mr. Malkin moved to approved and accept this Memorandum of Understanding. Chairman Rossi seconded the motion. Mr. Doty said he can’t support this barn size. SO VOTED: 2 Ayes, 1 Nay MV Cultural Council - Appointment of Wendy Weldon: Wendy Weldon said she has be.” (Motion: Malkin, second: Rossi)
Jan 19Approve Lot 5A be leased to John Keene and…Motion: approve Lot 5A be leased to John Keene and MVFPTPassed 2–0 · see note
January 19, 2021: Approve Lot 5A be leased to John Keene and MVFPT
ApprovePassed · 2–0
Approve Lot 5A be leased to John Keene and MVFPT
The minutes record “2 Ayes” but list 3 members present, so individual votes are not shown.
From the minutes
“Mr. Malkin moved to approve Lot 5A be leased to John Keene and MVFPT. Chairman Rossi seconded the motion. Mr. Doty recused himself from discussion and voting as he is on the Board of the MVFPT. SO VOTED: 2 Ayes 1, abstain Warren Doty Climate Committee – Jim Malkin: Mr. Malkin said he would.” (Motion: Malkin, second: Rossi)
From the Chilmark Select Board’s official minutes, posted on the town website. We check every vote against the members present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Member photos from The Martha’s Vineyard Times: Jeffrey Maida (April 2024 election story), Matthew Poole (June 2025 profile, photo by Sarah Shaw Dawson), Rebecca Haag (April 2026 candidate forum, photo by Nicholas Vukota). Former members show initials.