← Chilmark

Municipal votes · 2025–2026 Board

Chilmark Select Board

How the Chilmark Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 3 Select Board members elected townwide. Matthew Poole joined the board after the April 2025 town election; James Malkin left. On May 6, 2025 the board chose Marie Larsen as Chair, Jeffrey Maida as Vice Chair and Matthew Poole as Clerk. Covers 51 meetings, May 6 to April 21, 2026.

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 Chilmark ballot: 13 quizzes, about a minute each.

Start my ballot →

Board years

Coming up

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

What Town Meeting decided

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

Source: Town Clerk's minutes, June 29, 2026 Special Town Meeting (scanned).

Annual Town Meeting · April 27, 2026 32 votes: 28 passed, 3 passed as amended, 1 indefinitely postponed

Source: Town Clerk's minutes, April 27, 2026 Annual Town Meeting (scanned).

Annual Town Meeting · April 28, 2025 24 votes: 15 passed, 6 passed as amended, 3 indefinitely postponed

Source: Town Clerk's record in the 2025 Chilmark Annual Town Report.

Special Town Meeting · July 15, 2024 1 votes: 1 passed as amended

Source: Town Clerk's record in the 2024 Chilmark Annual Town Report.

Annual Town Meeting · April 23, 2024 31 votes: 26 passed, 5 passed as amended

Source: Town Clerk's record in the 2024 Chilmark Annual Town Report.

Special Town Meeting · January 22, 2024 1 votes: 1 passed as amended

Source: Town Clerk's record in the 2024 Chilmark Annual Town Report.

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

Matthew PooleClerk · Elected townwide · at 51 of 51 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: 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.

Tuesday, April 21, 2026 · Regular meeting9 recorded votes, 0 with disagreementAll 3 members presentTuesday, April 14, 2026 · Regular meeting3 recorded votes, 0 with disagreementAll 3 members presentWednesday, April 8, 2026 · Regular meeting10 recorded votes, 0 with disagreementAll 3 members presentTuesday, March 24, 2026 · Regular meeting4 recorded votes, 0 with disagreementAll 3 members presentTuesday, March 17, 2026 · Regular meeting9 recorded votes, 0 with disagreementAll 3 members present

Votes where members disagreed

Most board votes are unanimous. These are the ones where at least one member voted no or abstained, newest first.

Mar 3Put this to the voters on the warrant. Amount…Motion: put this to the voters on the warrant. Amount estimated at…Passed 2–1 · No: Maida

March 3, 2026: Put this to the voters on the warrant. Amount estimated at $16,500.00

ApprovePassed · 2–1

Put this to the voters on the warrant. Amount estimated at $16,500.00

Yes: Larsen, PooleNo: Maida

From the minutes

“Mr. Poole moved to put this to the voters on the warrant. Amount estimated at $16,500.00. Mr. Maida seconded the motion. SO VOTED: 2 Ayes, 1 Nay Maida Mr. Poole said money if voted could be available day after town meeting..” (Motion: Poole, second: Maida)

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

Jan 20Approve covering the shortfallMotion: approve covering the shortfallPassed 2–0 · Abstained: Larsen

January 20, 2026: Approve covering the shortfall

ApprovePassed · 2–0

Approve covering the shortfall

Yes: Maida, PooleAbstained: Larsen

From the minutes

“Mr. Poole moved to approve covering the shortfall. Mr. Maida seconded the motion. SO VOTED: 2 Ayes, 1 abstain (Chairperson Larsen related to employee) Select Board's intention to negotiate.” (Motion: Poole, second: Maida)

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

Jan 6Deny the Verizon request before us 14 small cells…Motion: deny the Verizon request before us 14 small cells added on…Passed 1–0 · see note

January 6, 2026: Deny the Verizon request before us 14 small cells added on Chilmark’s roadways

DenyPassed · 1–0

Deny the Verizon request before us 14 small cells added on Chilmark’s roadways

The minutes record “1 Ayes” but list 3 members present, so individual votes are not shown.

From the minutes

“Mr. Maida moved to deny the Verizon request before us 14 small cells added on Chilmark’s roadways. Mr. Poole seconded the motion for discussion. Mr. Poole said we need to give thought to what denying means. Mr. Poole said strategically motivate the carriers, not sure this is doing what we think it would do. Mr. Petkus recommended we make wireless calls with connecting to your Wi-Fi. Mr. Carroll noted that this … Chilmark. Mr. Carroll said the DAS is old technology. 3 Public Hearing on Verizon Wireless to erect fourteen new small cell facilities on existing Eversource poles on Chilmark Roads Continued… Mr. Carroll said DAS needs to be replaced with similar to what Verizon is proposing. Chairperson asked for a vote on the motion. SO VOTED: 1 Aye Larsen, 2 Nays Maida and Poole. Mr. Poole moved to continue discussion to 1/20/.” (Motion: Maida, second: Poole)

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

Nov 18Accept 3.31% COLA for FY27Motion: accept 3.31% COLA for FY27Failed 1–2 · No: Maida, Poole

November 18, 2025 (Nay meeting): Accept 3.31% COLA for FY27

ApproveFailed · 1–2

Accept 3.31% COLA for FY27

Yes: LarsenNo: Maida, Poole

From the minutes

“Chairperson Larsen moved to accept 3.31% COLA for FY27. Mr. Poole seconded. SO VOTED: 2 Nays : Poole, Maida. 1 Aye: Larsen Mr. Poole moved to accept the 3% HRB cola policy p.” (Motion: Larsen, second: Poole)

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

Nov 18Accept the 3% HRB cola policy provided on town…Motion: accept the 3% HRB cola policy provided on town web pagePassed 2–1 · No: Larsen

November 18, 2025 (Nay meeting): Accept the 3% HRB cola policy provided on town web page

ApprovePassed · 2–1

Accept the 3% HRB cola policy provided on town web page

Yes: Maida, PooleNo: Larsen

From the minutes

“Mr. Poole moved to accept the 3% HRB cola policy provided on town web page. Mr. Maida seconded. SO VOTED: 2 Ayes : Poole, Maida. 1 Nay: Larsen Chairperson Larsen spoke to need to change policy.” (Motion: Poole, second: Maida)

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

Nov 4Deny this request in front of themMotion: deny this request in front of themPassed · see note

November 4, 2025: Deny this request in front of them

DenyPassed · No count or names in the minutes

Deny this request in front of them

The minutes record this vote with no count and no names, so only the result is shown.

From the minutes

“Mr. Maida moved to deny this request in front of them. Mr. Poole seconded the motion. SO VOTED: roll call vote Roll call vote: Poole Aye, Maida: Aye Larsen: Aye Mr. Maida said you can return.” (Motion: Maida, second: Poole)

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

Sep 2Approve as writtenMotion: approve as writtenPassed 2–0 · Abstained: Poole

September 2, 2025: Approve as written

ApprovePassed · 2–0

Approve as written

Yes: Larsen, MaidaAbstained: Poole

From the minutes

“Mr. Maida moved to approve as written. Mr. Poole seconded the motion. SO VOTED: 2 Ayes, 1 Abstain Mr. Poole as he was not present at this meeting Joint FinCom-Select Board draft.” (Motion: Maida, second: Poole)

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

Sep 2Approve as writtenMotion: approve as writtenPassed 2–0 · Abstained: Poole

September 2, 2025: Approve as written

ApprovePassed · 2–0

Approve as written

Yes: Larsen, MaidaAbstained: Poole

From the minutes

“Mr. Maida moved to approve as written. Mr. Poole seconded the motion. SO VOTED: 2 Ayes, 1 Abstain Mr. Poole as he was not present at this meeting Cellphone Service in Chilmark t.” (Motion: Maida, second: Poole)

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

Sep 2Not share truck with Aquinnah and put Chilmark town…Motion: not share truck with Aquinnah and put Chilmark town seal on…Passed 2–1 · No: Larsen

September 2, 2025: Not share truck with Aquinnah and put Chilmark town seal on it. Mr. Dillon said Chilmark building permit fees are still one of the cheapest in the State. Mr. Petkus…

ApprovePassed · 2–1

Not share truck with Aquinnah and put Chilmark town seal on it. Mr. Dillon said Chilmark building permit fees are still one of the cheapest in the State. Mr. Petkus said he urges not to drift away from agreement with Aquinnah. June 2026 end and 3 months before need to state decision. Mr. Carroll said by January 2026 we need to decide

Yes: Maida, PooleNo: Larsen

From the minutes

“Mr. Maida moved to not share truck with Aquinnah and put Chilmark town seal on it. Mr. Dillon said Chilmark building permit fees are still one of the cheapest in the State. Mr. Petkus said he urges not to drift away from agreement with Aquinnah. June 2026 end and 3 months before need to state decision. Mr. Carroll said by January 2026 we need to decide. Mr. Poole seconded the motion to not share the town truck. SO VOTED: 2 Ayes, 1 Nay Chairperson Larsen.  Building Permit Fee Relief (TABLED until building permit.” (Motion: Maida, second: Poole)

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

Sep 2Waive fee Trish SpringMotion: waive fee Trish SpringPassed 2–0 · Abstained: Larsen

September 2, 2025: Waive fee Trish Spring

ApprovePassed · 2–0

Waive fee Trish Spring

Yes: Maida, PooleAbstained: Larsen

From the minutes

“Mr. Poole moved waive fee Trish Spring. Mr. Maida seconded the motion. SO VOTED: 2 Ayes, 1 Abstain Marie Larsen. Hunting Policy – over 20 years since adopted. A.) Ask hunters to.” (Motion: Poole, second: Maida)

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

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.

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.