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.
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.
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)
“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)
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)
“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)
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)
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)
“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)
“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)
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)
“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)
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.