Selectboard

Monday, May 18, 2026

Modernization of Recreation, Alcohol, Vending, and Grilling Ordinances — Establishes new permitting frameworks and potential application fees for use of public land and activities.

20 public comments 8 decisions 2 not addressed awaiting minutes

Routine Fee Change

Monday, May 4, 2026

Municipal Fee Schedule Increases — Various fee adjustments across multiple departments.

9 public comments 10 decisions 2 not addressed awaiting minutes

Routine Fee Change

Monday, April 6, 2026

Fire Department Chief Recruitment — Selection of a new leader for the department affects long-term emergency response standards and department structure.

4 public comments 3 not addressed awaiting minutes

Routine Safety Change

Thursday, April 2, 2026

Harbor Property Management and Ordinance Changes — Changes to how alcohol service and commercial activity are permitted in the waterfront district.

5 public comments 7 decisions 1 not addressed awaiting minutes

Routine Zoning Change

Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Town Dock Rehabilitation — Potential significant capital investment for structural repairs (steel pilings) and management of lease-related liabilities.

2 decisions awaiting minutes

Routine Other High Impact

Thursday, March 19, 2026

2026 Municipal Tax Rate Increases — Municipal portion increases ranging from approximately $80 for a $275,000 home to $435 for a $1.5M home; total operating budget of $9.038M approved

2 public comments awaiting minutes

Routine Tax Increase

Thursday, March 12, 2026

The meeting was largely ceremonial and procedural, but a substantive community challenge over CIP-first fiscal discipline, deferred accountability on a failed dock repair, and exploratory discussions on housing and parking introduced low-to-medium undercurrents of tension that kept this above a purely routine session.

3 public comments 5 decisions awaiting minutes

Routine

Wednesday, February 25, 2026

Municipal Fee Schedule Increases Across All Departments — 10–12% increases across recreation, transfer station, general government, police, land use, and fire fees, effective March 1, 2026

2 public comments 9 decisions 2 not addressed awaiting minutes

Routine Fee Change

Monday, February 23, 2026

Municipal Fee Schedule Increases Across All Departments — 10–12% increase across all major municipal fee categories, effective March 1, 2026

1 public comment 8 decisions 2 not addressed

Routine Fee Change

Monday, February 9, 2026

Class 6 Road Development — Loss of Local Review Authority — State law (SB281) has removed planning board and selectboard review for building permits on Class 6 roads; up to 30 new lots potentially developable without prior local oversight

1 public comment 11 decisions 1 not addressed

Routine Zoning Change

Wednesday, January 14, 2026

The meeting involved sustained public pushback on fire department underfunding, a failed internal motion to cut capital reserves, a board member challenging the financial integrity of the solar project presentation, and unresolved concerns about legal fee overruns — creating genuine but contained tension throughout an otherwise procedurally productive budget session.

6 public comments 12 decisions awaiting minutes

Routine

Monday, January 12, 2026

Elevated by multiple public critiques of budget priorities, wage increases, and transparency plus significant off-agenda decisions on staffing and capital items that residents could not anticipate.

5 public comments 22 decisions 1 not addressed

Contentious Tax Increase

Monday, January 5, 2026

Public criticism of budget hypocrisy, an unaddressed volunteer's frustration with governance exclusion, a significant budget approval made largely off-agenda, and frank board admissions about fire department and emergency management failures combined to make this a notably tense meeting despite unanimous votes.

3 public comments 7 decisions 2 not addressed

Contentious Tax Increase

Monday, December 15, 2025

The meeting featured direct public accusations of planning board bias, unaddressed criticism of the select board's budget methodology, significant conflict between established harbor businesses and proposed food truck regulations, and a lengthy internal board struggle over budget cuts — collectively producing a meeting with sustained tension across multiple agenda items.

5 public comments 2 not addressed

Contentious Tax Increase

Monday, December 1, 2025

Public criticism of a 15% budget increase following last year's failed vote, a community group's on-the-record accusation of board unresponsiveness, and an off-agenda announcement of a significant ambulance service reduction combined to make this meeting notably tense despite the board's procedural unanimity.

2 public comments 11 decisions 1 not addressed

Contentious Tax Increase

Monday, November 17, 2025

A lengthy joint session grappled with a 14.3% budget increase, direct public criticism from a resident, unresolved infrastructure deficits, doubled ambulance costs, chronic staffing vacancies, and a governance lapse that generated an audit finding — all against a backdrop of acknowledged fiscal strain and a prior year without a passed budget.

1 public comment

Contentious Tax Increase

Monday, November 3, 2025

Full-time Fire Chief staffing proposal — ~$36k minimum annual cost via warrant article

2 public comments 6 decisions

Routine Safety Change

Monday, October 27, 2025

While procedurally civil, the meeting carried genuine tension: a documented trust crisis with residents over financial reporting, an unavoidable structural budget deficit, a frank debate about poverty and service levels, and extensive substantive policy discussions conducted entirely off-agenda with no public present to respond — collectively elevating this well above a routine session.

8 decisions

Contentious Tax Increase

Monday, October 20, 2025

Routine approvals were unanimous, but two public comments highlighted ongoing transparency and priority disputes that the board declined to address, creating modest tension.

2 public comments 5 decisions 2 not addressed

Routine

Monday, October 6, 2025

Health Insurance Cost Increase — 11.3% Hike from Health Trust — 11.3% proposed premium increase from Health Trust; board exploring alternatives to reduce cost impact

2 public comments 7 decisions 1 not addressed

Routine Fee Change

Monday, September 22, 2025

The meeting was marked by significant, organized public testimony regarding the town's economic future and a clear tension between environmental protection and fiscal conservatism.

7 public comments 6 decisions 6 not addressed

Contentious Budget Cut

Monday, September 8, 2025

The meeting was marked by significant community pushback on legal spending, budget efficiency, and property/parking rights, which the board largely did not address verbally.

5 public comments 4 decisions 5 not addressed

Contentious Tax Increase

Monday, August 18, 2025

Municipal Fee Schedule Increases — Land Use, Fire, Police, General Government — Broad fee increases across multiple town departments; after-the-fact permit violations now carry a minimum $400 fine plus original permit cost

2 public comments 8 decisions

Routine Fee Change

Monday, August 4, 2025

Public comments on pickleball/voter accountability created measurable tension, and off-agenda alcohol-permit vote added transparency concerns, but board remained unified and most items were routine

5 public comments 5 decisions

Routine