Brewster Current Cases: 104 (87 in long-term care facilities)
Please note - # of cases may differ from state or county totals based on data collection methods. Long term care facility data reported to the state database includes all residents and staff tested at the facility. Brewster totals only include residents and staff that reside in Brewster.
Due to Town Meeting scheduling changes related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Community Preservation Committee will not be accepting any new applications on July 1, 2020 for FY2021 funding. The next application submission date is December 1, 2020 for Spring Town Meeting 2021 (FY2022).
Starting the week of July 6, the Board of Assessors will be conducting annual inspections of properties with building permits issued or completed in 2019. The inspections will be performed by appraisers employed by PK Valuation Group of Sandwich, MA on behalf of the Brewster Board of Assessors. The appraisers will be measuring and listing property to check for accuracy with the Town’s records and will also take pictures of the property. For everyone’s health and safety, the appraisers will be following strict policies and procedures related to the pandemic while on site and will be limiting their inspections to the exterior, with very few exceptions.
The appraisers will have picture IDs and their information is on file with the Brewster Police Department. The appraisers’ vehicle information is the following:
We appreciate your assistance and cooperation during the inspection of your property. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at 508-896-3701 ext 1137.
The Brewster Select Board recently established the Brewster Natural Resources Commission (BNRC). The Town now seeks volunteers to serve on the Commission who have natural resources, open space, conservation, water quality, coastal management, or other appropriate experience/expertise. Application form in PDF Format
Commission Mission:
The mission of Brewster Natural Resources Advisory Commission is to assist the Brewster Select Board and Department of Natural Resources (BDNR) in guiding the sustainable use and enjoyment of Brewster’s abundant natural resources in ways that safeguard and enhance the ecological, social, and recreational benefits of those resources over the long-term.
Commission Charge:
Meetings:The BNRC is expected to meet monthly beginning this fall. There will also be meetings with the public and individual assignments between Commission meetings.
Members:The BNRC will be composed of seven to nine members:
Due to a recent resignation, the Select Board is seeking a resident to serve on the Planning Board until the next town election (May 2021). The Planning Board consists of seven elected members and is responsible for the review of subdivisions, site plans, and other development projects. The board also oversees land use planning efforts and develops zoning by-law amendments for Town Meeting. Meetings are usually held on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month at 6:30 PM.
If you are interested in filling this position, please send a letter of interest to Robin Young, ryoung@brewster-ma.gov in the office of the Board of Selectmen, by Friday July 17. Prospective candidates will be interviewed by the Planning Board and Select Board at an upcoming joint meeting. For additional information, contact the Planning Department at brewplan@brewster-ma.gov or call 508-896-3701 x1133.
Following the recent local election, the Select Board is seeking a resident to serve on the Brewster Housing Authority until the next town election (May 2021). The Housing Authority is overseen by a five member board. Four board members are elected and one is appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts. Meetings are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month at 5:30 PM.
The Brewster Housing Authority was created in 1986 and manages two public housing properties. Frederick Court, located off Brewster Road, provides 32 units of housing for seniors and disabled persons. 24 units of two and three bedroom family housing are located on Huckleberry Lane.
If you are interested in filling this temporary vacancy, please send a letter of interest to Robin Young, ryoung@brewster-ma.gov in the office of the Select Board. Prospective candidates will be interviewed by the Housing Authority and Select Board at an upcoming joint meeting. For additional information, contact the Housing Authority at director@brewsterhousing.org or call 508-896-9800 x203.
The Brewster Recycling Center will be closed Saturday, July 4, 2020 for the Independence Day holiday. We will be open Friday, July 3, 2020 during our normal hours of 8am to 3pm.
On June 27, 2020 the Brewster Health Department posted a Cyanobacteria Advisory at Walker’s Pond Landing due to reduced water clarity, visible algal bloom, and elevated levels of Phycocyanin pigment indicative of elevated levels of Cyanobacteria. Until further notice, small children and pets should avoid contact with the pond water. For additional information, please visit https://www.mass.gov/guides/cyanobacterial-harmful-algal-blooms-cyanohabs-water.
The Town Moderator is seeking volunteer(s) to serve on the Finance Committee. The Finance Committee is made up of nine members appointed by the Town Moderator for a three year term. The Finance Committee is an advisory committee that is required to review and report on all matters of business that are submitted for Annual and Special Town Meetings. The Finance Committee is also responsible for the administration of the Reserve Fund, which is an appropriation used for emergency and unforeseen events. The Finance Committee typically meets Wednesday evenings on a monthly basis, however meetings are more frequent during the warrant and budget review processes. Please submit a letter of interest by email to Robin Young, Administrative Assistant to the Board of Selectmen's Office at cwilliams@brewster-ma.gov. Interested parties must be a resident of the town of Brewster and members of Finance Committee shall generally hold no other Town office.
The Brewster Select Board chose new leadership following the election of Edward (Ned) Chatelain on June 23. Mary Chaffee will serve as Select Board Chair. Chaffee is a nurse, educator, author and policy analyst who has served on the Select Board since 2018. She previously served on the Brewster Board of Health and has been Brewster’s Delegate to the Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates since 2017. Chaffee served in the U.S. Navy for 26 years retiring with the rank of Captain. She earned two bachelors degrees from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, a masters degree and PhD from the University of Maryland Baltimore, and a law degree and masters in writing from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.
Benjamin deRuyter was elected to serve as Select Board Vice Chair. He is in his second term on the Select Board and previously served on the town’s Finance Committee. DeRuyter, a housing advocate, has served in several positions in the Community Development Partnership including as its president. DeRuyter earned a bachelors degree in biochemistry and molecular biology and a master of business administration from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He is the chief executive officer and president of several Provincetown businesses and is a licensed pilot.
Cynthia Bingham will serve as Select Board Clerk. Bingham has served on the Select Board since 2016 including a year as chair. She served nine years on Brewster’s Golf Commission. Bingham taught middle and high school in Framingham, Massachusetts, for 36 years. She earned a bachelors degree in health and physical education from Northern Illinois University, then entered the Peace Corps and taught in British Guyana. Bingham earned two masters degrees, one in health and physical education from Northeastern University and the other in special education from Framingham State University. She is a lifetime member of the Girl Scouts and served on the board of directors of a Boston area Girl Scout council.
David Whitney has just completed a term as Select Board Chair and remains a member of the Select Board. Longtime member John Dickson did not seek re-election in 2020.
Tally sheers/unofficial results from the June 23, 2020 Town Election are available for download in PDF format.
Two women with Brewster connections are being honored as “Commonwealth Heroines” for their influential community leadership by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women.
Marie Enochty is a longtime Brewster resident who has been an accomplished advocate for children and high-quality education. She now trains teachers and principals in early education for Boston Public Schools. Prior to this role, Marie worked at Cape Cod Children’s Place. She served for 10 years as Brewster’s representative to the Nauset Regional School Committee and over 20 years on the Brewster School Committee. Marie has served as a board member of the Massachusetts Association for the Education of Young Children, the Boston Children’s Museum’s Native American Early Childhood Council, Latham Centers, and the Cape Cod Collaborative. She has advocated for sufficient education funding and ending racism. She holds a B.A in art education and an M.S. in education. State Senator Julian Cyr recommended Marie for this honor.
Virginia (Ginny) Locke, a long-time Brewster resident who now resides in South Yarmouth, is being recognized for her leadership in transforming the Crosby Mansion from an arson-damaged structure on the verge of demolition into a historic restoration success. Ginny, a retired school librarian without historic preservation experience, led the Friends of Crosby Mansion’s efforts for nearly 30 years. She coordinated volunteers and their restoration efforts, held fundraisers and open houses, and managed two cottage renovations on the property that now provide income to support ongoing preservation efforts. Thanks to the Friends’ group, the Town of Brewster leased the property in 2003 from the State. The mansion now stands as a cultural icon featured in art and photography, and hosts weddings and other events. Ginny, now 89, recently turned over her leadership duties but continues to assist at mansion events. State Representation Tim Whelan recommended Ginny for this honor.
Each year the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women recognizes women who may not be in the news but who make their communities better places to live. Their leadership and volunteerism help to advance the status of women and girls in meaningful ways in Massachusetts.
The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women is an independent state agency created in 1998 to advance women in the Commonwealth to full equality in all areas of life and to promote their rights and opportunities. This year’s event honoring women from across the state will be held virtually on June 24 on the Commission’s social media platforms.
https://www.mass.gov/doc/commonwealth-heroines-class-of-2020-0/download?fbclid=IwAR1je6IAJbEAGmzM_azI7Q6C21El8uZNk0LM0cWwdiR-bHKA0JnyBFaWak4
