Editor:

Caroline McCarley would be an incredible asset to the Brewster Select Board. I worked with her for two years on the bay property planning committee and have watched her leadership as chair of the Sea Camps advisory committee. Caroline is a hard worker, insightful, and a collaborative team player. In addition to the Sea Camps, she is on the planning board and the Brewster Ladies’ Library. She has an incredible record of public service to Brewster. In the past, she served on a New Hampshire school board for 17 years and was a state senator and mayor there for another 11 years. Her experience and strong track record working hard on behalf of others make her the ideal candidate. Brewster is fortunate to have the opportunity to elect Caroline McCarley to our select board. I can't imagine anyone more qualified and will be voting for Caroline. 

John Phillips
Brewster

Editor:

I am writing in support of Caroline McCarley's candidacy for a seat on the Brewster Select Board. She brings a wealth of experience serving at all levels of state government in New Hampshire and most recently served on Brewster's library and finance committee, planning board and chairs the Sea Camps advisory committee.

Caroline is a positive, straightforward communicator who listens and works towards realistic solutions that promote the overall well-being of the community. She is a tireless worker who will constantly work in the best interests of Brewster residents.

Tom Fitzgibbons
Brewster

Editor:

 At a time when our national discourse is polarized and rabid, local community conversations and connections become more critical and necessary. Electing local representatives who put their constituents first, and listen and respond is key. 

 Caroline McCarley is running for the Brewster Select Board, and I believe she is the kind of representative we need at this time. She is fiscally responsible, has run a city (serving as the Rochester, N.H. mayor) and has served on its school board. She is passionate about our town and is well versed in the benefits of living in Brewster, while also recognizing the challenges currently facing residents, including but not limited to the rising costs of living and lack of affordable housing, issues which face most towns on Cape Cod and most towns across America. She will hear what Brewster residents have to say, respond to them, and roll up her sleeves to get to work on our behalf. 

Allyson K. Felix
Brewster

Editor:

Town government is complicated and demanding, that’s why we are endorsing Caroline McCarley and Pete Dahl for the Brewster Select Board. Our community is facing many challenges and many opportunities, so we need people who have experience in town government, who understand town finances, and who listen to the people they represent.

 Caroline and Pete are those people. They each have demonstrated their ability and commitment by serving on multiple local committees including school committees and finance committees. Caroline has served in several appointed and elected positions including, in Brewster, the planning board, the Sea Camps advisory committee, and the Brewster Ladies’ Library finance committee. Pete is a finance professional with an MBA degree who has served on the Brewster Finance Committee, including as chair, chief of finance for the YMCA of Cape Cod, and chaired a local school committee.

 Both Caroline and Pete are committed to transparency, open dialogue, and serving the best interest of our community..

Hal Minis
Pat Hughes
Brewster

Editor:

I am sharing my support for the election of Caroline McCarley to the Brewster Select Board at the annual town election on May 20. For over 20 years, Caroline has shown herself to be a selfless public servant who is not afraid of challenges. Since moving to Brewster, she chaired the Sea Camps advisory committee and has served on the Brewster planning board and on the finance committee of the Brewster Ladies’ Library. Prior to moving to Brewster, she served in New Hampshire as a state senator, mayor of Rochester, N.H., and a Rochester school board member, serving more than two terms in each role, demonstrating strong evidence that the citizens she represented appreciated her leadership and her ability to get things done. Every role Caroline has held has required research, attention to detail, knowledge of finance, listening to constituents, collaboration and problem solving. 

We have challenges in Brewster: reaching community consensus to move forward on the Sea Camps, protecting our increasingly threatened environment, ensuring economically sound delivery of town services, and expanding housing options. These are priorities for Caroline and for Brewster. We need her experience and will benefit from her leadership skills. She will make an excellent addition to the select board.

Paula Lieb
Brewster

Editor:

Brewster is known for excellent government and a select board that works effectively for our community. Two longtime leaders (Cindy Bingham and Dave Whitney) are stepping down this year. Fortunately there are two excellent candidates running for their seats.

I’ll be voting for Caroline McCarley and Pete Dahl. They each have served Brewster well on a number of committees. That kind of public service experience is a benefit for all of us. 

I served with Caroline on the Bay Property planning committee and saw first-hand her hard work, respectful attitude, and ability to listen and work well with others. Caroline’s experience as a former state senator and mayor make her an excellent Brewster community leader.

Both Caroline and Pete Dahl have extensive experience as school committee members. That will be a real asset as we move forward with planning the future of our schools. Pete’s service on the Brewster Finance Committee for nine years shows his commitment to producing sustainable town budgets.

Katie Miller Jacobus
Brewster

Editor:

 The (annual town election) ballot contains Question 2: “Shall a commission be elected to revise the charter of the town of Harwich?”

 What is the purpose of a charter commission? Massachusetts law provides that a community can directly elect a commission to review and propose revisions or a completely new charter independent of a select board or any other town agency. The elected members will review the current charter, seek input from the community, seek advice from other communities and organizations that specialize in town charters, and propose changes directly to our community.

A petitioner proposed this ballot question. Once the required signatures were submitted to and certified by the town clerk, the question for the formation of a charter commission and the election of its members goes directly to the next local ballot.

While there is an existing and active bylaw/charter review committee, this committee has limited ability to request the voters to enact change. While our charter has received a complimentary review by the Massachusetts Municipal Association, there are sections whose wording has led to numerous interpretations.

Voting to elect a new charter commission and its members is a vote to have our charter specify how we wish to be governed. After all, the way that we choose to govern ourselves should not be left to continuous reinterpretation by the legal profession.

Linda Cebula
Harwich

Editor:

Please join me and vote for Katie McManus for Harwich Select Board. Everyone talks about the housing crisis and the need to keep young people in town but Katie lives this firsthand. Despite having her own successful business, she cannot afford to rent an apartment in town and also save for a down payment to buy a house. She is not alone, and she knows many of the people who face these same challenges because they are her friends and contemporaries.

Katie’s focus will be on creating both affordable and attainable housing so that we can attract the next generation of talent to move here and start building their lives here.

Katie’s vision is that making it more affordable for younger people to live here will also increase economic development. Having more year-round people to patronize local businesses will make our economy more stable to fluctuations in tourism. Having more younger people in town will also help support our aging population. 

It’s time for the younger generation to have a seat at the table.

Mary Anderson
East Harwich

Editor:

I am a candidate for Brewster Planning Board. I currently serve on the board and hope to continue to do so.

I'm an attorney with more than 30 years of experience in property and business transactions. This experience has helped me be a productive member of the planning board as we've dealt with important issues that will shape the future of Brewster. As part of my planning board duties, I also serve on the short-term rental task force. We are evaluating the impact and assessing potential policy solutions to these transactions.

In the upcoming year I expect that the planning board will be tasked to rewrite Brewster's zoning bylaws (circa 1960) to align them with current law and community vision. This will be both a massive and delicate task. I believe that my legal background will be of value to both my fellow board members and the Brewster community as we proceed with this complex project. 

In 2024, I was appointed by the select board to fill a vacancy on the planning board. I thoroughly enjoy serving our community and hope that you will allow me to continue in that role. The current members of the board bring a notable depth of understanding and experience relative to our charge and I'm honored to be part of this team.

Carmel Gilberti
Brewster

Editor:

I strongly endorse Caroline McCarley and Harvey (Pete) Dahl for the Brewster Select Board. Caroline and Pete have many years of experience serving the public and working in public finance. They have served the town well in their current roles and will continue to do so if elected.

I serve with Caroline on the Sea Camps advisory committee. She is a thoughtful committee chair and invites broad community participation. Caroline led the effort this spring to get community feedback so we can best understand how Brewster residents want to proceed with the Sea Camps plans. She also served as mayor of Rochester, N.H. before moving to Brewster. She will be a great addition to the select board.

I also had the chance to work with Pete when I served on the select board. As finance committee member and chair, Pete has used his background in accounting to provide the town with valuable analysis and sage advice. His transition to the select board will be smooth.

Brewster has a great opportunity this spring to elect two proven leaders in Caroline McCarley and Pete Dahl. 

John Dickson
Brewster

Editor:

Peter Jelinek is running for the recreation commission in Brewster. I have known Peter for several years, primarily from Brewster Pickleball (BP) and the Nauset Newcomers (NN) Hiking Group. As an active BP member, Peter was also the proponent last year for soliciting donations for the Summer Recreation Program Scholarship, and presented Recreation Department Director Mike Gradone with a $500 check which allowed two kids in need to participate in the rec’s youth program. He is also the coordinator of all NN group activities (1,300 members) which includes the hiking group which I managed for many years, and is also on the NN board. 

Peter’s involvement with many other recreational programs on the Lower Cape attest to his managerial skills, both planning and fiscal, and to his commitment to Brewster and the surrounding area. He will serve the town’s recreational needs well.

John Phillips
Brewster

Editor:

 Want good government in Brewster? Then join me in voting for Caroline McCarley and Pete Dahl for Brewster Select Board. If you examine the select board candidates, the good choices are obvious. 

 Caroline McCarley’s a lifelong public servant. I’ve served with her on the Bay Property planning committee and know that she’s a hard-working team player. Caroline serves on one of Brewster’s most important committees, the planning board. I’m also glad to report that Caroline’s husband Dan was the Brewster Conservation Trust 2024 Volunteer of the Year. 

 Pete Dahl has many years of service on our finance and audit committees, and previously on a school committee. I trust Caroline McCarley and Pete Dahl to provide the leadership Brewster needs in the years ahead. 

 The third candidate for Select Board, David Faherty, has not served Brewster on any town committee. I’ve evaluated his website and statements. He does not appear to have the experience and temperament to serve the entire community as a member of the select board. Luckily we have two other great candidates.

Peter Johnson
Brewster

Editor:

 I look forward to voting on May 20 for two excellent candidates for the Brewster Select Board: Caroline McCarley (now on the Brewster Planning Board and the Brewster Sea Camps committee) and Pete Dahl (now on the Brewster Finance Committee).

 There are important reasons why McCarley and Dahl are the best two candidates for select board. McCarley and Dahl have both already served and are serving Brewster on important town committees. The third candidate has not. McCarley (a former New Hampshire state senator and mayor) and Dahl (an accountant) also have professional experience that will help them serve Brewster. McCarley and Dahl thus both have experience with government budgets and finance. The other candidate does not.

 Caroline McCarley and Pete Dahl are experienced and dedicated public servants.

Amy Cohen
Brewster

Editor:

 I am writing to urge Brewster voters to support Caroline McCarley for the Brewster Select Board.

 For 42 years, I lived near Caroline and her husband, Dan Harkinson, in Rochester, N.H. Ironically, both our families moved year-round to Cape Cod at the same time in 2021.

 In New Hampshire, Caroline worked tirelessly for the people of the region. Her public service included a seat on the Rochester School Board (chairperson for 11 of 17 years), N.H. State Senator for six years, and five years as mayor of the City of Rochester. Caroline fully understands how government works and public finances. She is a tremendously hard worker and a good listener to her constituents. 

 If you are a Brewster voter, I urge you to support Caroline’s candidacy for the Brewster Select Board. 

Cathy Taylor
Chatham

Editor:

Brewster has an opportunity to elect three outstanding community leaders this May 20: Caroline McCarley and Pete Dahl for select board and Peter Jelenik for the recreation commission. Each brings a wealth of experience, a spirit of service, and a deep commitment to our town’s future.

Caroline, a former state senator and longtime planning board member, has played a key role in shaping the vision for the Sea Camps properties. Pete, an accountant and veteran of the finance committee, was instrumental in establishing an independent audit committee, ensuring transparency and fiscal responsibility. Both Caroline and Pete understand the urgency of climate change and its implications for Brewster. Unlike their opponent, whose comments at a recent forum revealed a lack of understanding, Caroline and Pete recognize the town’s role in local and regional solutions to a global problem.

For the recreation commission, Peter Jelenik offers the perfect mix of experience and energy. A former school board member and active community volunteer, he already contributes to Brewster life through his work with Nauset Newcomers where he chairs group activities for organization, coordinating over 50 groups that support active adult recreation; and as a citizen scientist with the Brewster Ponds Coalition, testing local waters to help ensure they’re safe and accessible. He’s also deeply involved in sailing, curling, golf, and pickleball — all programs that speak to Brewster’s diverse recreational and cultural fabric. 

Fran Schofield
Brewster

Editor:

I strongly endorse Caroline McCarley and Pete Dahl for Brewster Select Board. I serve with Caroline on the Sea Camps advisory committee; her leadership is excellent. She is always well-prepared, patient and focused on the public. I can’t speak enough about Caroline and so feel that having her on the select board would add additional depth. 

Pete is a highly regarded member of the Brewster Finance Committee and although I have not worked with him directly, I have been impressed. 

We have a responsible and responsive select board now. Let’s elect McCarley and Dahl who we can trust to understand the regulations and laws that apply to governing our town and apply them fairly. 

Stephen Najarian
Brewster

Editor:

Brewster is extremely well-governed. Evidence of that abounds: numerous awards, outstanding town staff who remain in their positions for years, productive town committees and a strong financial position. We are fortunate that two Brewster residents, each with extensive public service experience, are running for Brewster Select Board. I know both Caroline McCarley and Pete Dahl, and have enormous respect for their contributions and long records of putting others first.

I know the critical role a select board plays in town government — I’ve been honored to be elected three times to serve on ours. The Brewster Select Board has handled complex challenges and decisions that impact the town’s future with mature, responsible behavior and respect for the community.

Being effective in an elective office, like the Brewster Select Board, is about serving the public. That includes having an open mind to new ideas and being willing to reconsider your position, working collaboratively as a team member, and doing your homework so you don’t spread misinformation to voters. I am confident Caroline McCarley and Pete Dahl have all those skills as well as great personal integrity and a deep love for Brewster.

Caroline McCarley and Pete Dahl are by far the strongest candidates for Brewster Select Board in 2025. I am grateful that two experienced community leaders like Caroline and Pete are willing to serve.

Mary Chaffee
Brewster

Editor:

At the meeting held by The League of Women’s Voters introducing the candidates for select board of the town of Brewster, two items were immediately apparent. First, all three candidates were intelligent and prepared to talk about issues that are facing our town. Secondly, two of the candidates seem to be clones of each other. Candidates Dahl and McCarley demonstrated complete agreement with each other and noticeably gave credit and reinforcement to each other. The third candidate, David Faherty, was the first one to bring up our rising tax burden in Brewster. While it was pointed out that we have the lowest tax rate in Massachusetts, monstrously rising assessment values more than compensates for increasing our total taxes over 65 percent in the last 10 years. 

Taking massive properties off of the tax rolls while spending more and more on unnecessary projects, has caused such a burden that soon many people won’t be able to stay in their lifelong homes. The debt burden alone will be unforgiving. The two “clone candidates” touted their long-time participation in various positions, therefore contributing to the kind of tax-and-spend performance to which Brewster has been exposed. It’s time to bring in some fresh ideas to solve our problems instead of the same old rhetoric of what they promise to do before elections. Mr. Faherty has the creative and management experience to make the difference needed to help solve our problems.

Barbara Guiliano
Brewster

Editor:

 As a longtime advocate for affordable housing in Chatham, I am pleased to see town officials becoming more active. The current plan to build affordable housing in West Chatham center makes sense. Our several neighborhood centers on Route 28 are among Chatham's most valuable assets. Chatham's Route 28 can become another Route 6A, the historic Old King's Highway we all admire.

The proposed West Chatham center affordable housing plan needs more work, however. The problem with the plan is not replacing the late Joe Buckley's small single-family house with 48 affordable apartments and community center as the developer proposes. The problem is that the plan's overly large structures facing Main Street do not respect the existing historic district nor do they respect existing residential neighborhoods south and west of the development site where I and others have our homes. Town officials chose this development plan even though it does not comply with what they asked the developer for in an RFP and fails to comply with the town's newly proposed protective zoning bylaw for West Chatham center encouraging affordable housing development.

Fortunately, there are excellent examples of moderate density affordable housing developments that do respect adjacent historic districts and existing residential neighborhoods. I and others have proposed a compromise plan like this to town officials and the developer that achieves the desired density level and, crucially, is compatible with Chatham's historic built environment. We look forward to working with town officials, the developer and the Chatham Zoning Board of Appeals to create a model for affordable housing development in Chatham.

Rick Leavitt
West Chatham