Brewster flats in on a beautiful summer day at low tide with the text Town of Brewster Bayside Bulletin overlayed

Issue 10 | April 2026

From the Manager's Desk

For the first time in 15 years, Brewster voters will be asked to approve a general operating override to support the Town budget for Fiscal Year 2027. It is not a decision that is taken lightly.

The Town’s $1.25M override is largely needed to fully fund expiring union contracts and employment agreements for almost 200 Town employees. In analyzing recent salary data from comparable communities on Cape, Brewster consistently ranks at or near the bottom in terms of our current levels of compensation, especially for our firefighters and police officers. The FY26-27 Select Board Strategic Plan identifies “ensuring equitable and competitive compensation of Town employees to recruit and retain a highly competitive workforce” as a goal for this year.

Since the start of the pandemic, the municipal labor market has fundamentally changed, and the cost of living has increased dramatically on the Cape. The financial investments in our workforce included in the Town’s FY27 budget are needed for Brewster to be competitive in the market.

If approved by Town Meeting on May 4 and on the ballot at the May 19 local election, the Town needs $945,000 of the $1.25M override to balance our FY27 budget - a $100 increase in property taxes for the average resident next year and beyond. The $305,000 difference is needed to address projected budget shortfalls in FY28 based on the Town's financial forecast modeling - another $35/year tax impact starting in Fall 2027.

This budget reflects providing the same level of services that Brewster residents have come to expect. It does not include any substantive staffing changes. Besides health insurance and pension, Town expenses are only increasing by .6%. In this way, Town officials continue to take the same conservative approach to developing our budget to try to minimize tax impacts on our residents.

Residents will also be asked to vote on operating overrides for the Brewster Elementary Schools ($180,000) and Nauset Regional School District ($550,000) budgets next month. These overrides will have $20 and $60 tax bill impacts, respectively, for the average Brewster resident next year and thereafter.

Over the next month, the Town will be providing more information to voters about these overrides. Please attend, tune in, and ask questions in advance of Town Meeting and our local election. You are also invited to check out our budget website.

Peter Lombardi

Town Manager

A white building with a walk way and greenish landscaping around the image is of Brewster Town Hall

From the Manager's Desk

FY27 Budget Funding

Committee Corner

Affordable Housing Trust

Department Profile

Housing Program

Meet Our Team

Jill Scalise

Project Updates

Millstone Road

Sea Camps Spotlight

Phase I Building Work, Bay Property & Grant Opportunities

In Focus

Seasonal Communities

Important Dates

Pre-Town Meeting Forum

Town Meeting

Annual Election

Seasonal Items

2026 Beach, Recycling & Shellfish Permit Sales

Pool Information

Spring Littlenecks

Events

Beautify Brewster

Brewster in Bloom

Committee Corner

Affordable Housing Trust

Preserving Year-Round Affordable Housing

The 7-member Brewster Affordable Housing Trust (BAHT) was created by a 2018 Town Meeting vote. Its primary mission is to expand and preserve year-round rental and ownership homes that are affordable to households earning up to 100% of Area Median Income (currently $124,100 for a 4-person household).

In 2025, after 7 years of work, the Trust saw the 45 rental homes at Spring Rock Village ready to start construction in 2026 and made 2 funding awards to Serenity and Habitat that will result in 12 more affordable rentals and 2 ownership homes. The Trust continued our local housing voucher program that supports 20 households to stay in their Brewster homes and preserved 3 affordable homes through the Buy Down program.

Left to right front row - Paul Ruchinskas, Ned Chatelain, Donna Kalinick

Left to right back row - Jill Scalise, Tim Hackert, Maggie Spade-Aguilar, Kevin Czekanski

Not pictured - Tony Freitas

Visit the Affordable Housing Trust webpage

Meet the Chair

Ned Chatelain

Years served: 4

Q: What is one thing you wish the public knew about the Trust?
How diverse Brewster's housing program is. The housing program provides rental assistance, support for repair and rehabilitation of homes with safety issues, buy-down funds to assist with affordable home purchases, preservation of existing affordable units, supports construction of new affordable homes for our residents and much more.

Q: What is one of your favorite things about Brewster?

Walking on the flats at low tide with my family.

Meet a Member

Paul Ruchinskas

Years served: 8

Q: What motivated you to serve on the Trust?

I volunteered to serve as the Community Preservation Committee representative as it provided an opportunity to create, preserve, and support housing for people whom we need to have here to support us and maintain an economically and socially diverse community.

Q: What is one of your favorite things about Brewster?

I live about a mile from the Bay and the ability to walk to Breakwater Beach and just take in the Bay and walk the beach just calms me and makes me feel so fortunate to be able to live in such a special place.

Watch BAHT meeting videos

Department Profile

Housing Office

The Housing Office aims to improve Brewster community housing options. The office oversees resident assistance programs, provides education, advocates for people’s housing needs, works to preserve existing housing, and creates new affordable housing. Due to the diligent work of the office, support of the community, and multi-agency collaborations - Brewster was designated a Massachusetts Housing Choice community!

The Housing Office and its programs are supported by Community Preservation and Housing Trust funds. The Housing Office administers the BAHT rental assistance program that supports 20 households with up to $500/month toward rent.

Meet Our Team

Jill Scalise

Housing Coordinator

Years served: Since 2017

Q: What is one of your favorite things about your position?

I love living in Brewster and appreciate the opportunity to help people remain in or return to the Lower Cape. Having safe and stable housing makes a real difference in people’s lives and in the vitality of our community.

Q: What is one of your favorite things about Cape Cod?

One of my favorite things about Cape Cod is the beauty everywhere you look. I especially enjoy taking sunset walks. I usually go to Long Pond or, when the weather and timing is just right, on the Brewster Flats at low tide.

To help residents maintain housing, the Town secured $1.25M in Community Development Block Grant each year for housing rehabilitation and childcare assistance in Brewster, Dennis, and Wellfleet.

Creating new housing:

Serenity Brewster Brewster garnered a $500,000 MA Housing Choice grant for Serenity Brewster renovations to create 23 new units with 12 affordable at 80% Area Medium Income (AMI).
Spring Rock Village Construction will begin shortly on Spring Rock Village - a compact, energy efficient neighborhood of 45 affordable apartments on 5 of 16+ acres of Town land off Millstone Road.
Mackie Drive Habitat for Humanity is preparing to build two affordable homes on Mackie Drive on land next to conservation property and purchased from the Brewster Conservation Trust.

Questions?

Drop in office hours are held weekly on Thursdays, 10am-12pm.

Outreach Table at Brewster Ladies Library every 3rd Friday of the month, 11am-12pm.

Visit the Housing Office webpage

Project Update

Millstone Road

Now that the weather has turned, construction on the Millstone Road improvement project is getting back underway this month. Over the next two months, the contractor will finish the remaining work:

roadway widening and sidewalk patching of areas where utility poles have been removed
curbing installation
constructing the elevated bike crossing at the Cape Cod Rail Trail
finalizing driveway connections (aprons)
final paving of the sidewalk and roadway
roadway striping and landscaping

The project schedule is largely dependent on Verizon completing the remaining utility pole relocations and removals in the coming weeks.

Final road and sidewalk paving is anticipated to be performed before this summer, after the utility pole work is completed.

Intermittent detours will be implemented as needed. Advanced notice of detours will be provided via digital message boards located on both ends of Millstone Road. As construction progresses this spring, please stay informed through the Town's social media pages. For any questions, please contact the Department of Public Works at 508-896-3212.

Thank you for your continued patience as we finish this important project, which will improve safety on Millstone Road.

Sea Camps Spotlight

Bay Property Site Work & Grant Opportunities

As the Town continues to implement the Bay Property Comprehensive Plan, about 40 buildings has slated to be removed next year. Prior to their removal, some of the buildings require remediation work to abate hazardous materials. This work is being completed in the beginning of April.

Additionally, Town Administration has been collaborating with our engineering team to submit applications for grant funding to:

Remove the old tennis courts adjacent to the First Light Beach Parking area and restore the coastal dune
Relocate the water main that runs through the vulnerable dune area and improve our water distribution system
Add a new fiber network to the Bay Property to enhance IT infrastructure

These grants would assist with advancing the revised Sea Camps phasing and financing plan by minimizing local funding contributions - improving our resiliency and sustainability.

Water Main Relocation Information Session

April 28 | 6pm | Town Hall or via Zoom

The Town is in the process of developing design documents for improvements to the municipal water system, including work within the former Cape Cod Sea Camps property and the surrounding neighborhoods in the Linnell Landing area. As part of this effort, the Town is designing system upgrades that will improve service reliability, support future use of the former Sea Camps parcel, and address needs previously identified in town‑wide water system studies.

The purpose of this meeting will be:

to share information about the project
review the preliminary concepts under consideration
gather input from the community

Town staff and the project team will be available to answer questions and discuss next steps.

Residents, abutters, and all interested parties are encouraged to attend.

In Focus

Seasonal Communities

Brewster is one of 43 communities in Massachusetts that have been designated as a Seasonal Community. The Seasonal Communities Designation was created as part of the Affordable Homes Act that became state law in 2024. The designation provides municipalities with new tools designed to preserve and expand year-round attainable housing. Seasonal Communities recognizes the need to support the workers and residents who sustain the community throughout the year.

In order to pursue the tools and resources as a Seasonal Community, Town Meeting must vote to accept the designation on May 4.

Tools and resources include:

Year-Round Occupancy Restrictions
Year-Round "Attainable" Housing Trusts
Housing Preference for Essential Public Workers
Zoning Changes for Undersized Lots & Tiny Homes
Seasonal Community Grant Opportunities

Informational Videos featuring Town staff:

Watch 'Seasonal Communities: An Overview for Brewster' featuring Town Manager Peter Lombardi

Watch 'Seasonal Communities: Housing Tools & Resources' featuring Housing Coordinator Jill Scalise and Assistant Town Manager Donna Kalinick

Watch Seasonal Communities: Tiny Houses & Undersized Lots featuring Town Manager Jon Idman

Read Seasonal Communities Designation Overview

Read the Seasonal Communities Advisory Council 2025 Annual Report

Town Meeting & Annual Town Election

A seated crowd of people in a gym looking toward a stage for town meeting

Pre-Town Meeting Forum

Wednesday, April 29 | 6pm

Town Hall or via Zoom

Staff, committee members, and petitioners will be on hand to explain each warrant article and answer any questions.

Join online:

Pre-Town Meeting Zoom Link

Webinar ID: 889 2985 8783

Passcode: 359674

Town Meeting

Monday, May 4 | 6pm, check in at 5pm | Stony Brook Elementary School

Last day to register to vote at Town Meeting - April 24

Need a ride?

Council on Aging offers rides to/from Town Meeting
Call (508) 896-2737 to reserve a ride

Need childcare?

Nauset Youth Alliance (NYA) provides free childcare services for children ages 5-14
Schedule in advance, call (508) 896-7900 or email emcbrearty@nausetyouthalliance.org

Annual Town Election

Tuesday, May 19 | 7am - 8pm | 1848 Main Street, Brewster MA

Last day to register to vote - May 8

FAQs

Where/how do I register to vote?

You can register to vote online or by visiting the Town Clerk's Office. Information about voter registration can be found on the Town website.

When will an electronic version of the warrant be available?

An electronic copy of the warrant will be posted on the Town's website by April 13.

When will printed copies of the warrant be available?

The warrant closes on April 6 and it will be sent to the printer by April 13. It takes 1-2 weeks for the vendor to print the warrant and deliver it. Physical copies are anticipated to be available by the beginning of the week of April 27.

Where can I get a physical copy of the Town Meeting Warrant?

Once available, physical copies of the warrant will be available at the following locations: