Town Government
Aquinnah Select Board
About the Board
The Select Board is elected town-wide, so every Aquinnah voter helps choose all three, and each serves a three-year term on a staggered schedule that puts a seat on the ballot most springs. The board sets town policy, signs the warrants that decide what Town Meeting gets to vote on, appoints residents to many town boards, and hires and supervises the Town Administrator who runs the town day to day. When a daily problem becomes town policy, this is the room where it happens.
- Sets policy and direction for the whole town.
- Hires the Town Administrator and holds the Administrator accountable.
- Controls the warrant, deciding what business reaches Town Meeting for a vote.
Board Members
All three members are elected town-wide, and after each annual town election the board reorganizes and chooses its own officers, including the Chair. It did that on June 2, 2026, the first meeting after the May town election, voting Thomas Murphy Chair and Christopher Manning Vice Chair. Because a seat comes up most springs, the roster changes often. The town heads every Select Board agenda with the sitting board and its Chair.
Thomas Murphy
Julianne Vanderhoop
Christopher Manning
The town routes contact to board members through the Select Board office, which can be reached at 508-955-9181.
Meetings & How to Participate
- When: the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month at 5:00 pm at the Aquinnah Town Office Building, 955 State Road. The town posts each agenda in advance.
- Agendas & minutes: posted in advance on the town website at aquinnah-ma.gov.
- Public comment: residents may address the board. Check the agenda for the procedure.
- Town Meeting: for the budget and bylaws, the deciding vote belongs to the registered voters in the hall, which can include you.
Public hearings and meetings are where residents shape town decisions.
MassCivics last checked this page on September 13, 2026.