Town Government

Barnstable Town Council

When: twice a month (once in July and once in August), in the Hearing Room at Town Hall, 367 Main Street, Hyannis.
Agendas and minutes: posted ahead of time by the Town Clerk under the Open Meeting Law at barnstable.gov.
Public comment: any resident may speak, in person or by Zoom, or send written comment to Council@barnstable.gov.
Watch: meetings air on Barnstable Government Access (Xfinity Ch. 8 / 1070, HD 1072) and stream online.

This is the room where local law gets written and the money gets decided. Barnstable’s Town Council has thirteen members, one elected from each precinct, serving staggered four-year terms. The councilors choose one of their own as President to run the meetings. The Council, not the Town Manager, also appoints residents to the town’s many boards and commissions, which means these thirteen people quietly control dozens of other seats.

It makes the rules by adopting ordinances and resolutions.
It controls the money by adopting the town’s annual operating and capital budgets.
It hires the executive by appointing and overseeing the Town Manager.

Council Members

President Craig Tamash of Precinct 4 chairs the Council, and Vice President Kris Clark of Precinct 11 is his second. Each of the other councilors speaks for a single precinct, so the one to call is the one who represents your street. The Precinct 13 seat is vacant: Councilor Felicia Penn, a former Council President, died in June 2026, and the seat will be filled as the town charter provides.

Precinct 1