Town Government
Town Departments
Finding the Right Department
Most of what residents need from the town runs through a department, not an elected official: paying a bill, pulling a permit, reporting a problem, registering to vote. Under section 4.3 of the town charter the Town Manager appoints the heads of all Town Administration departments other than any elected heads, which is why none of their names appears on a ballot and why the Town Manager is the person the Select Board holds responsible for all of them.
An island runs some departments most Massachusetts towns do not. Nantucket owns and operates its own commercial airport, its own harbor and waterfront, its own skilled nursing home at Our Island Home, and the county Registry of Deeds. The directory below covers the departments residents contact most, with the head the town names on its own staff directory. For the full list, hours and staff, visit the town’s Departments pages or its staff directory. Town Hall is at 16 Broad Street.
Department Directory
| Town and County Clerk | Records, licenses, vital records, campaign finance filings, and elections. One officer holds both the town and the county clerkship. Town and County Clerk Nancy Holmes, 16 Broad St. 508-228-7216. |
|---|---|
| Public Works | Streets, facilities, the town’s fleet, and stormwater. DPW Director Andrew Patnode, 188 Madaket Road, open weekdays 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM. 508-228-7244. |
| Solid Waste & Recycling | The island’s waste and recycling operation, including the Take It or Leave It shed. Solid Waste Manager Christopher Lowe, 188 Madaket Road. 508-228-7244. |
| Health & Human Services | Public health inspections, human services, and the island’s short-term rental compliance work. Director Joanna Watson, 131 Pleasant Street. 508-228-7200 ext. 7009. |
| Police | Public safety and non-emergency response. Chief of Police Jody Kasper, 4 Fairgrounds Road. Dispatch answers 508-228-1212 around the clock. |
| Fire | Fire suppression, prevention, and emergency medical response. Fire Chief Michael Cranson, 4 Fairgrounds Road. 508-228-2323. |
| Harbormaster | Moorings, the town wharves, boating safety and the waterfront. Harbormaster Sheila Lucey, 34 Washington St. 508-228-7261. The town publishes this office inside its Police Department listing. |
| Natural Resources | Shellfish and aquatic resources, water quality, and the Division of Climate and Resiliency. Natural Resources Director Jeff Carlson, 131 Pleasant Street. 508-228-7230. |
| Nantucket Memorial Airport | The town’s own commercial airport, with its own administration, operations, security and general aviation staff. Airport Manager Preston Harimon, 14 Airport Road. 508-325-5300. |
| Planning & Land Use Services | Planning, zoning, building inspection, historic district review and the Energy Office, staffed together under one office. Director of Planning Leslie Woodson Snell, 2 Fairgrounds Road. 508-325-7587. |
| Housing | Year-round housing programs and rental property management. Housing Director Kristie Ferrantella, 5 Windy Way. 508-228-7200 ext. 7023. |
| Park & Recreation | Parks, fields, beaches and youth programs. Park & Recreation Manager Charles Polachi. 508-228-7200 ext. 7522. |
| Saltmarsh Senior Center | Programs, meals and outreach for older residents, at 81 Washington Street. Assistant Director Ginny Carrera. 508-228-4490. |
| Our Island Home | The town’s own skilled nursing facility, at 9 E Creek Road. Administrator Robert Eisenstein. 508-228-0462. |
| Finance | Budget, accounting, assessing, tax collection and the treasury, at 37 Washington St. Deputy Director of Municipal Finance Susan Carmel. 508-228-7200. |
| Water | The public water supply. Director Mark J. Willett. 508-228-0022. |
| Registry of Deeds | A county office, not a town one: every deed, mortgage and land record on the island. Register Jennifer H. Ferreira, 16 Broad Street. 508-228-7250. |
Emergencies are 911. Police dispatch and the Communications Center answer 508-228-1212 around the clock, and the Fire Department’s business line is 508-228-2323.
Town departments carry out state and local law. See how Massachusetts government connects to your town.