Needham Board of Selectmen Seeks Name Change To Select Board

NEEDHAM, MA — There could be no more selectmen in Needham after this year's Annual Town Meeting. Instead, the town could have a select board with members of the select board.

The change to a gender-neutral board name and titles was discussed at last week’s selectmen meeting. The change has been proposed by board Chairperson Marianne Cooley, who says it is imperative that Needham joins the other 40 communities who have done the same.

“Towns have made this change because words matter,” Cooley said.

The proposed change has been met with near unanimous support. She said the board has received many letters backing the change and only one letter of opposition. Other boards including the school committee and human rights committee endorsed the proposed new name.

“The board of selectmen is a name whose time is up. Keeping it just reinforces that our highest office should be selectmen,” town meeting representative and Needham League of Women Voters President Karen Price said, emphasizing the men at the end of selectmen.

All five members of the selectmen backed the change. Selectman Matthew Borrelli said while he is fine with the term selectmen, he supports the new name because it means so much to residents.

Locally, towns like Arlington, Newton, and Brookline have adopted gender-neutral titles for their elected officials.

Town Meeting will vote on the issue at the Annual Town Meeting.

Image: File Photo