Braintree council to screen town clerk applicants; zoning board hears variance request
No official decisions were reported from Braintree’s recent government meetings, but the Town Council’s Personnel Issues Committee is moving forward with screening applicants for the town clerk position, while the Zoning Board of Appeals heard a request for a rear-yard setback variance on Hawthorn Road.
Zoning Board of Appeals weighs variance for Hawthorn Road addition
The Zoning Board of Appeals met June 22 to consider a petition (No. 26-18) for a rear-yard setback variance at 88 Hawthorn Road. The property is in the Residence B zone and contains a pre-existing non-conforming single-family dwelling. The homeowner seeks to build a two-story addition that would be 25.4 feet from the rear lot line, where a 30-foot setback is required.
The board also voted to approve meeting minutes from its May 18 session. Minutes of the June 22 meeting have not yet been published, so no final decision on the variance is available.
Personnel committee begins town clerk recruitment
The Personnel Issues Committee met June 24 in executive session to begin screening applications for the position of Braintree town clerk. The committee voted to close the meeting under the Open Meeting Law exemption that allows private review of job applicants. No public action was taken.
The council president has the authority to make an appointment for the town clerk role, which will be considered further at two upcoming meetings.
Coming up
Two Personnel Issues Committee meetings are scheduled in the next two weeks, both focused on the town clerk appointment:
- **July 9, 2026** – The committee will discuss the appointment process and may vote to enter executive session to screen applications.
- **July 16, 2026** – The committee will continue reviewing town clerk applicants, again with the possibility of an executive session. The agenda lists only one item: “Appointment of Town Clerk (Agenda item 26-002).”
Both meetings are open to the public, though any executive session portion will be closed.
Generated from official meeting agendas and minutes — every underlying document is linked from the city page. Read the primary source before you rely on a detail.