Matt Poole is no stranger to town government.  

A longtime member of the board of health and former Edgartown health agent for more than two decades, he also most recently served as chair of the Chilmark Community Center moderator’s committee.  

Next, he will serve on the Chilmark select board, winning an uncontested race for a seat at Wednesday’s election by a vote of 184-3.

Mr. Poole is ready for the new challenges this position will have compared to his previous experiences. 

Matt Poole speaks at town meeting on Monday. — Ray Ewing

“I’m very excited and a little nervous,” he said. “I’m going to try not to let my ambition go off leash...but I do think there’s a lot that I can contribute.” 

The main difference with the select board is that it deals with more overarching issues compared to specialized boards and committees, according to Mr. Poole. 

“You’re not really working from the same regulatory script that local health and other regulatory boards are working from,” he said. “It’s more of representing the town and the voters. At the select board level, there’s some room for creativity.” 

Mr. Poole’s father Matthew Poole was on the select board in the 1970s and his mother Marijane Poole was on the school committee. Community engagement has always been a part of Mr. Poole’s life.  

“My kitchen table had a lot of direct involvement with local service, so there was an interest my entire life,” he said. “Everybody at my dinner table had an opinion.” 

While he had been toying with the idea to run for the select board for years, it wasn’t until his most recent commitment as chair of the Chilmark Community Center moderator’s committee did he seriously consider running.  

“The moderator’s committee did catch my interest in a new area, and I just thought I think I have more to contribute here, and health is at a place where we can make a handoff,” he said. 

The moderator’s committee was formed after the annual town meeting in 2024, charged with reviewing the current management of the Chilmark Community Center. Mr. Poole’s short-term goals include implementing recommendations from the committee’s recent report by pushing the request for proposal process forward for the community center’s governance.  

“I’m prepared to suggest that that’s something that we, the select board, should do, and then I’ll take responsibility for it,” he said.  

He’s also ready to jump into typical select board business with the summer looming, including monitoring Menemsha. 

“Menemsha is the lightning rod for fun for everyone Island wide,” he said. “People come here to spread their blanket and have a picnic, but there’s more demand for Menemsha than Menemsha is able to support.” 

Affordable housing is at the top of the list for Mr. Poole to focus on as a long-term goal. 

“There’s movement and there’s effort, but I think the select board has some responsibility to at least help catalyze the affordable housing effort and actually move it forward so something actually happens,” he said.  

He also noted the rising town costs within the last few years. The budget of $15.3 million passed during Monday’s town meeting was about a 6 per cent increase from the year before. 

“I think it’s important to be thoughtful and frugal and plan our big expenditures that drive these numbers in a way that serves our needs,” Mr. Poole said.  

As a seventh-generation Chilmarker, Mr. Poole is determined to keep his knowledge of the town at the forefront of his decisions. 

“Chilmark needs a friend, longterm, and someone looking after the town,” he said. “There’s a lot to love, but it needs some nurturing.”