Welcome to Mashpee
Mashpee is the ancestral homeland of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, whose people have lived here for over 12,000 years. Located between Falmouth and Barnstable, the town is Cape Cod’s fastest-growing community — navigating $162.6 million in wastewater infrastructure, a tribal casino in Taunton, and the challenge of balancing growth with environmental protection.
Mashpee is governed by a five-member Select Board, a professional Town Manager, and an Open Town Meeting where all registered voters may attend, debate, and vote on town business. Town offices are at 16 Great Neck Road North, Mashpee, MA 02649 — phone (508) 539-1400.
| Member | Role | Background |
|---|---|---|
| Michaela Wyman-Colombo | Chair | Appointed Oct 2022 after Andrew Gottlieb resigned. Named chair May 19, 2025. |
| David W. Weeden | Vice Chair | Previously served as chair (2022). Also serves on Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council. |
| John J. Cotton | Clerk | Previously served as chairman (2024). Multiple board roles. |
| Tracy Kelley (Wilson) | Member | Elected May 2025 (2-year term). Second Mashpee Wampanoag woman on Select Board in history. MIT linguistics. Interim director, Wôpanâak Language Reclamation Project. |
| Michael Richardson | Member | Elected May 2025, 3-year term. |
| Role | Name / Body | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Town Manager | Rodney C. Collins | Town Manager page → |
| Planning Board | Appointed | Zoning, development → |
| Sewer Commission | Appointed | Wastewater oversight → |
| School Committee | Elected | Mashpee Public Schools → |
| Board of Health | Appointed | STR inspections, public health → |
| Conservation Commission | Appointed | Wetlands, environmental → |
Source: Town of Mashpee → | Massachusetts Municipal Association →
The Mashpee Wampanoag are the tribe that greeted the Pilgrims at Plymouth in 1620. With approximately 3,200 enrolled citizens and federal recognition since 2007, the tribe maintains a sovereign government within Mashpee's borders. Their relationship with town government is unique on the East Coast — and sometimes complicated.
| Role | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Brian Weeden (Eel Clan) | Youngest chairman in tribal history (elected at 28 in 2021). Reelected Feb 9, 2025 (579 ballots). 1st VP of NCAI. |
| Vice Chairwoman | Edwina (Winnie) Johnson-Graham | |
| Secretary | Talia Landry | |
| Treasurer | Fenton N. Soliz | |
| Council Member | David Weeden | Also serves as Mashpee Select Board Vice Chair — dual role in tribal and municipal government. |
$162.6 Million Wastewater Buildout — Three Phases Approved in Four Years
Mashpee voters have approved $162.6 million in wastewater infrastructure since 2022. Phase 1 — a Water Resource Recovery Facility treating wastewater from 439 homes — became operational in summer 2025. Phase 2 received Notice to Proceed in September 2025 and began road work in December: seven miles of pipe, three pump stations, 393 parcels, estimated cost $96.1 million. Completion expected Spring 2028. The Mashpee-Wakeby Cluster System was approved at October 2025 Town Meeting (365-93) to borrow $25.9 million for a facility at 0 Gunters Lane — contentious because Gunters Lane residents said the parcel had been listed as 26 acres of open space when they purchased their homes. Net repayment obligation after favorable financing: approximately $117 million.
Source: Town of Mashpee — Sewer Project Status →
Source: Cape Cod Times →
Trader Joe's Coming to Route 28 — Cape Cod Commission Approved
A specialty grocery store at 647 Falmouth Road — confirmed as Trader Joe's by developer Mark Bogosian at a November 2025 Planning Board meeting — was approved by the Cape Cod Commission's DRI Subcommittee in October 2025. The story was the most-viewed article across all Cape News towns in 2025 with 26,000+ views. The developer is required to pay $200,037 for nitrogen offset and $144,900 for open space offset.
Source: Cape Cod Times →
New Police Headquarters — Approved May 2025, Occupancy Target November 2026
Mashpee voters approved funding for a new police station at 19 Frank E. Hicks Drive at the May 2025 Annual Town Meeting, with a Proposition 2½ debt exclusion passing at the May 10 election. The existing station had not undergone significant renovation in over 30 years and suffered from poor air quality, mold, plumbing failures, flooding, and rodent infestation. Target occupancy: approximately November 1, 2026.
Source: CapeCod.com →
Housing Pipeline — 40B Developments at Mashpee Commons and Jobs Fishing Road
Mashpee Commons 40B: 54-unit development (14 affordable) by Northland Residential Corporation is under construction. Part of a 382-unit 40B permit issued in 2007, with potential for 482+ units overall. Initial occupancy projected July–September 2026. "On Commons" 40B: A proposed 65-unit, four-story building at 14 Jobs Fishing Road on 1.68 acres (17 affordable units). The Affordable Housing Committee raised concerns about fire safety, traffic, and scale at a July 2025 meeting. The town's Draft 2025 Housing Production Plan was approved by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities.
Source: Cape Cod Times →
Source: Cape Cod Times — 40B Concerns →
Proposition 2½ Override — Town Manager Warns of Fiscal Pressure
Town Manager Rodney Collins told the Select Board and Finance Committee in July 2025 that Mashpee could be facing a Prop 2½ override to sustain operating costs. Capital improvement projects including HVAC upgrades at three school buildings are unfundable within current levy limits. The override question, combined with the $162.6 million sewer commitment and new police station debt exclusion, raises concerns about the cumulative tax burden on Mashpee homeowners.
Source: Cape Cod Times →
School Budget — $800,000 in Federal Grants at Risk
Mashpee Public Schools lost $2,481 in ESSER III funds due to federal program termination. The larger concern: the district budgeted $800,000 in federal grant funding for FY2026. School Committee Chairman Don Myers warned of possible service reductions or additional voter funding requests if federal grants are cut further. No programs have been cut as of the latest reporting.
Source: Cape Cod Times →
Wampanoag Land-in-Trust Secured — 99-Year Lease Bill Advances
After years of litigation, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe's 321-acre reservation (170 acres in Mashpee, 150 in Taunton) is firmly established in federal trust. The Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge in April 2024. Federal bill S.236, advanced by the Senate Indian Affairs Committee in December 2025 after Chairman Brian Weeden's testimony, would authorize 99-year land leases on trust property — up from the current 25-year cap — enabling long-term economic development.
Source: Congress.gov — S.236 →
Source: Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe →
Select Board Turnover — May 2025 Election
The May 2025 town election brought two new members to the Select Board: Tracy Kelley, a Mashpee Wampanoag citizen, MIT-trained linguist, and director of the Wôpanâak Language Reclamation Project, won a two-year seat. Michael Richardson won a three-year seat. Kelley is only the second Wampanoag woman to serve on the board in town history — the first was Clara Louise Peters Keliinui (1955–1960), a 70-year gap. The election followed the retirement of longtime members Carol Sherman and Tom O'Hara.
Source: Cape Cod Times →
First Light Casino — Rapid Expansion in Taunton (2025)
The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe's gaming facility in Taunton grew rapidly in 2025: from 10 slot machines in a trailer (January) to 200 machines on a tripled gaming floor with hours extended to 10 AM–2 AM (July). Alcohol service was approved by the Bureau of Indian Affairs in October. The tribe signed a revenue-sharing MOA with Taunton (2.05% of gaming revenue). Plans call for a full Class III resort with table games and entertainment. Meanwhile, Taunton claims the tribe owes $2.35 million or more in back tax payments following the departure of former casino partner Genting (Malaysia-based) in 2021.
Source: First Light Resort & Casino →
Source: Yogonet Gaming News →
Food Insecurity Response — Select Board Authorizes Town Resources (November 2025)
In November 2025, the Select Board authorized Town Manager Rodney Collins to use town resources to address food insecurity in Mashpee amid federal SNAP benefit cutbacks. Chair Michaela Wyman-Colombo placed the item on the agenda. The action reflects a growing concern across Cape Cod about food access for seniors and lower-income residents, particularly during winter months.
Source: Cape Cod Times →
Noise Bylaw Amendment — Construction Hours Limited (October 2025)
Article 10 at the October 2025 Town Meeting passed 212-110, amending Mashpee's noise bylaw. New construction and landscaping hours: 7 AM–7 PM on weekdays, 8 AM–7 PM on weekends and holidays. Power tools including leaf blowers and chainsaws: 7 AM–8 PM. The bylaw responds to resident complaints about early-morning and late-evening construction noise from the town's rapid development.
Source: Town of Mashpee →
Mashpee has three distinct areas, each with its own character — from the civic and commercial center to luxury waterfront enclaves.
Mashpee sits almost entirely within the watersheds of two shallow, nitrogen-sensitive embayments — Popponesset Bay and Waquoit Bay. Decades of septic system use released nitrogen that fueled algae growth, choking out eelgrass and shellfish beds. This environmental crisis is the driving force behind the town's $162.6 million sewer investment.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Jul 2023 | Sewer Commission & Select Board approve Phase 2 wastewater plan |
| Apr 2024 | U.S. Supreme Court declines challenge to Wampanoag land-in-trust — litigation ends |
| Jan 2025 | First Light Casino opens in Taunton (10 slot machines in trailer). Federal bill S.236 introduced for 99-year tribal land leases |
| Mar 2025 | Casino expands to 50 machines after revenue-sharing MOA with Taunton (2.05%) |
| May 2025 | Town Meeting approves new police station. Tracy Kelley & Michael Richardson elected to Select Board. Debt exclusion passes at election. |
| Summer 2025 | Phase 1 WRRF becomes operational — 439 homes receive connection notices |
| Jul 2025 | Casino triples to 200 machines (10 AM–2 AM). Town Manager warns of potential Prop 2½ override. ICE non-cooperation statement issued. |
| Oct 2025 | Town Meeting approves $25.9M Mashpee-Wakeby cluster system (365-93). Trader Joe's approved by Cape Cod Commission. Casino gets alcohol service. Noise bylaw passes 212-110. |
| Nov 2025 | Select Board authorizes town resources for food insecurity response |
| Dec 2025 | Phase 2 road construction begins. Senate Indian Affairs Committee advances S.236 (99-year lease bill). |
Town of Mashpee — Official Site
mashpeema.gov — departments, boards, permits, agendas
Assessor — Property Records
Property valuations, tax information, abatements
GIS / Property Maps
Interactive maps, parcel data, zoning overlays
Town Clerk — Vital Records & Licenses
Birth/death certificates, marriage licenses, dog licenses, voter registration
Natural Resources — Beach Stickers
Beach parking permits, shellfish licenses, mooring permits
Building Department — Permits
Building permits, inspections, code enforcement
Transfer Station
Hours, sticker info, recycling guidelines, bulky waste
Sewer Project Status
Phase updates, connection notices, construction schedule
Meeting Agendas & Minutes
Select Board, Planning Board, Sewer Commission — official agendas before each meeting
Voter Registration & Elections
Register to vote, check your status, find polling locations — Town Clerk's office
Join a Board or Committee
Volunteer openings on town boards — Planning, Conservation, Affordable Housing, Finance, and more
Watch Meetings Online — Channel 18
Recorded Select Board, Planning Board, and committee meetings
MA Secretary of State — Elections
Official state election information, candidate filings, and campaign finance records
Select Board Meeting Calendar
2nd and 4th Monday at 7:00 PM — all meetings open to the public