Pembroke Select Board Reorganizes Housing Leadership and Clears Path for Veterans Park Funding
PEMBROKE - July 29, 2026 - The Pembroke Select Board took key steps on Wednesday night to fully operationalize the town’s Affordable Housing Trust, approved a historic property renaming to unlock critical state and federal grants for Veterans Memorial Park, and addressed community questions regarding police license plate reader cameras.
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The Pembroke Select Board addressed several administrative, housing, and public safety priorities during its regular July 29 meeting. Affordable Housing Committee Chair Fraser Townley presented a series of updates aimed at getting the town’s Affordable Housing Trust fully functional. Townley explained that although Town Meeting established the trust 18 months ago, state rules prevented it from operating until a Select Board member was formally appointed to sit on the trust board. By unanimous vote, the Board named Select Board Chair John Brown to fill the required seat. The Board also appointed Alison Parks to the Affordable Housing Committee and established a staggered term schedule across the committee’s membership to ensure institutional continuity.
In another major action, Christopher Perry, Chair of the Pembroke Veterans Memorial Park Revitalization Project Working Group, brought forward an administrative oversight regarding the town common. While local residents have long referred to the parcel at 0 Curve Street as Veterans Memorial Park, municipal assessor records listed the property strictly as the “Town Common.” Perry noted that state and federal agencies flagged the discrepancy, blocking the town from applying for historical and veterans restoration grants.
“We cannot apply for federal or state grants to restore the park that legally does not exist. Every day until this administrative change, we leave vital external funding on the table—funding that could revitalize this sacred place without costing Pembroke a dime.” — Christopher Perry (01:18:25)
Town Manager William Chenard concurred with the legal requirement, and the Select Board voted unanimously to update the property’s official record to “Veterans Memorial Park on the Town Common,” opening eligibility for future grant rounds.
