Brewster Association of Part-Time Residents
 

About BAPR

Brewster Association of Part Time Residents (BAPR) is a volunteer nonprofit corporation dedicated to supporting the needs of part-time residents of Brewster, MA, who now comprise nearly half of Brewster's residential property owners. Founded in 2002, BAPR led the opposition to a discriminatory act that added additional property taxes for second home owners. With support from a great majority of year-round residents, the Selectmen rescinded the law after they recognized that the majority of all residents (full-time as well as part time) opposed such a tax as being unfair, divisive, and an inefficient and non-productive means of providing tax support for the town's needy residents.

The rescission of that law left a small but important group of residents still in need of help with their taxes. BAPR recommended, and in June 2003 the Selectmen approved, a "Brewster Economic Support Task Force" (BEST) of concerned citizens to develop recommendations to meet the needs of these residents. BAPR participated in the task force, and when its final recommendations included a need to publicize the state, county and town abatements and exemptions already available, BAPR developed, printed and distributed to all Brewster residents a flyer describing the available financial assistance.

In the Summer of 2004 BAPR worked with the Selectmen to develop the first Information Forum, an official town function in which all residents (full-time and part-time) can get answers from Selectmen and other town officials about issues of importance to the town. The meeting was conducted by the Town Moderator. Questions posed by the residents included taxes, budgets, conservation, capital expenditures, police/fire, zoning/planning and other issues. Because the event met virtually all of our mission criteria and was not something the Town was required to do, as an interested group of non-full-time residents, BAPR offered to "sponsor" future forums by providing planning, publicity and funding to defray associated costs. The event was an instant success and has continued as an annual Town function.  BAPR continues to support and sponsor this event.

BAPR adopted the slogan "Working Together for Brewster".

Our Association is managed by a team of five Officers and twelve Directors who serve for two-year terms. Officers and Directors are elected at our Annual Meetings.


For more information contact: Administrator@bapr.org 

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