'Board Of Selectwomen': Brookline To Consider Changing Name Of Governing Board

Brookline will consider changing the name of its governing board from the Board of Selectmen to the Board of Selectwomen.

Brookline Town Meeting member Michael Burstein tells NECN that under his proposal all members of the board, whether male or female, would be referred to as selectwomen. A second proposal would create gender-neutral language for the board and its members.

Board members will take up the proposals at their November meeting.

Board member Heather Hamilton says she believes titles and symbols matter and she's looking forward to an "interesting hash out" on the proposals.

Town residents say the titles should be all-inclusive. They suggest using terms such as "selectpeople" and just "person" because that probably "would make everybody happy."