| Q: |
What are your office hours? |
| A: |
The regular business hours for the Office of the Town Clerk are:
Monday through Wednesday, 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M
Thursday, 8:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M.
Friday, 8:00 A.M. to 12:30 P.M. |
| Q: |
How may I obtain a copy of a vital record a: birth, death, marriage license? |
| A: |
Certified copies of birth, death and marriage records may be obtained from the Office
of the Town Clerk in person, during regular business hours or by mail. The fee for a
certified copy of a vital record is $10.00. |
| Q: |
Can I do genealogical research at your office? |
| A: |
The Office of the Town Clerk provides genealogical researchers access to certain
indexes, records and information. This access is available during regular business hours.
Further research may be conducted at:
Vital Records Division of the Massachusetts Dept. of Public Health (www.state.ma.us/dph/rvr.htm),
Massachusetts State Archives (www.state.ma.us/sec/arc/arcidx.htm)
National Archives-New England Region (www.nara.gov/regional/boston.html). |
| Q: |
How do I register to vote? |
| A: |
To be eligible to register to vote in Massachusetts you must be a U.S. citizen, and a
resident of Massachusetts, and 18 years old on or before the next election. You may
register to vote in person at any local Town Clerk or Election Commission office or at any
registration event or at a number of state agencies, including the Department of
Transitional Assistance and the Registry of Motor Vehicles.
You may also vote by mail by completing, signing, and mailing a voter registration form
to the Office of the Town Clerk. Voter registration forms may be obtained from the Office
of the Town Clerk by calling 730-2010.
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| Q: |
Where do I vote? |
| A: |
The Town of Brookline is divided into sixteen precincts, which contain fifteen polling
locations (Locations Map Requires
Adobe Acrobat Reader). 
|
| Q: |
Who are my representatives? |
| A: |
Complete list here |
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You may verify your representative district by checking your precinct against the
List of
Legislators. At the local level, the Town of Brookline, located in Norfolk County,
has a Representative Town Meeting with 240 Elected Town Meeting Members and 8 At-Large
Town Meeting Members. For complete lists of Town Meeting Members see the blue index on the
left of your screen.
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| Q: |
How do we obtain a marriage license? |
| A: |
Except for a few exceptional circumstances, you and your fiancé must appear in person
at the Office of the Town Clerk in order to obtain a marriage license. The couple must
complete and sign under oath an Intention of Marriage. Information that is essential in
completing this form is your social security number, your place of birth and your mother's
maiden name. The fee for filing the Intention of Marriage is $35.00.
Massachusetts requires a mandatory three day waiting period from the time the Intention of
Marriage is filed before a Marriage License can be issued. A waiver from this period may
be obtained from the Municipal Court. A marriage license must be used within 60 days from
the date of filing the Intention of Marriage. |
| Q: |
How do I file a Business Certificate? |
| A: |
Massachusetts requires anyone who is conducting business under an alias (i.e. any
other name than their own), including corporations, to file a business certificate in the
community where their business is principally headquartered. This form, also called a
"DBA" which stands for "doing business as", contains the name and
address of the business and the names and residences of the principals of the business.
This certificate must be signed in the presence of a designated clerk in the Office of the
Town Clerk or a Notary Public. The certificate is effective for four years and the filing
fee is $50.00. The fee for filing an amendment is $10.00.
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| Q: |
How do I protect my business name? |
| A: |
Filing a business certificate at the local level does not protect your name. If you
have a business name or a symbol that you consider unique and valuable you may want to
register it as a trademark or a service mark. Trademarks are any word, name, symbol, or
device, or any combination of these used to identify the goods of a business and
distinguish those goods from the goods of others. Similarly, there are service marks that
may be used to identify and distinguish a business which provides a service rather than
goods.
You are not required to register your trademark or service mark with any governmental
agency. Trademarks are protected under common law. However, by registering your mark, you
may gain certain exclusive ownership benefits under statutory law. You should contact the
Specialized Section in the Corporations Division of the Office of the Secretary of the
Commonwealth for further information (www.state.ma.us/sec/cor/coridx.htm). |
| Q: |
Where can my child obtain a work permit? |
| A: |
Work permits for children, ages 14 through 17, may be obtained at the Administrative
Office, Room 160, Brookline High School, 115 Greenough Street, Brookline, MA 02445. The
telephone number is (617) 713-5002. |
| Q: |
Where do I pay parking fines? |
| A: |
Parking fines may be paid at the Traffic Division of the Brookline Police Department.
This office is located at the Police Station, Room 101, 350 Washington Street, Brookline,
MA 02445. The telephone number is (617) 730-2230.
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