Citizens of Cape Cod is an independent, volunteer-driven civic information platform built by and for Cape Cod residents. We exist for one reason: to make local government easier to understand and easier to participate in.
Why We Built This
Most of the decisions that shape life on Cape Cod — property taxes, school budgets, zoning changes, sewer infrastructure, public safety — are made in small public meetings attended by a handful of people. The information exists, but it's scattered across town websites, agenda PDFs, meeting minutes, and state databases that most residents never see.
We believe that when residents have clear, factual information about what their government is doing, public accountability improves. Not because people become activists, but because informed residents ask better questions, attend the right meetings, and vote with more confidence.
What We Are
Strictly Factual — No Editorial Agenda
We do not endorse candidates, take positions on ballot questions, or editorialize about policy decisions. Everything published on the public site is sourced from official public records, meeting minutes, government data, or verifiable news reporting. We summarize. We don't advocate.
No Donors, No Outside Organizations
Citizens of Cape Cod accepts no advertising, no grants from advocacy organizations, and no funding from any political group, think tank, or outside interest. We have no national affiliations. We are funded entirely by the time of our volunteers — Cape Cod residents only.
Cape Cod Only — Always
Our scope is the fifteen towns of Barnstable County. We don't cover state or national politics except where they directly affect Cape Cod towns — such as state legislation that impacts local zoning, infrastructure funding, or school policy. Everything else is out of scope by design.
What We Cover
| Area | What You'll Find |
|---|---|
| Town Government | Select Boards, School Committees, Planning Boards, Finance Committees, ZBAs — who they are, what they control, how to reach them |
| Active Issues | Plain-language summaries of ongoing local decisions — infrastructure, zoning, budgets, public safety — with source links |
| State Legislature | Your Cape Cod state delegation — bill tracking, contact info, voting records |
| Civic Guides | How to speak at hearings, file public records requests, read a town budget, run for local office |
| Local News | Headlines and alerts from local sources, aggregated to keep you informed without the noise |
Who We Are
Citizens of Cape Cod was founded by Cape Cod residents who noticed a gap: the information to be an informed local citizen exists, but no one had organized it in a way that's actually usable. We are not journalists, though we rely on journalism. We are not lawyers, though we rely on public law. We are neighbors who think local civic life matters.
The site is volunteer-built and maintained. If you're a Cape Cod resident who wants to contribute — researching town issues, writing plain-language summaries, maintaining official records, or building tools — get in touch.
A Note on AI-Assisted Research
Some content on this site — particularly bill summaries and issue overviews — is drafted with the assistance of AI tools and then reviewed for accuracy. We always cite primary sources and link to original documents. When AI has been used in drafting, we say so. We never publish AI-generated content as authoritative fact without verification against public records.