Town Government
Acton Town Departments
Finding the Right Department
Most of what residents need from the town runs through a department rather than an elected official: paying a bill, pulling a permit, reporting a problem, registering to vote. The people who lead these departments are appointed rather than elected, which is why you will not find their names on a ballot, and it is the Town Manager the Select Board holds answerable for the lot of them.
The directory below covers the departments residents contact most, with the head the town names on its own staff directory. For the full list, hours and staff, use the town’s staff directory. Town Hall is at 472 Main Street.
Department Directory
| Town Clerk | Records, licenses, vital records, the town census, and elections. Town Clerk Leo Mercado. 978-929-6620. |
|---|---|
| Public Works | Streets, snow plowing, the transfer station, cemeteries and the town’s trees. Director of Public Works Corey York. 978-929-7740. |
| Health | Inspections, clinics, and public health complaints. Health and Family Services Director Penelope Funaiole. 978-929-6632. |
| Police | Public safety and non-emergency response. Chief Douglas Sturniolo. 978-929-7711. |
| Fire | Fire suppression, prevention, and emergency medical response. Fire Chief Anita R. Arnum. 978-929-7722. |
| Recreation | Parks, fields, and youth and family programs. Recreation Director Timothy Michalski. 978-929-6640. |
| Libraries | Acton runs two public libraries, the Memorial Library and the West Acton Citizens’ Library. Libraries Director Maria Palacio. 978-929-6655. |
| Building | Building permits, inspections, and zoning enforcement. Building Commissioner and Zoning Enforcement Officer John Garside. 978-929-6633. |
| Planning | Subdivisions, site plans, zoning and long range planning. Planning Director Kaila Sauer. 978-929-6631. |
| Conservation | Wetlands protection, the town’s conservation land and its trails. Conservation Agent Olivia Barksdale. 978-929-6634. |
| Finance | Budget, accounting, tax bills and town cash management. Treasurer and Collector Patrick McIntyre. 978-929-6622. |
| Assessor | Property valuation, abatements, and exemptions. Principal Assessor CJ Carroll. 978-929-6621. |
| Veteran Services | Benefits, claims, and services for Acton veterans and their families. Veteran Services Officer James MacRae. 978-929-6614. |
Emergencies are 911. Town Hall’s main line is 978-929-6600.
One Utility Acton Does Not Run
Your drinking water is the exception to everything on this page, and it is worth knowing before you call the wrong number. The Acton Water District operates and maintains the town’s public water supply and distribution system, and in the town’s own words it “is an independent governmental entity chartered by the Massachusetts Legislature and is not a department of the Town of Acton.” Water quality and service questions go directly to the district at 978-263-9107, or to its office at 693 Massachusetts Avenue, rather than to Town Hall.
That independence comes with a ballot. The district’s commissioners are elected at the annual town election to three year terms, exactly like the Select Board, so the people who run your water answer to Acton voters directly rather than through the Town Manager.
Town departments carry out state and local law. See how Massachusetts government connects to your town.