Town Government
Boards & Commissions
What Boards & Commissions Are
Beyond the Select Board and the School Committee, much of Alford’s governing happens on volunteer boards and commissions. They review new development, hear zoning appeals, protect wetlands and open space, weigh in on historic places, and guide services for residents. In a town with no appointed administrator, these rooms are where an ordinary resident can have the most direct hand in a decision.
Some boards are appointed by the Select Board, permanent and ad hoc. Others are elected on the town ballot, among them the Board of Assessors, the Finance Committee, the Planning Board, the Cemetery Commission, and the Library Trustees, along with the town’s seat on the regional School Committee. In Alford you can be appointed to some of these seats, and you can simply run for the others.
Key Boards & Commissions
- Planning Board reviews subdivisions, site plans, and land use. Elected.
- Zoning Board of Appeals hears variances and special permits.
- Conservation Commission protects Alford’s wetlands, streams, and open space, and meets the third Wednesday of the month.
- Finance Committee reviews the budget line by line and advises Town Meeting on spending. Elected.
- Board of Health oversees inspections, septic and well permits, and public health rules.
- AlfordLink Commission governs the town’s own fiber-optic broadband network.
- Historic District Commission weighs in on the town’s historic places.
- Council on Aging and Cultural Council guide services and grants for residents.
- Garden Club and the Alford Land Trust work on the town’s gardens, farms, and protected open land.
For the full roster, current members, vacancies, and schedules, see the boards index at townofalford.org.
How to Serve
- Find an opening on the town’s boards page, or watch the ballot for elected seats.
- Ask the Select Board’s office how to apply, or take out nomination papers with the Town Clerk to run.
- Interview if asked, and await appointment by the Select Board, or stand for election in May.
- Serve: attend the public meetings and help make decisions for your town.
Serving on a board is one of the most direct ways to shape Alford.