Town Government
Town Departments
Finding the Right Department
Most of what residents need from the town runs through a department, not an elected official: paying a bill, pulling a permit, reporting a problem, registering to vote. Charter section 5-5(a) puts the appointment of the police chief, the fire chief, the treasurer collector, the town accountant, the town clerk and every other department head in the Town Manager’s hands, which is why none of these names appears on a ballot.
Four of them are appointed differently, and it is worth knowing which. Under section 5-5(c) the health agent, the assessor, the planner and the library director can only be appointed with the consent of the Board of Health, the Board of Assessors, the Planning Board and the Board of Library Trustees. Every one of those four boards is elected by you, so on those four jobs your ballot reaches the hiring decision directly.
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, visit the town’s Departments page or its staff directory. Town Hall is at 101 Main Street.
Department Directory
| Town Clerk | Records, licenses, vital records, the town census, and elections. Town Clerk Cindy Livingstone, CMMC. 508-881-0100 ext. 7127. |
|---|---|
| Public Works | Streets, water and sewer, snow plowing, rubbish and recycling. Director Doug Small. 508-881-0120. |
| Health | Inspections, food safety, clinics, and public health complaints. Director of Public Health Rajit Gupta. 508-881-0100 ext. 1975. |
| Police | Public safety and non-emergency response, from the Public Safety Building at 12 Union Street. Chief Cara Rossi. Non-emergency 508-881-1212. |
| Fire | Fire suppression, prevention, and emergency medical response, sharing 12 Union Street with the Police Department. Chief of Department Keith Robie. Non-emergency 508-881-2323. |
| Recreation | Parks, fields, and youth and adult programs. Director Kelly Rund. 508-881-0140. |
| Senior Services | Outreach, activities and programs for older residents, from 162 West Union Street. Senior Services Director Candi Wilson. 508-881-0140. |
| Prevention & Human Services | Outreach, case management, and food resources for residents who need them. Director Araya Landry. 508-881-0140. |
| Library | Borrowing, computers, study space, and programs. Director Meena Jain. 508-881-0134. |
| Inspection Services | Building permits, inspections, and zoning enforcement. Building Commissioner Douglas Scott. 508-881-0100 ext. 1976. |
| Planning | Planning, zoning, and economic development. Director of Planning and Economic Development Jasmin Farinacci. 508-881-0100 ext. 7121. |
| Conservation | Wetlands protection, open space, and the town’s trails. Conservation Agent Becca Solomon. 508-881-0100 ext. 1978. |
| Assessing | Property valuation, abatements, and exemptions. Director of Assessing Don Clarke. 508-881-0100 ext. 2012. |
| Treasurer and Collector | Tax bills, payments, and town cash management. Finance Director, Treasurer and Collector Cynthia Cincotta. 508-881-0100 ext. 2016. |
| Sustainability | Energy, climate and recycling programs. Sustainability Program Manager Samantha Riley. 508-881-0100 ext. 1931. |
Emergencies are 911, from any phone, at any hour. The non-emergency numbers above are for everything else: a parking question, a permit, a report that can wait. Police and Fire share the Public Safety Building at 12 Union Street and each runs its own website, which is why neither appears in the town hall staff directory.
Town departments carry out state and local law. See how Massachusetts government connects to your town.