Town Government
Boards & Commissions
What Boards & Commissions Are
Beyond the Selectboard and the School Committee, most of Clarksburg’s governing happens on volunteer boards. They approve subdivisions, hear zoning appeals, protect the wetlands along the town’s brooks, advise Town Meeting on the budget, and set the public health rules that decide whether a septic system passes. They are the rooms where an ordinary resident’s hand lands directly on a decision, and in a town of 1,657 people they are staffed entirely by neighbors.
Most members are appointed by the Selectboard and serve fixed terms. The Planning Board and the Board of Health are elected. The meetings are public, and seats open up often: at its June 1, 2026 reorganization the Selectboard filled seats on the Conservation Commission, the Council on Aging, the Agricultural Commission and the Historical Commission in a single sitting.
Key Boards & Commissions
- Planning Board reviews subdivisions and site plans, and is elected to five-year terms. Chair Tom Bona, with Karin Robert as Secretary, Deborah Lefave, Seth Alexander and Daniel Tanner. It meets quarterly on the first Wednesday of the quarter at 6:00 pm in the Ketchum Memorial Room at Town Hall.
- Zoning Board of Appeals hears variances and special permits. Chair Jason Morin, Vice Chair Keith Blanchard, and Jim Baumbach.
- Conservation Commission protects Clarksburg’s wetlands, brooks and open space. Chair Clebe Scott, with Greg Vigna and Jim Brandon. It meets as needed and posts each meeting when it is scheduled.
- Finance Committee reviews the budget and advises Town Meeting on spending. Charles Lewitt, Carla Fosser and Bob Witherall.
- Board of Health oversees septic, wells, food service and housing inspections. Chair Norm Rolnick, with Mike Rivers.
- Council on Aging runs programs for older residents through the Clarksburg Senior Center: Bonnie Cahoon, Maryrose Calnan, John Fosser, Jeannie Landrie, Linda Lewitt, Mary Ann Maroni and Lauren Norcross.
- Historical Commission, Agricultural Commission, ADA Commission, Board of Assessors, Cemetery Commission and the Briggsville Water District round out the list.
For the full roster, current members, vacancies and schedules, see clarksburgma.gov/departments.
How to Serve
Clarksburg has open seats right now. The Zoning Board of Appeals says so on its own page, the Conservation Commission carries a vacancy, and the Board of Health seat that appeared on the May 2026 ballot recorded a Failure to Elect, which means nobody filed for it. The Selectboard discussed that seat at its June 1, 2026 meeting and agreed to keep looking for a resident willing to serve. If you have ever wondered whether one person can get onto a town board, this is what the answer looks like in practice.
- Find an opening on the town’s departments and boards pages, or ask at Town Hall.
- Submit a letter of interest to the Selectboard office at Town Hall, 111 River Road.
- Come to a meeting and say you are interested. The Selectboard makes these appointments in open session.
- 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 Clarksburg.