Town Government
Boards & Commissions
What Boards & Commissions Are
Beyond the Select Board and the School Committee, Grafton lists close to forty boards, committees and commissions, and most of their seats are held by residents who volunteered. They approve new development, hear zoning appeals, protect wetlands and open space, weigh in on historic places, spend the Community Preservation surcharge, and guide services for residents. They are the rooms where an ordinary resident can have the most direct hand in a decision.
Most members are appointed by the Select Board and serve fixed terms. The meetings are public, and seats open up regularly.
Key Boards & Commissions
- Planning Board reviews subdivisions, site plans, and major development. Its members are elected town-wide, not appointed.
- Zoning Board of Appeals hears variances and special permits.
- Conservation Commission protects Grafton’s wetlands, rivers, and open space, and shares oversight of Hassanamesit Woods with the Historical Commission.
- Finance Committee reviews the budget and advises Town Meeting on spending.
- Board of Health oversees inspections, clinics, and public health rules.
- Community Preservation Committee recommends how the town spends its Community Preservation surcharge on open space, historic preservation, recreation and affordable housing.
- Historical Commission and Historic District Commission work on the town’s historic buildings, districts and archaeology.
- Accessibility Advisory Commission works on equal access across the town.
- Board of Assessors, Board of Registrars and Board of Sewer Commissioners handle property values, voter rolls and the sewer system.
For the full roster, current members, vacancies, and schedules, see grafton-ma.gov.
How to Serve
- Find an opening on the town’s boards and committees page, or listen to the announcements at the start of a Select Board meeting, where vacancies are read out loud.
- Submit a letter of interest to the Town Administrator’s Office. Some seats carry a residency condition: when the Finance Committee had vacancies in June 2026 the town could only consider applicants living in the North Grafton or South Grafton zip codes, because the committee’s seats are distributed across the town.
- Interview if asked, and await appointment by the Select Board.
- 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 Grafton.