Town Government
Boards & Commissions
What Boards & Commissions Are
Beyond the Select Board and the School Committee, much of Harwich’s governing happens on volunteer boards and commissions. They approve new development, hear zoning appeals, protect the wetlands and the shoreline along Nantucket Sound, weigh in on historic places, 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, and it is elected rather than appointed.
- Board of Appeals hears variances and special permits, and Harwich uses the same board as its Zoning Board of Appeals.
- Conservation Commission protects Harwich’s wetlands and open space. It is seven residents appointed to three-year terms.
- Finance Committee reviews the budget and makes a recommendation on every Town Meeting article. Its members are appointed by the Town Moderator, not by the Select Board.
- Board of Health takes its authority from state law and town bylaw, and oversees septic systems, food safety, wells and public health rules.
- Board of Water / Wastewater Commissioners and the Brooks Free Library Board of Trustees are elected by the town, so their seats appear on your ballot.
- Caleb Chase Trustees administer a charitable fund left to the town, one of the oldest standing committees Harwich has.
Harwich lists about 40 boards, committees and commissions in all, from the Bikeways Committee to the Waterways Committee. For the full roster, current members, vacancies, and schedules, see harwich-ma.gov.
How to Serve
- Find an opening on the town’s boards and committees page, which posts a dated list of current vacancies.
- Submit the Citizen’s Activity Vacancy Form to the Select Board office at Town Hall.
- Interview if asked. Harwich runs a standing Select Board Interview Committee that meets in public and recommends appointments to the full 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 Harwich.