Town Government
Hawley Boards & Commissions
What Boards & Commissions Are
Beyond the Select Board and the school committees, much of Hawley’s governing happens on volunteer boards and commissions. They protect the town’s wetlands, guide what gets built, keep the finances honest, care for the historic cemeteries, and support the farms. In a town with no appointed administrator and only a handful of paid staff, these rooms are where an ordinary resident can have the most direct hand in a decision, and where much of the actual work gets done.
Some seats are appointed by the Select Board, and some are elected on the town ballot, among them the Moderator, the Assessors, the Auditor, the Tree Warden, and the school-committee and library seats. In Hawley you can be appointed to some of these seats, and you can simply run for the others. The Select Board itself doubles as the Board of Health and the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Key Boards & Commissions
- Conservation Commission protects Hawley’s wetlands, streams, and open space. Chaired by Lloyd Crawford, with Will Cosby, Ashley Harrison, Jerry McCarthy, and Charlie MacLean.
- Planning Board wrote the town’s Protective Bylaws to keep Hawley rural, and reviews driveways, subdivisions, and large projects. It has handed site-plan review for big projects to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
- Zoning Board of Appeals hears variances and special permits, and in Hawley the Select Board itself sits as the ZBA.
- Finance Committee is the town’s fiscal watchdog, appointed by the Moderator; it reviews the budget line by line and advises Town Meeting on spending.
- Board of Health oversees septic and well permits, food safety, and public health, and is made up of the three Select Board members.
- Agriculture Commission supports the town’s farms and farm land; Hawley is a designated Right to Farm community. Chaired by Peter Mitchel, with Liz Billings, Kimberly Orzechowski, and Gus Tafel.
- Historical Commission cares for the town’s four town-owned cemeteries and its historic places, working with the Sons and Daughters of Hawley. Chaired by John Sears, with Suzy Groden, Brandon Root, and Hussain Hamdan.
- Cultural Council and Communications Committee fund local arts and keep residents informed about town business.
For the full roster, current members, and schedules, see the boards and committees index at townofhawley.com.
How to Serve
- Find an opening by asking the Town Office about vacancies, or watch the spring ballot for elected seats.
- Volunteer: tell the Select Board or the Administrative Assistant which board interests you; small towns are often looking for members.
- Get seated: await appointment by the Select Board, or take out nomination papers with the Town Clerk and run for an elected seat.
- 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 Hawley.