Town Government
Boards & Commissions
What Boards & Commissions Are
Beyond the Select Board and the School Committee, much of Middlefield’s governing happens on volunteer boards and commissions. They review new construction, hear zoning appeals, protect the town’s wetlands and open space, advise Town Meeting on the budget, and guide services for residents. They are the rooms where an ordinary resident can have the most direct hand in a decision, and in a town this size a single volunteer makes a real difference.
Middlefield fills many of these seats itself. The Select Board, the Moderator, and the Town Clerk are elected, and a long list of boards and commissions does the rest of the town’s governing, from the Board of Assessors and the Board of Health to the Planning Board, the Conservation Commission, and the Cemetery Commission. Some seats are elected and some are appointed by the Select Board, each for a fixed term. The meetings are public, and in a town this size seats open up regularly and a single volunteer makes a real difference.
Key Boards & Commissions
- Planning Board reviews subdivisions, site plans, and land use across the town.
- Zoning Board of Appeals hears variances and special permits.
- Conservation Commission protects Middlefield’s wetlands, brooks, and open space.
- Finance Committee reviews the budget and advises Town Meeting on spending, and the Moderator sits on it as a non-voting member.
- Board of Assessors sets property values for the tax rate.
- Board of Health oversees inspections, septic rules, the transfer station, and public health.
- Historical Commission and Cemetery Commission preserve the town’s historic places and records.
For the full roster, current members, vacancies, and schedules, see middlefield-ma.gov.
How to Serve
- Find an opening on the town’s boards and committees page, or an elected seat on the annual town election ballot.
- Submit a letter of interest or application to the Select Board office, or take out nomination papers from the Town Clerk.
- Interview or run, then await appointment by the Select Board or a vote at the town election.
- 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 Middlefield.