Town Government
Boards & Commissions
What Boards & Commissions Are
Beyond the Select Board and the School Committee, much of Montgomery’s governing happens on volunteer boards and commissions. They review new development, hear zoning appeals, protect wetlands and open space, and guard public health. In a town with no appointed administrator, these rooms are where an ordinary resident can have the most direct hand in a decision.
Some seats are appointed by the Select Board, and others are elected on the town ballot. Montgomery voters fill a long list of working offices at the annual town election each spring, among them the Assessors, the Board of Health, and the town’s seats on the Gateway Regional School Committee. In Montgomery you can be appointed to some of these seats, and you can simply run for the others.
Key Boards & Commissions
- Planning Board reviews subdivisions, site plans, and development in the town.
- Zoning Board of Appeals hears variances and special permits under the zoning bylaw.
- Conservation Commission protects Montgomery’s wetlands, streams, and open space, including the land along the Westfield River and Moose Meadow Brook.
- Board of Health oversees wells, septic systems, housing standards, and public-health complaints.
- Board of Assessors sets property values and hears abatements, and its members are elected town-wide.
- Finance Committee reviews the budget and advises Town Meeting on spending.
For the full roster, current members, vacancies, and schedules, see the boards and committees index at montgomeryma.gov.
How to Serve
- Find an opening by asking the Select Board office about vacancies, or watch the spring ballot for elected seats.
- Say you are interested: for an appointed seat, let the Select Board know; for an elected seat, take out nomination papers.
- Take out papers with the Town Clerk to get on the ballot, or 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 Montgomery.