Town Government
Boards & Commissions
What Boards & Commissions Are
Beyond the Board of Selectmen and the School Committee, much of Oxford's governing happens on volunteer boards and commissions. They approve new development, hear zoning appeals, protect the town's wetlands and open space, 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.
Who appoints them is a real question here, and the charter answers it in three places. Under section 3-3-1 the Board of Selectmen appoints the Zoning Board of Appeals, the registrars of voters and the election officers. Under section 5-3-9 the Town Manager appoints the Board of Assessors, the Planning Board, the Board of Health, the Personnel Board, the Historical Commission with the board's approval, and every body for which no other method is provided. And under section 4-1-1 the voters themselves elect the Board of Selectmen, the School Committee, the Board of Library Trustees, the Housing Authority, the Moderator, and two members of the Southern Worcester County Regional Vocational School District Committee. Everything else on this page is appointed.
Key Boards & Commissions
- Planning Board reviews subdivisions, site plans and major development. Seven members appointed by the Town Manager under charter section 5-3-9.
- Zoning Board of Appeals hears variances and special permits. Five members and three associates appointed by the Board of Selectmen, with terms arranged so one expires each year.
- Conservation Commission administers the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act and Oxford's own stormwater bylaws, and meets the first Wednesday of the month at 6:45 p.m. at Town Hall. Chairman Paul Cunningham, Vice-Chairman Sheila Conroy.
- Finance Committee reviews the budget and reports to Town Meeting. Seven members appointed by the Moderator, and charter section 2-3-7 says no article spending town funds may be voted until the committee has considered it and issued a recommendation. Chairman Marc E. Peterson.
- Board of Health oversees inspections, permits and public health rules, and one of its three members must be a professional health practitioner.
- Historical Commission holds the care and custody of the Huguenot Fort site on Fort Hill Road under the 1979 trust, and publishes the town's historic timeline.
- Open Space Committee works on the town's open space and recreation plan. Chair Alice C. Shaw, Vice-Chair Virginia R. Suklis.
- Housing Authority runs the town's public housing. Five members on five year overlapping terms, four elected by the voters and one appointed by the Commonwealth.
For the full roster, current members, vacancies and schedules, see the town's Boards and Commissions directory.
How to Serve
- Find an opening. The town publishes a Board, Committee and Volunteer Application on the Town Manager's page, and the Town Clerk posts the seats open at each Annual Town Election.
- Submit the application to the Town Manager's office at 325 Main Street or manager@oxfordma.us.
- Interview if asked, and await appointment by the Town Manager or the Board of Selectmen, depending on the seat.
- Serve: attend the public meetings and help make decisions for your town.
One seat is worth knowing about before you turn eighteen, because it is elected rather than appointed and it is small. The Board of Library Trustees has three members. In 2026 the seat on the ballot was won with 718 votes.
Serving on a board is one of the most direct ways to shape Oxford.