Town Government
Boards & Commissions
What Boards & Commissions Are
Beyond the Select Board and the School Committee, much of Petersham’s governing happens on volunteer boards and commissions. They review new development, hear zoning appeals, protect wetlands and open space, weigh in on historic places, and guide services for residents. In a town with no appointed administrator, these rooms are where an ordinary resident can have the most direct hand in a decision.
Some boards are appointed by the Select Board, permanent and ad hoc. Others are elected on the town ballot: the town election fills seats on the Board of Assessors, the Board of Health, the Cemetery Commission, and the Broadband Municipal Light Plant Board, along with the Tree Warden and the Moderator. In Petersham 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 major development, under Fraser Sinclair.
- Zoning Board of Appeals hears variances and special permits, under Maryanne Reynolds.
- Conservation Commission protects Petersham’s wetlands, streams, and open space, under Mike Seitz.
- Advisory Finance Committee reviews the budget line by line and advises Town Meeting on spending, with Rich Cavanaugh.
- Board of Health oversees inspections, trash and recycling, and public health rules, under Rebecca Jackson. Elected.
- Board of Assessors sets property values and hears abatements, chaired by Ellen Anderson. Elected.
- Historic District Commission weighs in on the town common and its historic places, with Claudette Bishop.
- Cemetery Commission oversees the town’s burial grounds, with Barbara Hanno. Elected.
- Open Space & Recreation Committee looks after the fields, paths, and protected land, with Ari Pugliese and Henry Woolsey.
- Council on Aging, Cultural Council, and Broadband Municipal Light Plant Board round out the boards residents serve on.
For the full roster, current members, vacancies, and schedules, see the town directory at townofpetersham.gov.
How to Serve
- Find an opening on the town’s boards and committees, or watch the ballot for elected seats.
- Apply: reach out to the Selectboard Office at 978-724-3353 about appointed seats.
- Interview if asked, and await appointment by the Select Board, or take out nomination papers with the Town Clerk and run.
- 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 Petersham.