Town Government
Boards & Commissions
What Boards & Commissions Are
Beyond the Select Board and the School Committee, much of Plainfield’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, among them the Board of Assessors, Board of Health, Planning Board, Cemetery Committee, and Library Trustees, along with the Tree Warden and the Moderator. In Plainfield 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, and leads the town’s Comprehensive Plan work.
- Zoning Board of Appeals hears variances and special permits.
- Conservation Commission protects Plainfield’s wetlands, streams, and open space, including Plainfield Pond.
- Finance Committee reviews the budget line by line and advises Town Meeting on spending.
- Board of Health oversees inspections, health complaints, and the transfer station and recycling.
- Agricultural Commission supports the town’s farms and farm land.
- Historical Commission weighs in on the town’s historic places.
- Cultural Council awards small grants for local arts and humanities programs.
- Library Trustees, Energy, Recreation, Buildings, and Cemetery committees look after the library, the town’s energy and buildings, its fields, and its burial grounds.
For the full roster, current members, vacancies, and schedules, see the boards and committees index at plainfield-ma.us.
How to Serve
- Find an opening on the town’s Volunteer Opportunities page, or watch the ballot for elected seats.
- Reach out: contact the Town Office, which routes interest to the board with the opening.
- 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 Plainfield.