Town Government
Boards & Commissions
What Boards & Commissions Are
Beyond the Select Board and the School Committee, much of Truro’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 seats them is a real question here, and Truro answers it in three ways. Most of the town’s boards and committees are appointed by the Select Board. The Town Moderator appoints the members of the Finance Committee and Truro’s seat on the Cape Cod Regional Technical High School committee. And a handful of bodies, the Select Board and the School Committee among them, are elected by the voters rather than appointed at all. Only full-time Truro residents and voters may be appointed to regulatory boards.
Key Boards & Commissions
- Planning Board reviews subdivisions, site plans, and major development.
- Zoning Board of Appeals hears variances and special permits.
- Conservation Commission protects Truro’s wetlands, rivers, and open space, much of it inside the Cape Cod National Seashore.
- Finance Committee reviews the budget and advises Town Meeting on spending. Its members are appointed by the Town Moderator.
- Board of Health oversees inspections, clinics, and public health rules.
- Community Preservation Committee recommends how the town spends its Community Preservation Act money on open space, historic preservation, recreation and affordable housing, and Town Meeting votes each project.
- Historical Commission works on the town’s historic places and sponsors preservation projects.
- Pamet Harbor Commission advises on the harbor, the moorings, and the town landings.
For the full roster, current members, vacancies, and schedules, see truro-ma.gov.
How to Serve
- Find an opening on the town’s boards and committees page.
- Submit a letter of interest or application to the Select Board office. The board advertises its openings on the town website and on social media, and it takes applications up to a stated meeting date.
- Interview if asked, and await appointment.
- Serve: attend the public meetings and help make decisions for your town.
You do not have to wait until you can vote to serve. Many of these boards and committees seat residents who simply applied, and Truro regularly advertises openings on its own website. A letter of interest to the Select Board office is often all it takes to be considered for a vacant seat.
Serving on a board is one of the most direct ways to shape Truro.