Town Government
Boards & Commissions
What Boards & Commissions Are
Beyond the Select Board and the School Committee, much of Tyringham’s governing happens on volunteer boards and commissions. They review new building, hear zoning appeals, protect the town’s wetlands and open space, advise Town Meeting on the budget, and care for everything from the cemetery to the town’s history. In a town of about 411 people these seats are where an ordinary resident can have the most direct hand in a decision, and many of them are elected rather than appointed.
Some members are elected town-wide on the annual ballot and some are appointed by the Select Board. The meetings are public, and seats open up regularly.
Key Boards & Commissions
- Planning Board reviews subdivisions, site plans, and the town’s zoning bylaws. Its seats are elected town-wide.
- Board of Appeals hears variances and special permits under the zoning bylaws.
- Conservation Commission protects Tyringham’s wetlands, brooks, and open space.
- Finance Committee reviews the budget and advises Town Meeting on spending.
- Board of Assessors sets property values for the tax rolls; the seat is elected.
- Historical Commission looks after the town’s historic places and records.
- Council on Aging, Cultural Council, Park Commission, and Cemetery Commission run services and care for shared spaces, several of them with elected seats.
For the full list of boards, current members, vacancies, and schedules, see tyringham-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.
- Interview if asked, and 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 Tyringham.