Town Government
Wendell Boards & Commissions
What Boards & Commissions Are
Beyond the Select Board and the School Committee, much of Wendell’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, oversee the town’s own broadband network, 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. Others are elected on the town ballot, including the Board of Assessors, the Board of Health, the Planning Board, the Cemetery Commission, the Library Trustees, the Municipal Light Board, and the Road Commission. So in Wendell you can be appointed to some of these seats, and you can simply run for the others, and the town posts an online nomination-paper application and a running list of open seats to make it easier.
Key Boards & Commissions
- Planning Board reviews subdivisions, site plans, and land use.
- Zoning Board of Appeals hears variances and special permits.
- Conservation Commission protects Wendell’s wetlands, streams, and open space, including the Fiske Pond Conservation Area.
- Finance Committee reviews the budget line by line and advises Town Meeting on spending.
- Board of Health oversees inspections, wells and septic, and public health rules.
- Municipal Light Board governs Wendell Net, the town’s own municipal broadband network.
- Agricultural and Historical Commissions support the town’s farms and its historic places.
- Open Space, Recreation, and Energy committees look after protected land, the fields and trails, and the town’s Green Communities work.
- Council on Aging runs senior services and the town’s outreach to older residents.
For the full roster, current members, vacancies, and schedules, see the boards index at wendellmass.us.
How to Serve
- Find an opening on the town’s Town Government Vacancies posts, or watch the ballot for elected seats.
- Apply online: the town posts an online nomination-paper application and an application for boards and committees.
- 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 Wendell.