Town Government
Boards & Commissions
What Boards & Commissions Are
Beyond the Council and the School Committee, much of West Springfield’s governing happens on volunteer boards and commissions. The town’s directory lists more than twenty of them. They protect wetlands, oversee public health, decide who holds a liquor license, fund arts programs, guard historic resources, and guide services for older residents. These are the rooms where an ordinary resident can have the most direct hand in a decision, and where seats open up regularly.
Appointments run through the Mayor’s office, and the town posts an application form any resident can submit. The meetings are public.
Key Boards & Commissions
- Conservation Commission protects West Springfield’s wetlands and open space, including the Bear Hole Reservoir watershed and Mittineague Park along the Westfield River.
- Board of Health oversees public health in the town.
- License Commission decides who may hold the licenses the town issues, including liquor licenses. Voters kept its independence rule in place in the 2025 charter vote.
- Community Preservation Act Committee recommends how the town spends its Community Preservation funds on open space, historic preservation, recreation, and housing.
- Cultural Council promotes and supports the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences in the community, and the Historical Commission looks after the town’s historic resources.
- Park & Recreation Commission and the Library Board of Trustees govern the places you use every day.
- Commission on Disabilities, the Veterans Advisory Board, the COA Board, and the Tree Committee advise the town on access, veterans, seniors, and the tree canopy.
- Board of Registrars of Voters keeps the voter rolls that every election in this guide depends on.
For the full roster, current members, vacancies, and schedules, see the town’s Boards, Commissions & Committees directory.
How to Serve
- Find an opening on the town’s boards and commissions directory.
- Submit the appointment request form linked from that directory, or a letter of interest to the Mayor’s office.
- Interview if asked, and await appointment.
- 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 West Springfield.