Town Government
Boards & Commissions
What Boards & Commissions Are
Beyond the Select Board and the School Committee, Whitman lists more than thirty boards, commissions and committees, and much of the town’s governing happens on them. They approve new development, hear zoning appeals, protect the wetlands along the town’s rivers and meadows, weigh in on historic places, and advise Town Meeting on every dollar in the budget. They are the rooms where an ordinary resident can have the most direct hand in a decision.
Whitman splits them two ways, and the split is worth knowing. Some are appointed by the Select Board and serve fixed terms. Others are elected town-wide on the May ballot, including the Planning Board, the Board of Health, the Public Works Commission, the Library Trustees and the Housing Authority. The meetings are public either way, and seats open up regularly.
Key Boards & Commissions
- Planning Board reviews subdivisions, site plans, and major development. Elected town-wide to five year terms.
- Zoning Board of Appeals hears variances and special permits.
- Conservation Commission protects Whitman’s wetlands, waterways, and open space.
- Whitman Finance Committee reviews the budget and advises Town Meeting on spending, which is the committee whose recommendation most voters hear before they raise a hand.
- Board of Health oversees inspections, clinics, and public health rules. Elected town-wide.
- Public Works Commission sets policy for streets, water and sewer. Elected town-wide.
- Board of Assessors values property for taxation, alongside an Assessor elected town-wide.
- Whitman Historical Commission works on the town’s historic buildings and records.
- Capital Improvement Committee plans for the big purchases, from vehicles to buildings.
- Cultural Council awards state grants to local arts, humanities and science programs.
For the full roster, current members, vacancies, and schedules, see the town’s own staff and board directory. Read it fresh: a directory page can lag an election by months, and Whitman’s did in 2026.
How to Serve
- Find an opening, either an appointed vacancy on the town’s boards and committees pages or an elected seat on the May ballot.
- For an appointed seat, submit a letter of interest to the Select Board office. Appointments are voted in open session and recorded in the minutes by name.
- For an elected seat, pull nomination papers from the Town Clerk in the winter. Several Whitman seats draw no more candidates than there are places.
- 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 Whitman.