Town Government
Town Departments
Finding the Right Department
Most of what residents need from the town runs through a department, not an elected official: paying a bill, pulling a permit, reporting a problem, registering to vote. Under section 4.2 of the town charter the Town Manager selects the heads of these departments, and the Select Board or the relevant elected board then has fifteen days to reject the choice. That is why none of these names appears on a ballot, and why the Town Manager is the person the Select Board holds responsible for all of them.
The directory below covers the departments residents contact most, with the head the town names on its own staff directory. For the full list, hours, and staff, visit the town’s Departments page or its staff directory. Town Hall is at 79 South Street, open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 8 am to 4:30 pm, Tuesday 8 am to 7:30 pm, and closed Friday.
Department Directory
| Administration | The Town Manager’s office: budget, personnel, contracts, and the day to day running of the town. Town Manager Michael J. King. 508-384-5400. |
|---|---|
| Town Clerk | Records, licenses, vital records, the town census, and elections. Town Clerk Ann Fisk. 508-384-5415. |
| Police | Public safety and non-emergency response, at 89 South Street. Chief of Police William McGrath. 508-384-2121. |
| Fire | Fire suppression, prevention, ambulance, and open burning permits, at 99 South Street. Fire Chief Antonio Marino. 508-384-3131. |
| Public Works | Streets, water, snow plowing, parks and cemeteries, at 360 Taunton Street. Director of Public Works Brian Antonioli. 508-384-5477. |
| Inspections | Building permits, inspections, and code enforcement, at 350 Taunton Street. Building Commissioner John Naff. |
| Planning & Economic Development | Land use planning, zoning, housing production and economic development. The town’s own directory currently lists both a Director and an Interim Director of this office, so this guide names the office rather than one person. |
| Board of Health | Inspections, septic, clinics, and public health rules. Public Health Director and Environmental Health Agent Matthew Tanis. |
| Council on Aging | The senior center at 400 Taunton Street, outreach, transport, and programs for older residents. Director Janet Angelico. 508-384-5425. |
| Recreation | Youth programs, the town’s fields and the beach at Lake Pearl, from 54 Emerald Street. Recreation Director Jeffrey Plympton. |
| Finance and Accounting | The town’s budget, accounting and financial reporting. Finance Director and Town Accountant Christine Dupras. |
| Treasurer-Collector | Tax bills, payments, and town cash management. Treasurer-Collector Kathy Nelson. |
| Assessors | Property valuation, abatements, and exemptions. Principal Assessor Robert Scotton. The three-member Board of Assessors above this office is elected. |
| Housing Authority | The town’s public housing, at 1 Garden Lane. Executive Director Missie Saulsby. 508-384-2054. |
| Fiske Public Library | The town library at 110 Randall Road, with the Helen Keller collection and the Genealogy Room. Library Director Kim Shipala. 508-384-5440. |
| Emergency Management | Storm and emergency planning for the town. The town’s own staff directory names no director for this office, so none is printed here. |
Emergencies are 911. For anything that is not an emergency, the Police business line is 508-384-2121 and the Fire business line is 508-384-3131.
Town departments carry out state and local law. See how Massachusetts government connects to your town.