Boards & Commissions
Greenfield, like many communities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, relies on our elected and appointed officials for a large amount of the City’s important business. This page will give you information regarding volunteering for a board or commission and your responsibilities once seated as a member of a public body.
VACANCIES & HOW TO APPLY
Serving on a municipal board or commission is a great way to get involved in your community and participate in municipal government. Check the list of vacancies below for current openings.
| BOARD OR COMMISSION | NUMBER OF VACANCIES |
| Board of Health | 0 |
| Commission on Disability Access | 1 alternate |
| Community Preservation Commission | 1 (mayoral appointment) |
| Conservation Commission | 0 |
| Council on Aging | 2 |
| Crossroads Cultural District Committee | 1 |
| Greenfield Local Cultural Council | 0 |
| Greenfield Redevelopment Authority | 2 |
| Human Rights Commission | 2 |
| Planning & Construction (special requirements) | 0 |
| Planning Board | 1 regular, 1 alternate |
| Sustainable Greenfield Implementation Committee | 0 |
| Trustees of the Soldiers' Memorial (special requirements) | 1 |
| Zoning Board of Appeals | 2 alternate |
| Last updated February 20, 2024 | |
To apply to join a particular board or commission, send a letter of interest and listing of qualifications (resume and/or short bio in the body of your letter showing your background or interest in the work of the board or commission) to mayor@greenfield-ma.gov. If you want to submit your name for general consideration and do not have a preference on the board or commission, note this in your letter. The Mayor will usually reach out for a phone call or in-person conversation before you are appointed.
Please call 413-772-1560 with any questions about the application process.
BEING APPOINTED
After being appointed by the Mayor, your appointment will either be affirmed by a vote of the City Council, rejected by the City Council, or will automatically become active thirty-five days after your appointment was submitted. To read more about this process read City Charter Section 2-10, Council Review of Certain Appointments.
OATH OF OFFICE
Before you can attend your first meeting as a voting member of a board or commission, you must have an appointment letter from the Mayor's Office and take the oath of office. Once your appointment is confirmed via this letter, you should contact the City Clerk to make an appointment to be sworn in. Swearing in must take place in person and are by appointment only. When you are sworn in, you will get Open Meeting Law and Conflict of Interest information from the City Clerk.
In addition, here you can find a Guide for Members of Public Boards and Commissions provided by the Inspector General’s Office, Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
As a member of a board or committee, you are considered to be a special employee of a municipality by the State Ethics Commission. All municipal employees are required to take the Conflict of Interest Law Online Ethics Training within 30 days of beginning public service and every two years thereafter.
OPEN MEETING LAW
The Massachusetts Open Meeting Law specifies that all deliberations, other than executive session, of a public body be conducted in a meeting open to the public and includes requirements for posting of meeting notices and agendas and how to generate and approve minutes.
Within two weeks of your election or appointment or when you took the oath of office (whichever is later), you must complete a Certificate of Receipt of Open Meeting Law Materials.
Materials: Attorney General’s Open Meeting Law Guide
Receipt: Certificate of Receipt for Open Meeting Law Materials
MORE OPEN MEETING LAW RESOURCES
Checklist for Posting a Meeting Notice