Town of Winchester Boards and Committees

Authorized by Town Meeting in Spring 2019 with a mandate to “provide for the preservation and creation of affordable housing in the Town of Winchester for the benefit of low and moderate income households.” Adopted mission is "to support and sustain an inclusive and socioeconomically diverse community consistent with the policy objectives of the most recent Winchester Housing Production Plan through investment, education, and advocacy."

Advises the Archivist and assists with the Archival Center, repository of the town's historical documents.

Assists the Select Board in their oversight of the annual financial audit.

The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) hears and decides applications for special permits, petitions for variances from the terms of the zoning bylaws, site plan approvals as mandated by the zoning ordinance, and appeals from decisions of the zoning enforcement officer (building commissioner).

The Assessors annually make a valuation of all property, both real and personal, with the Town and compute the tax rate for each year. 

The Board of Health is responsible for the formulation and enforcement of rules and regulations affecting the environment and public health. The Board appoints the Director of the Health Department as its ‘Agent’. The Director of Public Health ensures compliance with State public health mandates and implements policies set by the Board 

Has the custody and management of the library and of all property of the town related thereto.

In addition to registering all voters, the registrars verify all signatures on nomination papers or petitions.

Advises the Select Board about cable television services and contract issues.

This committee annually assists the town manager in the preparation of a capital improvement program. It makes recommendations on the capital expenditure requests from town boards and departments to the Select Board and the Finance Committee. The capital program and recommendations become an integral part of the Finance Committee’s budget report to Town Meeting.

The purpose of the CAAC is to advise and assist the Select Board in the ongoing development and implementation of the Town of Winchester 2020 Climate Action Plan.

The commissioners manage all trust funds given or bequeathed for the benefit of the town or its inhabitants, unless the donor has otherwise provided.

A standing committee of the Town Meeting, the committee reviews and recommends revisions to the bylaws as needed (every 10 years in any case) and reviews and reports on all warrant articles that would, if adopted, affect the bylaws or charter of the town.

The committee evaluates suggestions for the naming of public places and structures (except street names).

A standing committee of the Town Meeting, this committee provides continuing oversight of the business, conduct, and procedures of the Town Meeting, proposing changes as it is deems necessary.

The Select Board established a committee to support town-wide adoption of the Community Preservation Act. Further resources on the Community Preservation Act can be found online at the Community Preservation Coalition website. 

The commission has responsibility for the preservation of open space and implementation of the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act and the Winchester Wetlands Bylaw. It holds public hearing on projects that are in or near wetland resource areas.

Assists in serving official documents from the Town of Winchester. Additionally may serve to deliver official court documents on civil issues. May be non resident of Winchester. 

Mandated by the State Executive Office of Elder Affairs and the Federal Administration on Aging, the council’s duties are:

• To design services in response to these needs and resources such as social and health services, financial and legal consultation, transportation, and educational programs
• To educate the community and enlist its support in implementing the council’s programs
• To total needs and resources of the town’s elderly population

Formerly the Winchester Arts Council, the Cultural Council establishes guidelines for the local use of arts lottery funds, determines if applications comply with those guidelines and, and awards funds. Must be town resident; cannot serve more than 2 consecutive terms.

Inactive

Provides design review services to Town boards, committees or departments, including the Zoning Board, Planning Board, Engineering Department, and the Select Board. The Committee reviews and advises on site improvements, visual design, and façade changes within the town. It makes recommendations on all sign permit applications transmitted to the Building Department; or sign applications requiring a variance from the ZBA. It assists the Department of Public Works in the implementation of visual improvements when requested by the Select Board.

The Disability Access Commission's mission is to protect the rights and facilitate the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in all aspects of community life within Winchester. 

The Educational Facilities Planning and Building Committee is charged with the preparation and periodic adjustment of the School Facilities Master Plan (PDF). It makes recommendations for each building and oversees design and construction.

Charged by the Select Board with advising and assisting the Town of Winchester in the implementation of energy efficiency and renewable energy related cost-saving measures for municipal buildings, facilities, and infrastructure.

The committee reviews and oversees the use and maintenance of the play fields, makes recommendations for improvements to the fields and recreational green space, reviews scheduling of events, and makes recommendations to the Recreation Department on issuing field use permits.

The Finance Committee must recommend a balanced budget at Spring town Meeting (projected expenditures must not exceed projected revenues).

The purpose of the Greenway Initiative Committee is analyzing, establishing, planning, and distributing grant funds to create a bike path system in the Town of Winchester.

The Commission implements the Winchester Heritage Districts Bylaw, which primarily involves review of projects in the Rangeley Heritage District.

The mission of the commission is the preservation, protection, and development of our town’s historical or archeological assets, and the establishment of protective measures of these assets for future generations.

The Winchester Housing Authority (WHA) is authorized to manage the construction, financing, maintenance, and rental policies of low-cost housing for low-income families and the elderly. It reports to the state and federal governments concerning their respective programs. The WHA owns and operates 112 Ch. 689 public housing units for senior citizens and 9 units of chapter 705 state-aided housing for families, and it administers 143 Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The board recommends overall strategies and specific proposals for the development of affordable housing and applications for, and allocation of, federal and state housing development subsidies and grants, and it reviews and makes recommendations on the inclusion of affordable housing in proposals for privately financed multiple-unit developments.

State Appointee

The Select Board appointed a Local Historic District Study Committee in 2021 to examine the interest in creating a Local Historic District (LHD) in Winchester. Local historic districts are a state designation through MGL Chapter 40C. It is a local bylaw that defines a local historic district so that before any exterior architectural feature that is visible from a public way is altered it must first be reviewed and approved by a local historic district commission. This process is in place so that unnecessary demolitions can be prevented and new construction or alterations can be reviewed.

The Middlesex Canal Commission was established by the Massachusetts legislature to promote the restoration and public use of the Middlesex Canal. The Commission has representatives from each of the towns that the Canal traversed. Over 150 years after the canal closed several remnants are still visible in Winchester.

Volunteer

Town Engineer

Regional Committee

An advisory committee to assist the town in the planning, funding, and implementation of street-tree planting and maintenance. The committee advocates for street trees in the town; provides policy recommendations to the Select Board, Planning Board, and Capital Planning Committee; and assists in the annual determination of funding from the Peter Van Aken Permanent Street Tree Fund.

The board acts as a central authority for personnel conditions, wage and salary adjustments, and job classification. It assists in the coordination of collective bargaining activities with all the organized groups, except the school staff. It reports on warrant articles involving personnel matters.

The Planning Board is responsible for administering the Subdivision Control Law, drafting zoning bylaw revisions, undertaking planning studies within the town, and revising and updating the town's comprehensive master plan. The Planning Board also makes recommendations to the Winchester Zoning Board of Appeals on petitions before the Zoning Board of Appeals for consideration of zoning relief.

The Board reports annually to the town, giving information regarding the condition of the town and any plans or proposals known to it.

2 MOD; 1 Active Emp; 1 Resident; 1 SB; 1 FC; 1 PER

The Retirement Board administers the Town of Winchester employee retirement system in accordance with applicable laws and regulations and provides information on the rights, benefits, and regulations regarding retirement to all covered current and former employees of the Town of Winchester.

Annual Town Election

Annual Town Election

Administers a special taxation fund to assist low-income elderly and disabled persons to meet their property tax obligations. 

3 SB

Annual Town Election

Spring Town Meeting

Spring Town Meeting

The Traffic and Transportation Committee (TTAC) advises the Select Board and Town Manager about Winchester’s interdepartmental Traffic and Transportation Program. The Program aims to steadily improve Winchester’s transportation facilities, operations, and services for all users and all modes of travel so that even the most vulnerable users can move throughout town more safely, comfortably, and expeditiously, year-round.

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This committee advises the cemetery commissioners (who are also the Board of Selectmen) on the condition of Wildwood Cemetery and makes recommendations with respect to its care and maintenance.

Operates a community television studio for public, educational and municipal access, and provides the residents, students and organizations
of Winchester with training in the use of community television facilities, channels.and related media and technology, so as to enhance community information and communication.

The committee manages, operates and stewards certain land, buildings, assets and resources sited on and constituting Wright-Locke Farm.