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Boards & Commissions

Public Notice - Library Board Vacancy

Public Notice of Vacancies - Public Library Board of Directors: The Election for the openings will take place on Tuesday, December 9, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. both in person in the Esther Howland (South) Chamber on the 3rd Floor of City Hall and via the City Council's Zoom Account.

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One of the duties of the City Manager as Chief Executive Officer of the City of Worcester is to appoint members of municipal boards, commissions, and advisory committees. In some cases the nominated appointees must have their nominations approved by vote of the Worcester City Council.

All residents committed to preserving the vitality of our democratic institutions are urged to volunteer their services to one of these local government agencies whose effective operations depend so heavily upon enlightened citizen participation.

The City of Worcester Boards and Commission meetings are generally all open to the public and interested individuals are encouraged to attend. You may attend the meeting in-person, join virtually by following the Zoom link or dial the direct phone line and access code as indicated on the meeting agenda. Learn more on the Public Meetings page.

Public Notice: Are you interested in learning more about joining a board or commission? Discover how you can get involved and make a difference in your city at one of our upcoming Information Sessions:

Citizen Advisory Council

Worcester's Home Rule charter, as approved by the voters of Worcester in 1986, established a Citizen Advisory Council (CAC), whose function is to assist the City Manager in selecting candidates for appointment. The CAC actively recruits nominees, accepts all applications, and submits recommendations for appointments to the City Manager. The CAC seeks at all times to open up the process of appointment to all social, economic, racial and ethnic groups residing in the community.

As of August 11, 2020, the Commission on Disability was renamed to the Accessibility Advisory Commission.

As of October 6, 2020, the GAR Hall Board of Trustees and the Memorial Auditorium Board of Trustees were reorganized and combined to form a new Commission for the Preservation of Historic Artifacts, Relics and Military Memorials.

Name Term
Accessibility Advisory Commission Three (3) Years; Expires May 31
Advisory Commission on African American and Black Affairs Three (3) Years
Advisory Commission on LGBTQ+ Affairs Three (3) Years
Advisory Commission On Youth Three (3) Years
Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board of Trustees Two (2) Years
Board of Election Commissioners Four (4) Years; Expires March 31
Board of Health Five (5) Years; Expires Dec. 31
Cable Television Advisory Committee Three (3) Years; Expires Dec. 31
Citizen Advisory Council Three (3) Years; Expires March 31
Civic Center Commission Five (5) Years; Expires Oct. 4
Commission for the Preservation of Historic Artifacts, Relics and Military Memorials Five (5) Years; Expires Nov. 11
Commission on Elder Affairs Three (3) Years; Expires Oct. 31
Commission on Homelessness Three (3) Years
Commission on Latino Affairs Three (3) Years; Expires Jan. 14
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Advisory Committee Three (3) Years; Expires June 30
Community Preservation Committee Three (3) Years
Conservation Commission Three (3) Years; Expires Sept. 30
Green Worcester Advisory Committee Three (3) Years; Expires Aug. 31
Historical Commission Three (3) Years; Expires Dec. 31
Hope Cemetery Commission Three (3) Years; Expires Dec. 31
Human Rights Commission Three (3) Years; Expires April 30
License Commission Four (4) Years; Expires Dec. 31
Mayor Thomas J. Early Scholarship Committee Three (3) Years; Expires July 31
Off-Street Parking Board Four (4) Years; Expires June 30
Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB) Liability Trust Fund Five (5) Years; Expires Oct. 1
Parks and Recreation Commission Three (3) Years; Expires April 30
Planning Board Five (5) Years; Expires May 31
Retirement Board Varies
Status of Women Advisory Committee Three (3) Years; Expires Aug. 31
Trust Funds Commission Three (3) Years; Expires Jan. 31
Urban Forestry Tree Commission Five (5) Years, Expires Jan. 14
Worcester Airport Advisory Committee Three (3) Years; Expires June 30
Worcester Arts Council Three (3) Years; Expires Dec. 31
Worcester Ballpark Commission Five (5) Years, Expires Jan. 14
Worcester Housing Authority Five (5) Years; Expires Nov. 30
Worcester Public Library Board Six (6) Years; Expires Dec. 31
Worcester Redevelopment Authority Five (5) Years; Expires April 15
Zoning Board of Appeals Five (5) Years; Expires Dec. 31

Vacancies

NameDistrict Needed
Accessibility Advisory Commission (7)1, 2, 3, 4 and (4) associates in any district
Advisory Commission on LGBTQ+ Affairs (1)3 or 4
Advisory Commission on Youth (7)any district
Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board of Trustees (2)any district (must be a current tenant of affordable housing)
Cable Television Advisory Committee (4)2, 3, 4, 5
Citizen Advisory Council (1)3
Commission on Homelessness (9)any district
Commission on Latino Affairs (2)(1) in 3, (1) in 1, 3, 4 or 5
Community Development Advisory Committee (4)1, 2 or 4
Community Preservation Committee (2)any district
Conservation Commission (3)2, 3, 4 or 5
Historical Commission (3)(1) must be a resident of the Montvale Ave or Mass Ave Historic District, (1) in 2, and (1) in any district
Hope Cemetery Commission (1)any district
Off-Street Parking Board (1)any district
Planning Board (1)3
Urban Forestry Tree Commission (1)4
Worcester Arts Council (1)any district
Worcester Ballpark Commission (1)any district
Zoning Board of Appeals (1)4

While some boards must legally require certain types of expertise from candidates, most appointments do not have unusual educational or vocational requirements. Some boards and commissions require neighborhood representation.

To be eligible to serve you must:

  • Be a resident in the same district for one year (except for Executive Boards)
  • Not be a City employee (except for some Advisory Boards).

How To Apply

Candidates should complete an Online Application at any time, even if there are no current vacancies for your desired Board or Commission.

Online Application

You will receive confirmation that your application, resume and letter of interest were received as well as to confirm your attendance at one of the selection meetings. Selection meetings are held at 6:30 p.m., will be held in a hybrid format and are scheduled on the following dates. You must attend one of the following meetings:

  • September 9, 2025 (Levi Lincoln)
  • October 7, 2025 (Levi Lincoln)
  • November 12, 2025 (Esther Howland)
  • December 10, 2025 (Levi Lincoln)

You are welcome to attend any of the scheduled meetings to be considered for an opportunity. However, if a qualified applicant is identified at a meeting prior to the meeting you plan to attend, the opportunity may no longer be available.

A few CAC members will be at the meetings early and available in an informal setting (in person or remote) from 6 to 6:30 p.m. to answer questions from applicants about the application process or answer questions about what board might be a good fit for them.

Applicants from under-represented groups in the City are encouraged to apply.

Please be advised that you may submit an application any time and be notified by mail of the ongoing vacancies that occur on the City Boards/Commissions.

Have a Question?

Step 1: Complete the application and submit it with a letter of interest and/or resume.

Step 2: Attend a selection meeting of the Citizen Advisory Council (CAC). Meetings are open to the public 6:30 p.m. in an accessible public building. Contact Goodluck Lamah at 508-799-1030 to confirm attendance so that the CAC will have your application.

Step 3: Attend a meeting with a representative of the Human Resources Department. If you are nominated by the CAC, you will be contacted to schedule a meeting with a representative of the Human Resources Department and the City Employee that serves as the Staff Liaison to the board/commission.

In most cases, the only requirements for eligibility are to live in the City of Worcester.

The members of the CAC are volunteers and citizens of Worcester. Most of them have been through the interview process that you are going through. They understand how it feels to go through the process and sincerely try to put you at ease during the interview.

The CAC members will have your application and resume and/or letter of interest prior to the meeting. When your name is called, you will be asked to talk about your interest in the position. They may or may not ask you follow-up questions.

When you finish addressing the board, the CAC must vote to forward your application to the Human Resources Department and the City Employee that serves as the Staff Liaison to the board/commission for further review. You must receive a majority of affirmative votes to move forward in the process.

  • A YES vote: You receive a majority of affirmative votes: You will receive a call from the Human Resources Department to schedule an interview with a representative from the Human Resources Department and the City Employee that serves as the Staff Liaison to the board/commission.
  • A NO vote: You may not have received enough votes this time. Please don't give up. Stay engaged and apply again! There are a number of reasons you may not get selected. It could be due to the particular needs of the board at that time. It could be that there are a large number of applicants. Please know that it is normal to apply more than once.

Complete and submit an application anytime so that you're notified of future vacancies! If you have an application on file, you will receive email notification of vacancies as they occur. Reply to the email indicating which board you wish to apply and which CAC selection meeting you will attend.

For an application and more information, visit the links above or contact:

Goodluck Lamah, Employment Coordinator
Phone: 508-799-1030
Fax: 508-799-1040
Email

  • Learn as much as you can about the board you are applying.
  • Consider attending one of the monthly meetings of the board you want to join.
  • Review the minutes and recordings of past meetings (available on our website).

Upon completion of the interview process for the vacancy, a Human Resource Representative and the City Employee that serves as the Staff Liaison to the board/commission will make a recommendation for appointment to the City Manager. If you are selected, you will be asked to attend a meeting of the City Council where you will be introduced. If you are not selected, please do not give up, we value your time and commitment to the City of Worcester.

Contact Information

Address

City Manager
City Hall Room 306
455 Main Street
Worcester, MA 01608

Contact

Phone: 508-799-1175
Fax: 508-799-1208
Email Us
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Hours

Monday - Friday
8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.