Francestown uses an “Open Town Meeting” system that is common in New England, and follows a tradition dating back to the seventeenth century. The Town Meeting is held for the transaction of town business. It is the legislative body of the Town of Francestown.

Instead of electing representatives (like the Senate or the House of Representatives) to pass new town laws or modify old ones, the citizens of Francestown vote directly on changes to town law during the annual Town Meeting. Laws are then administered by a Board of Selectmen.

In Francestown, Town Meeting is essentially a two-tiered process. The first tier is Town Elections, held the second Tuesday in March; the second is Town Meeting, open to all registered voters and held the 2nd Saturday in March at the Francestown Town Hall.

The day-to-day administration of Francestown is the responsibility of its various boards and officials. Meetings of all town boards are open to the public and meeting agendas are posted at the town offices and the post office.

Town Clerk & Tax Collector Town Office Building, Main Street Open Monday–Thursday, 8:00am–Noon Monday 6:00pm–8:00pm Phone: (603) 547-6251 Fax: (603) 547-2622

The Town Clerk’s office is the local repository of records, and keeps track of local births, deaths, marriages, population, and voter registration. The Town Clerk’s office is where you go to register to vote, to obtain automobile registrations, dog licenses, marriage licenses, candidacy forms for elected office and annual reports. One of the few permits not issued by the Town Clerk is a permit to burn. Burn permits may be obtained by contacting one of the fire marshals. The Tax Collector is responsible both for billing and collecting taxes. Payment is accepted either by mail or in person.

Board of Selectmen Town Office Building, Main Street Office Hours Monday–Thursday, 8:00am–Noon Monday 7:00pm Phone: (603) 547-3469

The Board of Selectmen acts as the executive branch of Francestown government. The Board consists of three members each elected for a three-year term. The terms are rotated so one selectman stands for re-election each year. It is the Selectmen’s Office that is responsible for keeping and maintaining town records; issuing building permits; administering property valuations; overseeing town budgets, buildings, and employees; and the overall management of the town. The Selectmen are aided by a full-time Administrative Assistant, appointed by the Board, who handles the daily office business and serves as a liaison between town officials and citizens. The Selectmen meet every Monday evening at 7 PM. To be on their agenda for a regular scheduled meeting, please contact the Selectmen’s Administrative Assistant at 547-3469. In addition to appointing the Administrative Assistant, the Board of Selectmen also appoint personnel for numerous positions, including Police Chief, Town Counsel, Building Inspector, and members of the Budget and Advisory Committee, the Zoning Board of Adjustment, and the Conservation Commission. For a complete listing, refer to the Annual Town Report.

Planning Board Town Office Building, Main Street Meets 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the Month at 7:30pm Chair: Sarah Pyle, 547-3934 Click here to download forms

The six-member Planning Board’s primary responsibility is to regulate zoning and land use. Members are elected for a three year term. Terms are rotated so that 2 members of the Planning Board stand for re-election each year. A chairman and three alternate board members are elected by the sitting board. The Planning Board administers the adoption and amendment of zoning laws, which must be passed by a majority vote at Town Meeting. The Planning Board also rules on all applications for subdivision or annexation, and reviews site plans. Working with the Selectmen and various town officials, the Planning Board is responsible for preparing the annual Capital Improvement Plan, a comprehensive long-range spending plan for the town’s capital expenditures. A copy of the five-year CIP is mailed to town residents annually, the recommended annual expenditure is included in the Annual Report. All Planning Board Meetings are open to the public (with the exception of executive sessions) and are posted in a public notice at the Town Hall Annex and the Post Office. The Board usually meets the first and third Tuesday of the month. Questions for the Planning Board may be directed to the Planning Board Chair, Sarah Pyle, at 547-3934.

Zoning Board of Adjustment Town Office Building, Main Street Meets Thursday evenings, as business dictates Chair: Charlie Pyle, 547-3934 Click here to download forms

Appointed by the Board of Selectmen, the five-member (and three alternates) Zoning Board of Adjustment hears applications for special exceptions and variances to the zoning laws. The Zoning Board meets Thursday nights as the business of the board dicates. “Special Exceptions” are land uses that are permitted under the town’s zoning laws only after review of the suitability of the use for the specific site. Some examples of uses that require a special exception are day care facilities, bed and breakfasts, or retail businesses. A “Variance” is a specific right granted to a property owner to be exempted from a specific zoning ordinance. Questions for the Zoning Board should be directed to ZBA Chairman, Charlie Pyle, at 547-3934.

Conservation Commission Town Office Building, Main Street Meets 1st Monday of the month Chair: Betsy Hardwick, 547-8773

The Francestown Conservation Commission is a seven-member (and three alternates) board of appointed volunteers charged with the protection of the town’s natural resources. The Commission manages conservation lands for Francestown, most notably the nearly 900-acre Town Forest, including responsibility for forest management and trail maintenance. The Commission applies for grants for land acquisition as well as a variety of conservation projects, monitors conservation easements held by the town, and organizes hikes, work days, clean-ups and Earth Week/Day observations. For more information on the Conservation Commission properties and activities and how you can get involved, contact Conservation Commission Chair Betsy Hardwick at 547-8773.

Francestown Recreation Department P.O. Box 263 Francestown, NH 03043 Contact: Doug Langlois

The Recreation Commission is responsible for administering all town-sponsored recreation programs including summer camps, swim lessons, youth baseball teams in the spring and youth basketball programs in the winter. Recreation Commission volunteers are the overseers of the Town Recreation Fields and the Town Beach. Volunteers are always needed to help coach and administer various programs; to help, contact Doug Langlois.

Heritage Commission Town Office Building, Main Street Meets 2nd Saturday of the month Chair: Diane Curran, 547-6418 Click here for meeting minutes

At the 2005 Town Meeting voters passed Article 25, which established a Heritage Commission according to the provisions of RSA 673:4-a. Composed of five members and two alternates appointed by the Selectmen, the Commission serves as an advisory body to local agencies and boards, identifying and protecting historic and cultural resources of community significance. The Commission's authority is granted under RSA 674:44-b. Meetings are held the second Saturday of the month at 9:00am in the Town Office building (downstairs, in the public meeting room).