The Historical Commission is the agency responsible for ensuring that preservation concerns are considered in community planning and development decisions. It operates under the statutory authority of MGL Ch 40. Its members are appointed by the Board of Selectmen. As of April 16, 2010 the Commission has two vacancies. Letters of interest should be submitted to Chairman Stephen DeMarco. The Commission also performs the functions of the Historic District Commission, the two commissions having been merged by the Board of Selectmen in 2002. In this role the Commission acts as the authority responsible for regulatory design review within the designated local historic districts. There are four districts: Main Street, Mount Pleasant-South Street, Downtown and Broadway. The purpose of the historic districts, as described in MGL Ch 40C, sec 2 is “to promote the educational, cultural, economic and general welfare of the public and owners of property located in historic districts through the preservation and protection of the distinctive characteristics of buildings and places significant in the history of the Commonwealth and its cities and towns..”