Amherst is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. The town comprises approximately 3,500 households and 12,000+ total residents. Amherst is governed under the SB2 annual Town Meeting system. Town meeting is organized and moderated by the Town Moderator. The five member Board of Selectmen oversee the Town Administrator and the department heads in between Town Meetings. Town departments include: The Department of Public Works, The Amherst Police Department, Amherst Fire Rescue, The Finance Department, The Town Clerk, Community Development, Tax and Assessing, Recreation and the Town Library. In addition, there are a number of appointed commissions and committees, as well as independently elected boards that also contribute to town governance, including: The Heritage Commission, The Conservation Commission, The Planning Board, The Zoning Board of Approval, The Capital Improvement Plan Committee, The Historic Village District Committee, The Cemetery Trustees, The Trustees of the Trust Fund, The Library Trustees, and various other volunteer committees and positions. Amherst schools are operated under an independent school district led by separately elected School Boards and are outside the scope of town government.