Nomination forms for all 240 Town Meeting seats and town-wide elected positions are available at the town clerk's office.

The ballots for the April 3 elections are expected to have an unusually long list of candidates as the town conducts its first election after a mandated redistricting process that followed the 2010 federal census.

At least 24 Town Meeting candidates from each of the 10 precincts are needed for full slates. All candidates, including incumbents with unexpired terms, must submit nomination forms with the signature of at least one registered voter by Feb. 14 at 5 p.m.

Town-wide seats include one position each on the Select Board, Housing Authority and Redevelopment Authority and positions as moderator and elector under the Oliver Smith Will, as well as two three-year seats on both the School Committee and Jones Library trustees and an additional one-year library trustee seat.

So far, the only newcomer to take out papers is Tamson Ely of Middle Street, running for a three-year seat as library trustee.

Nomination forms for town-wide office must have signatures from at least 50 registered voters for a person's name to appear on the ballot.

New appointments

Both the Board of Health and the Planning Board have new members following appointments by Town Manager John Musante that have been endorsed by the Select Board.

Ilana Schmitt of Red Gate Lane is joining the Board of Health. Schmitt, a physician at the University Health Services with a specialty in pediatrics, will bring energy and ideas to the board, Musante said.

Schmitt replaces David Kaufman who stepped down.

Kathleen Ford of Eames Avenue is the new Planning Board member, replacing Jonathan Shefftz, who had served as chairman prior to his resignation. Ford is an architect and partner at Ford Gillen Architects in Amherst.

"I'm quite comfortable she'll bring her ongoing energy and commitment and common sense to the board," Musante said.

Musante also named residents to two other boards: Jon Foster of Henry Street to the Leisure Services and Supplemental Education Commission and Sue Cairn of Pelham Road to the Recycling and Refuse Management Committee.

Climate change pact

Musante said Amherst is not yet ready to sign a pact with other cities and towns around the world that addresses climate change. The Global Cities Covenant on Climate, otherwise known as the Mexico City Pact, was launched Nov. 21, 2010, to showcase environmental actions by local communities.

"We're interested in pursuing, but not just yet," Musante said.

Instead, he said, the town will focus on becoming a state-certified green community. That designation would make it eligible for certain grants.

Stephanie Ciccarello, the town's new sustainability coordinator, is working on the required green community documents. Town Meeting in the spring unanimously adopted a building code that requires all construction to be more energy-efficient.

This so-called stretch code, which applies to both residential and commercial buildings, went into effect Jan. 1 and is one of the green community requirements.

Meetings

Wednesday: Policy Subcommittee of the Regional School Committee, 9 a.m., superintendent's office, middle school; Zoning Subcommittee, 5 p.m., and Planning Board, 7 p.m., both at Town Room, Town Hall.