Practical Civics

Some of the town governments in Caroline County are called “town councils”, while others are referred to as “town commissions.” What’s the difference?

One difference is that council systems have a mayor, while commissions have a president of the commission. Both systems rely on elected officials and town charters approved by voters, but they differ in how their authority is organized and exercised.

Mayor and Council
Denton, Federalsburg, Goldsboro, and Greensboro operate under a council–mayor form of government, which has a clear division between legislative and executive responsibilities. The town council serves as the legislative body, meaning they are responsible for passing ordinances, adopting budgets, and setting municipal policy. The mayor acts as the chief elected official, presiding over the council during meetings and helping things run smoothly. Goldsboro’s, Greensboro’s, and Denton’s mayors are nominated and voted upon by the other council members. In Federalsburg, the voters choose the mayor during elections.

Commissioners
The remaining towns - Hillsboro, Henderson, Templeville, Marydel, Ridgely and Preston operate under a commission form of government, which blends legislative and executive authority into a single governing body. Voters elect a group of commissioners who collectively govern the town. Rather than separating powers, the commission acts as both policymaker and administrator. The president of the commission, chosen by their fellow commissioners, serves primarily as a presiding officer and spokesperson, not as an independent executive. Authority is vested in the commission as a whole, and decisions are made collectively.

Administration
Much of the daily operations of municipal governments are handled by managers, clerks, and other staff under the guidance of the elected officials. The administrative staff is not elected, rather appointed by the elected officials.