Town Council Structure Primer for Citizens (Pt. 1)
11/26/2023
The Town Council meets three times in a month, according to the Town’s Charter. On the last and first Tuesday of the month, the Council holds work sessions to discuss matters related to governance, old business, and hear from community groups and members regarding initiatives and ideas that will further enhance residents/taxpayers living within the Town’s boundaries. On the second Tuesday of the month, the Council meets to: review the month’s business dealings, through reports from each of the Division Directors and the Town Manager, deliberate on ordinances and resolutions that guide the work undertaken by town staff, as well as the Boards, Commissions and Committees appointed by the Mayor and Council, and hear questions, concerns and ideas from residents.
Through this series of meetings each month, the business of the town is conducted and reviewed, in accordance with the Charter and the applicable laws of the State of Maryland.
One law in particular – the Maryland Open Meetings Act – requires that any business conducted by those elected, or appointed on the Town’s behalf, be conducted in public, that minutes be recorded (in writing), and that any ordinances (laws) and resolutions be lawfully adopted and published. While recent technology has allowed meetings to be recorded and accessible by video, written meeting minutes are the official record of meetings, and must often be relied upon when disputes of fact and/or intent arise thereafter.
Ordinances – referred to as enacting legislation – have the full force and effect of law, and cannot be ignored or set aside by any subsequent Council without a full process of deliberation, and passage of a superseding ordinance, or removal of the original one, in public meetings.
Resolutions – referred to as enabling legislation – guide the work and process of carrying out the business of the town as well as any boards, commissions and committees functioning under the direction of the Mayor and Council. These are not mere suggestions, but clearly express the intent of the Council and (hopefully) reflect the will of the People who live within the Town’s geographic boundaries.
Snow Hill functions under a Strong Mayor form of Government (a term of art, not defined by law), which means that the Mayor, elected at-large (by those who exercise their right and responsibility to vote), is responsible for executing the will and intent of the Council (through their expressed interests, resolutions and ordinances), and ensure the staff does their jobs well. The Council, currently three members who each represent a distinct geographic district, are directly responsible to the voters in their districts* to ensure a safe and secure community, and a well-functioning government. The town staff are paid to carry out the work necessary, and within the bounds of the Town’s laws and resolutions, as well as State Law. The Mayor’s responsibilities and Authority are laid out within the Town Charter, as are the Council’s.
In essence, the Mayor serves as the Executive branch of government similarly to the President of the United States, or the Governor of the State of Maryland. And the Council serves as the legislative branch of government, as the US Congress does at the national level and the Maryland Legislature does at the state level.
* Snow Hill has three voting districts, each represented by a Council person:
Eastern District – Janet Simpson
Central District – Diana Walsh
Western District – Margaret Ann Fletcher
If you are unsure of the district you live in, you can check the map located here, or call Town Hall to speak with the Town Manager, Rick Pollitt, or Executive Administrator Carol Sullivan.
There is an effort under way through a Charter Review Committee to determine how best to add two additional seats to the Council, possibly adding at least one of the two by the Town elections scheduled for May, 2024, when the Mayor and Eastern District Council seats will be elected. The Charter Review Committee was formed under the previous Mayor (Jennifer Jewell) and Town Council, and is considered an ad-hoc committee. The Committee is currently chaired by Michael Barlow an Assistant State’s Attorney and Town resident. The Committee meets on the third Thursday of each month at 5:00 pm at the Train Station on Belt Road. Agendas for upcoming meetings will be published on the Town Web site as well as on the What’s Happening Snow Hill Facebook Page.
In Maryland, you must register to vote at least 21 days prior to an election at any level of governance (local, county, state or federal). If you show up to vote and your registration is challenged, you can request to submit a provisional ballot. You have 30 days from the election date to provide evidence of residence and registration at the local Board of Elections for your ballot to be counted.
To determine if you are registered and where your polling site is, and which districts you reside in, visit the Maryland Board of Elections Voter Lookup Page
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