Form of Government & Roles

Summerfield operates under a Council-Manager form of government. Council is the policymaking arm of governance while a professionally-trained manager implements policy and oversees daily operations. Citizens reaffirmed their desire to operate within this framework as recently as late 2018 and North Carolina towns with the population size of Summerfield operate almost exclusively as Council-Manager.

The Mayor is elected at-large for a two-year term with the election held in odd-numbered years. The Mayor is recognized as the elected "head" of government, but has limited authority under state general statute and local ordinances. The Mayor is often the spokesperson for the Town and presides over and maintains order during Council meetings. The Mayor cannot vote on actions before the Council unless there is a tie vote among members.

The Town Council (Council) is made of five citizens elected at-large to staggered four-year terms. An election is held every odd-numbered year, alternating between two and three council seats up for election. The Council elects a Mayor Pro-Tempore (Pro-Tem) to act as the Mayor when he or she is unavailable. Under the Council-Manager form of government, the elected Council members are community leaders and policymakers who help establish a vision for Summerfield. They hire a town manager to carry out policy and ensure that all residents are equitably served. The manager coordinates the work of the employees and they in turn help ensure the smooth and efficient delivery of services and implementation of policies.