The Carroll County Commissioners are a five-member elected board that governs Carroll County, Maryland, acting as both the legislative and executive branch because the county has never adopted charter or code home rule. The board sets the property tax rate, adopts the annual budget, shapes land-use policy, and oversees county departments. Each commissioner represents one of five numbered election districts and serves a four-year term.
Who the Five Commissioners Are
The current board is made up of:
- Joseph Vigliotti, District 1, serving as president
- Kenneth Kiler, District 2
- Tom Gordon III, District 3
- Michael Guerin, District 4, serving as vice president
- Susan W. Krebs, District 51Carroll County Government. Board of Carroll County Commissioners
The board selects its own president and vice president from among its members.
What the Board Does
Because Carroll County is a commission county, the same five people both pass local laws and run the government. In their legislative capacity, the commissioners adopt ordinances and resolutions covering land use, zoning, public health, nuisance abatement, and animal control, among other areas authorized under Title 10 of the Maryland Local Government Code.2Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Local Government – General Provisions In their executive capacity, they oversee county departments and appoint members to the boards and commissions that run parks, public works, emergency management, and other services. Charter counties split those jobs between an elected executive and a council; Carroll does not.
Land Use and the Master Plan
Long-range decisions about development, agricultural preservation, and infrastructure flow from the County Master Plan, which the Comprehensive Planning Division maintains. All land-use and policy decisions are expected to align with it.3Carroll County Government. Comprehensive Planning Division A separate Planning and Zoning Commission, appointed by the board, reviews whether proposed projects fit the plan and advises on changes to land-use codes. Rezoning outcomes almost always trace back to that framework.
Budget and Property Tax Rate
The commissioners adopt both an operating budget and a capital budget each spring, with the fiscal year running July 1 through June 30. For fiscal year 2027, the General Fund alone reached $645 million, an 11.2% increase over the prior year.4Carroll County Government. FY2027 Proposed Budget Released for Public Comment
The board also sets the county’s real property tax rate. For tax year 2025-2026, it stands at $1.018 per $100 of assessed value, a figure that has held steady for several years.5Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation. 2025-2026 Tax Rates and Homestead Credit Caps If you live in an incorporated town like Westminster, Sykesville, or Taneytown, a municipal tax is added on top of the county rate.6Maryland Department of Legislative Services. County and Municipal Real Property Tax Rates
School Funding
A large share of the budget goes to Carroll County Public Schools, and the commissioners cannot cut below a floor set by state law. Maryland’s maintenance of effort requirement obligates the county to appropriate at least as much per pupil in local funding as it did the previous year. If the county falls short, the State Comptroller can withhold income tax revenue and redirect it to the school system. A waiver from the State Board of Education is possible, but the request must be filed by the earlier of seven days after the legislative session ends or April 20 of the prior fiscal year.7Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Education 5-235
Elections, Terms, and Pay
Commissioners serve four-year terms and are elected by voters within their districts during the gubernatorial election cycle.8Maryland Manual On-Line. Carroll County, Maryland – Government, Legislative Branch All five seats are up at the same time, with the next regular election in 2026. Candidates must reside in the district they seek to represent.9Carroll County Board of Elections. Districts and Precincts
Each commissioner, including the board president, earns $49,998 a year according to fiscal year 2025 salary data reported to the Maryland General Assembly.10Maryland General Assembly. County Commissioners Salary Data
How to Attend or Speak at a Meeting
Maryland’s Open Meetings Act requires the board to meet in public, give adequate advance notice, and make minutes available for inspection.11Attorney General of Maryland. Open Meetings Act The Maryland Local Government Code reinforces that by prohibiting any county governing body from adopting an ordinance, resolution, or regulation outside an open meeting.12Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Local Government Code Section 9-101 – Meetings Agendas and calendar information are posted on the county website before each session.
To speak during a regular commissioner meeting, fill out a comment card (available at the back of the board room) and hand it to the county administrator before the meeting starts. Speakers get three minutes each. When your time is up, you can finish the sentence you’re on but cannot start a new point. Written comments are accepted as an alternative.13Carroll County Government. Citizen Participation Guidelines
Formal public hearings on major decisions like budget adoption or significant legislative changes are held separately, sometimes in the evening and at off-site venues like the Carroll Arts Center. Those hearings use the same sign-up and time-limit procedures, and testimony becomes part of the public record the commissioners consider before voting.