Town Commissioners

Ridgely is governed by a three-member elected board of Commissioners. These Commissioners are responsible for all legislative and major operational decisions of the Town.

• Responsibilities include:
• Passing an annual budget and supervising the expenditure of public funds
• Levying taxes and setting fees
• Considering and adopting legislation
• Overseeing and evaluating the work of Town employees and operations
• Making appointments to Town boards and commissions
• Representing the Town and its interests before the County, State, and Federal governments

John Hurley, Commissioner

May 2027

John Hurley has been a Ridgely Commissioner since 2012. Commissioner Hurley has lived on the Eastern Shore all his life and in Ridgely since 1987. His favorite thing about the town is its small-town charm. Commissioner Hurley has worked for the BWI Airport Fire Department for 30 years. He’s also a member of the Ridgely Volunteer Fire Department.

Brad Sears, Commissioner

May 2026

Brad Sears has been a Town Commissioner since July 2024. Commissioner Sears is a retired consultant/project manager with 30+ years in finance and information systems. He loves solving problems and embracing our small-town charm with Nancy, his wife. He is grateful for the opportunity to serve our Town.

Chad Leister, Commissioner

May 2028

Chad Leister is our newest Commissioner. Originally from Pasadena, Maryland, Commissioner Leister has lived in Caroline County for over fifteen years, the last 5 in Ridgely. His favorite thing about the town is the friendliness of the residents that gives a truly good neighbor feeling. He is the organizer for the Ridgely town-wide yard sale and loves seeing how people enjoy walking throughout the town during the event. In his spare time, Commissioner Leister enjoys metal detecting and searching for old bottles, hunting, and fishing.

The Ridgely Town Commissioners meet on the first Monday of each month at 6:00 PM a the Town Office. Meetings are also available via Zoom and the meeting link is published on each agenda.

Occasionally meetings are moved or cancelled due to holidays. All meetings are held at the Town Hall unless otherwise stated on the posted meeting agenda. Please check the Events Calendar to verify meeting dates and locations.

Public attendance at all meetings is welcome. The majority of each meeting is held in Open Session, though all or part of a meeting may be held in Closed Session under the authority of the Maryland Open Meetings Act law.

If you would like to request to be on an upcoming Commissioners meeting agenda, please email Town Clerk Stephanie Berkey at least one week prior to the meeting.

There is also time for public comment at the end of each meeting. Comments are limited to three minutes, and are subject to the public comment policy adopted by the Commissioners.

If you need reasonable accommodation to attend or participate in a Commissioners meeting, please contact the Town Office at (410) 634-2177.

The Town Commissioners may enact legislation and ordinances on a wide range of subjects, such as land use and zoning, infrastructure, and public safety. All legislation currently before the Commissioners for consideration and notices for public hearings required by law are posted in this section.

Pending Legislation

The consideration of legislation is posted on the agendas of the Commissioners. The full text of such legislation is posted under this section of the website and linked on the related agenda.

There is currently no legislation pending before the Commissioners.

Public Hearings

Certain actions require a public hearing before a vote may be held. Notices of upcoming public hearings are posted under this section of the website. Public hearings are also listed on the agenda of the meeting at which they will be held.

The Commissioners accept written testimony, as well as oral testimony at the hearings.

To submit written testimony on a pending action, please email Town Clerk Stephanie Berkey or mail testimony to Town Hall. Written testimony must be received by 4:00 p.m. on the day of the hearing.

Residents may also sign up to offer oral testimony at the beginning of the hearing. Comments are limited to three minutes and must be related directly to the matter of the public hearing.

There are currently no public hearings scheduled before the Commissioners.

Running for Office

The Commissioners are elected to three-year terms. The Commissioner in the third year of their term serves as President of the Board.

Elections are held on the fourth Monday in April each year. The terms of the Commissioners are staggered, so that one Commissioner is elected each year. In the case of a vacancy, a new Commissioner is elected in April to complete the term of the vacant position.

• In order to be eligible to run for Commissioner, an individual must:
• Be at least 25 years old,
• Be a qualified voter, and
• Have resided in the Town for at least one year prior to the date of the election.

To become a candidate for Commissioner, an individual must file a written certificate of candidacy with the Town office no later than the close of business on the first Monday in April. To receive a certificate of candidacy, please visit the Town Office in person during business hours.

Voting in Town Elections

One Town Commissioner is elected on the fourth Monday in April each year. Voting is from 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Town Hall.

To be eligible to vote in Town elections, you must:

• Be a citizen of the United States,
• Be at least 18 years of age,
• Have resided in the corporate limits of the Town for at least six months prior to the election,
• Have resided in the State of Maryland for at least one year prior to the election, and
• Be registered to vote at least 30 days prior to the election.

You may register to vote with the Caroline County Board of Elections. If you wish to register to vote only for Town elections and do not wish to register with the County Board, you may register with the Town office.

To make a request for an absentee ballot, you must make a request with the Town office at least fifteen days prior to the election. Completed absentee ballots must be returned to the Town office no later than by the close of polls on the election day.