The Board of Control was the first local government. It was begun by seven men who owned real estate in the community. They voted it into existence by six to one,1 and agreed to take over certain responsibilities formerly held by John Pitcairn. As these included water utilities and road repair and upkeep, this new body instituted a property tax.
Their President was Robert Glenn, son of Benjamin Glenn, and the other members were made up of three laymen and one priest. They laid out the first cemetery, appointed a village superintendent and procured some form of fire safety system.
1 Meyers, Mary Ann, A New World Jerusalem, 1983, p.56.