The idea is that a small body of four or five people is better able to make certain decisions than a large, unwieldy city council.
They proved unpopular with many as they tended to centralize power in a small body while disempowering city councils.
The members included the Mayor, Borough Presidents, and other city-wide officials.
Boards of Control tended to be less representative of the diverse opinions and communities, with majority views among the population being overrepresented.
Because of these problems, many municipalities abolished Boards of Control in the years following World War II.