hreppstjóri (ON) noun

A leader or councilman within an Icelandic commune (ON hreppr). Five of them governed a commune, and they were elected annually. Possibly the same as a hreppsóknarmaðr (q.v.), the designation being replaced over the course of the twelfth century. The position was unpaid, but according to early fourteenth-century documents, holders of the post were entitled to a portion of certain fines, such as penalties for failing to uphold decisions passed by the hreppstjórar (DI II nr. 182, 1305). In addition to administering duties assigned to the commune, such as maintenance for the poor, a hreppstjóri was, according to Gamli sáttmáli, also responsible for delivering tax payments to the king’s representative.

commune councilman OIce KRA 15
commune leader OIce Grg Ómb 143 Refs:

CV; F; Hertzberg s.v. reppstjóri; Jón Viðar Sigurðsson 2011b; KLNM s.v. embedsindtægter, hreppr; LexMA s.v. hrepp; Lýður Björnsson 1972−79, I:50, 59−64