A leading magistrate and former feudal retainer of the Saga clan, Yoshitake SHIMA, who accompanied the chief of the Development Commission, established a temporary office in Zenibako (present-day, Zenibako, Otaru City) and started the designing of the urban district of Sapporo City and the construction of a head office in Sapporo.
長官の赴任に同行した佐賀藩士島義勇首席判官は、銭函（現小樽市銭函）に開拓使仮役所を開設し、札幌市で市街の設計と庁舎の建設を始めた。