The Town Council and the School Committee shall meet and confer
prior to and during the budget process to review the financial condition
of the Town, revenue and expenditure forecasts, and other relevant
information in order to develop a coordinated and balanced budget.
The Finance Committee shall participate in the discussions with the
Town Council and the School Committee in an advisory capacity. The
School Superintendent and the Town Administrator shall jointly develop
guidelines consistent with policies developed by the Town Council
and the School Committee.
[Amended 11-5-2018 RTM
by Art. 37]
Within a time fixed by by-law prior to the Annual Town Meeting,
the Town Administrator shall submit to the Finance Committee a proposed
budget and capital improvement program for the ensuing fiscal year
with an accompanying budget message and supporting documents. The
budget message submitted by the Town Administrator shall explain the
budget in fiscal terms and in terms of work programs for all Town
agencies. It shall outline the proposed fiscal policies of the Town
for the ensuing fiscal year; describe important features of the proposed
budget; and, indicate any major variations from the current budget,
fiscal policies, expenditures and revenues, together with reasons
for such change. The proposed budget shall provide a complete fiscal
plan of all Town funds and activities and shall be in the form the
Town Administrator determines subject to the approval of the Town
Council. The preliminary budget as adopted by the School Committee
shall be submitted to the Town Administrator at least sixty (60) days
prior to the spring session of the Annual Town Meeting to enable the
Town Administrator to consider the effect of the School Department's
requested appropriation upon the total Town budget which is required
to be submitted under this section.
The Finance Committee shall, upon receipt of the budget and
capital improvement program, consider in public meetings the detailed
expenditures for each Town agency proposed by the Town Administrator,
excluding the municipal gas and light department. The Finance Committee
may confer with representatives from any Town agency in connection
with its deliberations. The Finance Committee may request the Town
Administrator or any Town agency to provide additional information.
The Finance Committee shall file a proposed budget and report its
recommendations for action prior to the date on which the Town Meeting
is to act on the proposed budget. The budget to be acted upon by the
Town Meeting shall be the budget proposed by the Town Administrator
with the accompanying recommendations of the appropriate Town officer,
multiple member body, or department affected by the article, and of
the Finance Committee.
The Town Administrator shall, in conjunction with a Capital
Planning Committee appointed by the Town Council, submit an Annual
Capital Improvement Program to the Town Council and the Finance Committee
at the date fixed by by-law for the submission of the proposed operating
budget unless some other time is provided by by-law.
The Town Council, in conjunction with the Town Administrator,
shall annually prepare a five (5) year financial forecast of Town
revenue, expenditures and the general financial condition of the Town.
The plan shall be submitted to the Finance Committee and shall be
available to the public ten (10) days prior to Annual Town Meeting.
Warrants for payments of Town funds prepared by the Town Accountant
shall be submitted to the Town Administrator for recommendation for
approval by the Town Council.
The Treasurer shall be responsible for the management of all
Town funds.
The Town Council shall provide for an annual audit of the books
and accounts of the Town to be made by a certified public accountant,
or firm of accountants, who have no personal interest, direct or indirect,
in the fiscal affairs of the Town government or any of its offices.
A complete copy of the audit shall be included in the Annual Report.
The Town Administrator shall, forthwith upon submission of the
proposed budget, provide for publication in a local newspaper of a
notice stating the date, time and place, not less than five (5) nor
more than fourteen (14) days following such publication, when a public
hearing shall be held by the Town Administrator on the proposed budget.
[Amended 11-5-2018 RTM
by Art. 38]
The Town Accountant shall make an annual financial report, to
be published as part of the Town's Annual Report, giving a statement
of all receipts and expenditures of the Town for the past fiscal year,
including those of funds managed by trustees or commissioners for
the Town and showing also the amount of each specific appropriation,
the expenditures therefrom, and the purpose for which money has been
spent; and said statement shall be arranged in accordance with the
classifications prescribed by the director of accounts. Such report
shall contain a statement of any change in the amount of the Town
debt during the year and a list of indebtedness incurred and unpaid
at the end of the fiscal year.
