The fiscal year of the Town of Cumberland shall be determined
by the Council.
The Town Manager, at least 35 days prior to the beginning of
each budget year, shall submit to the Council a budget and an explanatory
budget message. The budget authority of the Council shall be limited
to the final determination of the total appropriation to be made to
each of the several offices, departments and agencies of the Town.
This budget shall contain:
(a)
Exact statement of the financial condition of the Town.
(b)
Proposed expenditures for current operations during the ensuing fiscal
year, detailed by offices, departments and agencies in terms of their
respective work programs, and the method of financing such expenditures.
(c)
Proposed capital expenditures during the ensuing fiscal year, detailed
by offices, departments and agencies when practicable, and the proposed
method of financing each such capital expenditure.
(d)
An itemized statement of estimated revenue from all sources, other
than taxation, and a statement of taxes required, with comparative
figures from the current and next preceding year.
(e)
The Town budget shall include an appropriation in the amount of all
principal and interest that is scheduled to become due and payable
during the ensuing fiscal year on any general obligation bonds and
notes, other than (i) bond anticipation notes; (ii) bonds which the
Town Council has ordered to be refunded; and (iii) principal and interest
payments on bonds already funded by the Town such as by sinking fund
payments, debt service reserve funds or otherwise.
(f)
Such other information as may be required by the Council.
(a)
Submission to the Council. The Manager with the assistance of the
Planning Board shall prepare and submit to the Council a five-year
capital program at least three months prior to the final date for
submission of the budget.
(b)
Contents. The capital program shall include:
1.
A clear general summary of its contents;
2.
A list of all capital improvements which are proposed to be undertaken
during the five fiscal years next ensuing, with appropriate supporting
information as to the necessity for such improvements;
3.
Cost estimates, method of financing and recommended time schedules
for each improvement; and
4.
The estimated annual cost of operating and maintaining the facilities
to be constructed or acquired.
|
The above information may be revised and extended each year
with regard to capital improvements still pending or in process of
construction or acquisition.
|
The proposed budget prepared by the Manager shall be reviewed
by the Council, which shall approve the budget with or without amendments.
A general summary of the Town budget as approved by the Council shall
be printed and distributed, and the Council shall fix the time and
place for holding a public hearing on the budget and shall give a
public notice of such hearing as provided in this Charter. The Council
shall then review the budget and adopt the same, with amendments,
if any, no later than 60 days from the beginning of the fiscal year.
From the date of adoption of the budget, the several amounts
stated therein as proposed appropriations shall be and become appropriated
to the several agencies and purposes therein named.
From the date of adoption of the budget, the amounts stated
therein as the amount to be raised by the property tax shall constitute
a determination of the amount of the levy for the purposes of the
Town in the corresponding fiscal year. A copy of the budget as finally
adopted shall be certified by the Manager and filed by him with the
Town Assessor, whose duty it shall be to levy such taxes for the corresponding
fiscal year.
The budget for all departments shall include all proposed expenditures,
and the Council shall make a gross appropriation for each department
for the ensuing fiscal year. The gross appropriation for each department
shall not be exceeded except by consent of the Council.
At the request of the Town Manager and within the last three
months of the budget year, the Council may by resolution transfer
any unencumbered appropriations, balance or portion thereof between
general classification of expenditures within a department. Following
the close of the fiscal year the Council may also continue unexpended
balances in capital accounts and prepaid items.
In the period between the beginning of the fiscal year and the
appropriation of funds, the Council may authorize expenditures for
current departmental expenses chargeable to the appropriations for
the year when made in amounts sufficient to cover the necessary expenses
of the various departments.
Before the beginning of the budget year, the head of each office,
department or agency shall submit to the Town Manager a work program
for the year, which program shall show the requested allotments of
appropriations for such office, department or agency, by stated periods,
for the entire budget year. The Town Manager shall review the requested
allotments in light of the work program of the office, department
or agency concerned and may revise, alter or change such allotments
before approving the same. The aggregate of such allotments shall
not exceed the total of appropriations available to said office, department
or agency for the budget year.
(a)
Supplemental appropriations. If during the fiscal year the Manager
certifies that there are available for appropriation revenues in excess
of those estimated in the budget, the Council may make supplemental
appropriations for the year up to the amount of such excesses.
(b)
Emergency appropriations. To meet public emergency affecting life,
health, property, or the public peace, the Council may make emergency
appropriations. Such appropriations may be made by emergency ordinance.
To the extent that there are no available unappropriated funds to
meet such appropriations, the Council may by emergency ordinance authorize
the issuance of temporary notes, which may be renewed from time to
time, but the temporary notes and renewals of any fiscal year shall
be paid not later than the last day of the fiscal year next succeeding
that in which the emergency appropriation was made.
