The fiscal year of the Town shall begin on the first day of
July and shall end on the last day of June, unless another period
is required by general law.
(a)
Preparation. The School Committee shall consider, in open public
meetings, the detailed expenditures proposed by the Superintendent
of Schools for the ensuing fiscal year. The budget shall be arranged
to show the actual expenditures for the two previous fiscal years,
and the estimated expenditures for the current year and ensuing fiscal
year. It shall include an impact statement detailing planned changes
in operation or staffing from those in place during the current fiscal
year. The School Committee may require the Town Manager, or any other
Town agency, to furnish it with information it may deem necessary
to assist it in its review and consideration of the proposed operating
budget.
(b)
Adoption and submission. Prior to final approval of its proposed
budget, the School Committee shall hold a public hearing for which
notice is provided in a local newspaper at least one week prior thereto.
At this hearing, interested residents of the Town shall be permitted
to share their views about the proposed budget; provided, however,
that the Chair of the School Committee shall have authority to set
reasonable rules for such participation. The final proposed budget
adopted by the School Committee shall be submitted to the Town Manager
no later than eight weeks prior to the date set by the Select Board
for convening the Spring Annual Town Meeting.
[Amended 10-21-2019 FTM by Art. 3]
(a)
Anticipated revenues and expenditures. No later than the third week
in February, the Town Manager shall make available to the Select Board,
the School Committee and the Finance Committee a statement detailing
budgeted revenues and appropriated expenditures for the current fiscal
year, and estimated revenues and expenditures for the ensuing fiscal
year, accompanied by supporting or explanatory documents when appropriate.
Subsequent updates and revisions of this statement shall be given
to the three boards no less than every two weeks following the initial
presentation up until the date of the Spring Annual Town Meeting,
and subsequently as is deemed necessary.
[Amended 10-21-2019 FTM by Art. 3]
(b)
Preparation. The Town Manager shall have the sole authority to prepare
and submit the proposed annual Town budget to the Select Board and
the Finance Committee. The Town Manager may submit various parts of
the proposed budget to the Select Board and the Finance Committee
in whatever manner and at whatever date the Town Manager believes
to be appropriate, subject to the restrictions set forth herein.
A complete proposed budget must be presented to the Select Board
and the Finance Committee for their consideration no later than six
weeks prior to the date set by the Select Board for convening the
Spring Annual Town Meeting.
The proposed budget shall include separate amounts for "personnel
services" and for "other charges and expenses" for each department
or category, along with additional supportive or explanatory documentation
when appropriate. The budget shall be arranged to show the actual
expenditures for each line item in the two previous years, the appropriated/transferred
amount for the current fiscal year, the departmental request and the
Town Manager's recommendation for each line item for the ensuing fiscal
year. Amendments or changes to the proposed budget may, if necessary,
be proposed by the Town Manager to the Select Board and the Finance
Committee up until the time and date of the Spring Annual Town Meeting.
[Amended 10-21-2019 FTM by Art. 3]
(c)
Finance Committee recommendation. The Finance Committee shall consider, in open public meetings, the detailed expenditures proposed for each Town agency, and may confer with representatives of each agency concerning its review and consideration. The Finance Committee may require the Town Manager, or any other Town agency, to furnish it with additional information, as it may deem necessary, to assist it in its review and consideration of the proposed operating budget. The Finance Committee shall file a report to the Spring Annual Town Meeting containing its recommendations for action to be taken on each line item in the proposed operating budget as submitted by the Town Manager, which report shall be made available as provided in Section 2-3(b). Prior to finalizing its report, the Finance Committee shall conduct a public hearing in accordance with the provisions of Section 2-3(b).
The Finance Committee shall present the proposed operating budget
for the ensuing fiscal year to the Town Meeting under a motion similar
to the following: "Moved that the operating budget be adopted in the
amounts as recommended by the Finance Committee."
[Amended 10-21-2019 FTM by Art. 3]
(a)
Capital Improvements Committee. There shall be a Capital Improvements
Committee, which shall consist of one member of the Finance Committee,
one member of the Select Board, one member of the School Committee,
and one member of the Planning Board, each of whom shall be designated
by the respective board or committee to which they belong, and their
names reported to the Town Manager no later than September 15 of each
year. In addition, the Town Manager shall serve on the committee.
(b)
Five-year planning program. No later than the first week of March,
the Capital Improvements Committee shall submit to the Select Board
and the Finance Committee a list of all capital improvements proposed
by any department to be undertaken during the next ensuing five years,
along with general cost estimates and recommended time schedules for
each improvement. This list shall include any ongoing costs and time
lines for projects already underway.
(c)
Annual capital improvements budget. No later than seven weeks prior
to the convening of the Spring Annual Town Meeting, the Town Manager
shall submit to the Capital Improvements Committee, the Select Board
and the Finance Committee a schedule showing all capital improvement
projects, new and ongoing, which have been proposed for the ensuing
fiscal year. It should also indicate those items to be paid for over
several fiscal years, and the methods of financing each improvement.
This schedule should also indicate which of the proposed improvements
is recommended for funding by the Town Manager.
(d)
Report of the Capital Improvements Committee. Not later than four
weeks before the date set by the Select Board for convening the Spring
Annual Town Meeting, the Capital Improvements Committee shall submit
its recommendations to the Finance Committee.
(e)
Action of the Finance Committee. The Finance Committee shall consider the report of the Capital Improvements Committee and determine the Finance Committee's recommendations in an open public meeting. The recommendations of the Finance Committee regarding capital improvements for the next fiscal year shall be contained in the Committee's report and recommendations to the Town Meeting on all warrant articles, as provided in Subsection (b) of Section 2-3.
[Amended 10-21-2019 FTM by Art. 3]
The Town Manager shall be the chief fiscal officer of the Town.
Warrants for the payment of Town funds prepared by the Town Accountant
in accordance with the provisions of the general laws shall be submitted
to the Town Manager. The approval of any such warrant by the Town
Manager and at least three members of the Select Board shall be sufficient
authority to authorize payment by the Town Treasurer, but the Select
Board alone shall approve all warrants in the event of the absence
of the Town Manager or a vacancy in the office of Town Manager.
[Amended 10-21-2019 FTM by Art. 3]
The Select Board shall provide for an independent annual audit
of all financial books and records of the Town. Audits of the Town's
financial books and records shall be conducted by a certified public
accountant, or firm of such accountants, having no interest, direct
or indirect, in the affairs of the Town.
