City of Belfast, ME Budget and Finance

Annual post audit. Each year the City shall have a post audit of its accounts of the last fiscal year by the State Department of Audit or by a qualified public accountant.

Sec. 2 Non-budgeted or non-emergency appropriations.

Non-budgeted or non-emergency appropriations in excess of $300,000 shall go to a special public hearing for approval.

Sec. 3 Treasury and accounts.

Fiscal accounts. The fiscal accounts of the City shall be kept by the Treasurer showing the financial transactions of all departments of the City.

Accounting system. The accounting records of the City shall be kept in conformity with generally accepted principles of municipal accounting and a uniform classification shall be used for revenue, expenditures and balance sheet accounts. The accounting forms shall be prescribed by the City Manager and shall be kept to show, at all times, the financial condition of the City.

Report of Treasurer. Prior to the regular meeting of the City Council, the Treasurer shall furnish the City Manager a detailed report of the receipts and disbursements on all accounts, the expenditure made and obligations incurred during the preceding calendar month and a balance sheet showing the financial condition of the City, of the several funds, and the unexpended account balance of each department.

Sec. 4 Disbursements.

Treasurer's warrant. The disbursement of money shall be paid out by the City Treasurer only on warrant upon the City Treasury issued by the City Manager.

Examination by Accounts Payable Auditor. The Accounts Payable Auditor shall examine all payrolls, bills, invoices and other claims and demands upon the City, and shall not authorize any item for payment upon the Treasurer's warrant until it has been validated, correctly computed and legally authorized.

Validity of a claim. The City Manager or City Auditor may require any claimant to make oath to the validity of a claim, may investigate any claim and for such purpose or purposes may examine witnesses under oath.

Sec. 5 City treasury; receipts.

All moneys paid to the City or received by any municipal officials, employee or agent of the City for, or in connection with, the business of the City shall be paid into the City Treasury and shall be deposited with such banking depositories as the Council may determine. All interest from deposits shall accrue to the benefit of the City.

Sec. 6 Official surety bonds.

The City Council shall require bonds, with sufficient sureties from all persons entrusted with the collection, custody, or disbursement of the public's moneys.

Sec. 7 Reports.

Administrative officers. Each of the administrative officers, department heads, and boards shall annually submit to the City Manager a report of the transactions, activities, of their departments for the year.

Annual report. From the reports submitted by the various municipal officials, the City Manager shall prepare and publish an annual report which in addition to a summary of the services performed by the various departments, shall show the following:

(1)

Receipts classified according to source.

(2)

A summary of expenditures classified according to departments and services.

(3)

Balance sheets.

(4)

Such other financial information as may be required by the City Council.

Sec. 8 Budget.

Not later than one month before the end of the fiscal year, the City Manager shall submit to the City Council a proposed budget for the ensuing fiscal year, which shall be compiled from information furnished by the administrative officers, department heads and boards, on forms which may be designated by the City Manager. The proposed budget shall contain:

A budget message which shall explain the budget in fiscal terms and in terms of service and work programs.

An exact statement of the financial condition of the City.

Itemized statement of appropriations recommended for current expenditures and a five-year Capital Improvement Program detailed by departments, office, special services, boards or agencies in terms of the respective programs. The Capital Improvement Program shall include:

(1)

A clear general summary of its contents;

(2)

A list of all capital improvements and other capital expenditures which are proposed to be undertaken during the five fiscal years ensuing, with appropriate supporting information as to the necessity for each;

(3)

Cost estimates and recommended time schedules for each improvement or other capital expenditures;

(4)

Method of financing, upon which each capital expenditure is to be reliant; and

(5)

The estimated annual cost of operating and maintaining facilities to be constructed or acquired.

	The above shall be revised and extended each year with regard to capital improvements still pending or in process of construction or acquisition.
	Each recommended appropriation shall be accompanied, in parallel columns, with comparative statements of budget expenditures for the current fiscal year.

Itemized statement of estimated revenue from all sources other than taxation; and a statement of taxes required, with comparative estimated figures and actual receipts from the current fiscal year.

Such other budget information as may be required by the City Council.

Sec. 9 City Council action on the budget.

Review by the Council. The City Council shall review the proposed budget as submitted by the City Manager at budget meetings established by the Council.

Amending the budget. During the review of the proposed budget, the City Council may adopt the budget with or without amendment, or it may add or increase budget programs or amounts and may delete or decrease any programs or amount, except expenditures required by law or for debt service.

Public hearing and publication of the budget. The City Council shall set a date, time and place for a public hearing on the budget which shall be not later than seven days prior to the date set for final passage of the appropriation resolve. A notice of the public hearing together with a summary of the budget shall be published in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the City at least seven days prior to the public hearing.

Annual appropriation resolve. Not later than one month after the beginning of the fiscal year the Council shall pass an annual appropriation resolve, which shall be based on the budget submitted by the City Manager and adopted by the City Council.

Interim appropriation. Before the annual appropriation resolve has been passed, the City Council may make appropriations to the various departments and accounts in amounts sufficient to finance the necessary expenses until the appropriation resolve is in force.

Overspending of appropriations prohibited. No payment shall be made or obligation incurred against any allotment or appropriation except in accordance with appropriations duly made and unless the City Manager or his designee first certifies that there is a sufficient unencumbered balance in such allotment or appropriation and that sufficient funds therefrom are or will be available to cover the claim or meet the obligation when it becomes due and payable. Any authorization of payment or incurring of obligation in violation of the provisions of this Charter shall be void and any payment so made illegal. A violation of this provision shall be cause for removal of any officer who knowingly authorized or made such payment or incurred such obligation. Such officer shall also be liable to the City for any amount so paid, except where prohibited by law, however, nothing in this Charter shall be construed to prevent the making or authorizing of payments or making of contracts for capital improvements to be financed wholly or partly by the issuance of bonds or to prevent the making of any contract or lease providing for payment beyond the end of the fiscal year, but only if such action is made or approved by ordinance.

Sec. 10 Reserve fund.

The City Council, in the appropriation resolve, shall provide for a reserve fund from which transfers may be made at the end of the fiscal year, by vote of the City Council, to cover overdrafts in any fund. After all warrants have been paid, any unexpended balance or balances in any fund, excepting in school and public library funds, shall be transferred to the reserve fund.

Sec. 11 Borrowing.

The borrowing of money by and for the City of Belfast shall be subject to the provisions of sections 11, 12 and 13 of this Article. The credit of the City shall in no manner be loaned or used in the aid of any individual, association or corporation.

Sec. 12 Bond issues.

Money may be borrowed, with the limits fixed by the Constitution and Statutes of the State, as amended, by the issue and sale of bonds or serial notes, pledged on the credit of the City, the proceeds to be used for the acquisition of land, the construction and equipment of building, and other public improvements, the acquisition of equipment, and the payment or refunding of bonds, notes and certificates of indebtedness previously issued, or for any other purpose for which municipalities are or hereafter may be authorized to borrow money by general law, provided that no bonds or serial notes shall be issued for plans or other preliminary expenses in connection with a public improvement unless they are issued at the same time as bonds or serial notes to finance the improvement for which such expenses were incurred. No order providing for the issue of bonds or serial notes shall be passed without public notice given by posting notice of the same in two public places in the City of Belfast and publishing said notice in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the City of Belfast, at least two weeks before final action by the City Council, and final adoption by affirmative vote of at least 4/5 of all the voting members of the City Council. Every issue of bonds, or serial notes shall be payable within a fixed term of years, in the case of bonds or serial notes issued for a public improvement or equipment for which they are issued as determined by the City Council and embodied in the order authorizing the issue, and in no case to exceed 30 years. Authorized issues of bonds or serial notes shall be payable in annual installments, and every order for the issue of bonds or serial notes, shall provide for a tax levy for each year of an amount necessary to meet the payment of the annual installment of principal and interest, and such amounts shall be included in the tax levy for each year until the debt is extinguished.

Sec. 13 Temporary loans.

Money may be borrowed in anticipation of receipts from taxes during any fiscal year, but the aggregate amount of such loans outstanding at any time shall not exceed 80% of the revenue from taxes received during the preceding fiscal year. All such loans shall be paid out of the receipts from taxes for the fiscal year in which they are issued, but shall nevertheless be general obligations of the City. Money may also be borrowed in anticipation of the receipts of proceeds from authorized issues of bonds or notes, and shall be subject to the laws of the State in relation thereto.

Sec. 14 Revenue bonds.

Money may be borrowed by the issuance and sale of revenue bonds in accordance with and subject to the provisions of the Revised Statutes relating thereto as the same may from time to time be amended.