[Adopted as Ch. V of the 1973 Bylaws]
A.
A Finance Committee of nine members shall be appointed at the Annual
Town Meeting: three by the Moderator for one year, two years, and
three years, respectively; three in similar fashion by the Select
Board, and three in similar fashion by the voters; and thereafter,
one annually by the Moderator, one by the Select Board, and one by
the voters, each for three years, at the Annual Town Meeting. The
Town Accountant shall ex officio be a nonvoting member of the Committee.
The terms of the members of the Committee shall expire at the close
of the Annual Town Meeting at which their successors are appointed.
After the conclusion of the Annual Town Meeting, the Committee shall
organize by choosing a Chairperson and a secretary, and shall cause
a true record of its proceedings to be kept. (1937: c. IV, s. 1)
B.
Whenever a vacancy occurs in the committee by resignation, failure
to qualify, or otherwise, the same shall be filled by the Committee.
If the Committee so votes, a member who is absent from four consecutive
meetings may be deemed to have resigned. The term of any person appointed
to fill a vacancy shall expire at the close of the next Annual Town
Meeting, and the vacancy shall then be filled by the exercise of the
appointive power under which the original appointment was made. (1937,
c. IV, s. 2)
[Amended 1973]
C.
No person holding an elective Town office shall be eligible to serve
on the Finance Committee. (1937, c. IV, s. 2)
[Amended 1973]
[1937: c. IV, s. 3; amended 1973]
A.
It shall be the duty of the Finance Committee to investigate cost,
maintenance, and expenditure of the different departments of the Town
service. It shall be the duty of the Select Board and the School Committee
to lay before the Finance Committee, no later than 65 days prior to
the Annual Town Meeting, their budgets and projected expenses for
the Town for the year, together with their recommendations for appropriations
necessary to provide for the operation of the Town government during
the year. It shall be the duty of the Electric Commissioners to lay
before the Finance Committee, no later than 65 days prior to the beginning
of the fiscal year, their projection of income and expenses for the
Electric Department for the year together with their proposed appropriations
for the operation, if applicable, of the Electric Department during
the year. It shall also be the duty of the Electric Commissioners
to consult with the Finance Committee before making changes in ownership
contacts relating to generating facilities outside the Town of Ipswich.
[Amended 10-23-1985 TM,
approved by Attorney General 12-9-1985; 10-15-2007 TM, approved by
Attorney General 1-23-2008]
B.
The Finance Committee shall hold at least one public hearing on the
said budgets before the Annual Town Meeting, and shall give a reasonable
public notice thereof.
[1963: c. IV, added Section A; added 3-4-1963 TM, approved by Attorney General 6-18-1963; amended 5-13-2014 TM,
approved by Attorney General 9-4-2014]
A.
All articles in any warrant for a Town Meeting, except articles providing
for election of Town officers, shall be referred to the Finance Committee
for consideration. After drawing any such warrant, the Select Board
shall immediately transmit a copy thereof to each member of the said
Committee.
B.
Before the Annual Town Meeting the Committee shall hold a public
hearing upon all such articles in the warrant for the meeting. A notice
of the hearing shall be published not less than three days before
the time of the hearing.
C.
The Finance Committee may hold a public hearing on any or all articles
in the warrant for a Special Town meeting. Notice of the hearing shall
be published not less than three days before the time of the hearing.
D.
[This subsection was deleted 5-13-2014 TM, approved by Attorney General
9-4-2014]
E.
Any report of the Finance Committee on articles in the warrant for
any Town Meeting shall be filed in the office of the Town Clerk not
later than 15 days before the date scheduled for the Town Meeting;
and the Town Clerk, under the direction of the Town Manager, shall
forthwith cause said report to be printed and a copy thereof to be
distributed prior to said meeting to each registered voter in the
Town.
The Committee shall have the authority to summon any of the
Town officials before it for such information and investigation as
it shall deem necessary, and shall have the authority to examine such
books and papers held by such officials as it may consider necessary
to the proper discharge of its duties. (1937: c. IV, s. 7)
A.
It shall be the duty of the Committee to make an annual report to
the Select Board to be distributed to the Town, and they shall cause
the matter in hand to be arranged in clear, compact form, and they
shall divide it in separate propositions wherever, in their judgment,
such division may be desirable. The Committee shall attach to each
proposition their recommendations. (1937: c. IV, s. 5)
[Amended 4-4-2000 TM,
approved 9-27-2000]
B.
It shall be the duty of the Finance Committee to consider the expenditures
in previous years and the estimated requirements for the ensuing fiscal
year as set forth in the budget submitted to them by the Select Board.
The Finance Committee shall add to the statement of expenditures,
and estimates submitted by the Select Board, another column, giving
the amounts which in its opinion should be appropriated for the ensuing
fiscal year, and shall further add thereto such explanations and suggestions
relating to the proposed appropriations as it may deem expedient,
and report thereon. (1963: c. IV, added Section B)
[Adopted 3-4-1963, approved
by Attorney General 6-18-1963]
C.
The report of the Finance Committee on articles in the warrant for
any Annual Town Meeting shall be filed in the office of the Town Clerk
not later than 15 days before the date scheduled for the Annual Town
Meeting; and the Town Clerk, under the direction of the Town Manager,
shall forthwith cause said report to be printed and a copy thereof
to be distributed prior to said meeting to each registered voter in
the Town. (1963: c. IV, added Section B)
[Adopted 3-4-1963 TM,
approved by Attorney General 6-18-1963]
