[Amended by Acts of 2018, Ch. 76, approved 4-12-2018; Acts of 2020, Ch. 164, approved 8-25-2020]
The select board and school committee shall
meet and confer as necessary 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 select board and the school committee in an advisory
capacity. The school superintendent and the town manager shall jointly
develop guidelines consistent with policies developed by the select
board and school committee.
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Within a time fixed by bylaw prior to the annual
town meeting, the town manager 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 manager 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
manager deems desirable.
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The preliminary budget as adopted by the school
committee shall be submitted to the town manager at least ninety days
prior to the spring session of the annual town meeting to enable the
town manager 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.
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[Amended by Acts of 2018, Ch. 76, approved 4-12-2018]
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
manager. The finance committee may confer with representatives from
any town agency in connection with its deliberations. The finance
committee may request the town manager or any town agency to provide
additional information. The finance committee shall submit the 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 manager with the accompanying recommendations of the finance
committee.
[Amended by Acts of 2020, Ch. 164, approved 8-25-2020]
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The town manager shall, in conjunction with
the capital planning committee, submit a capital improvement program
to the select board and finance committee at the date fixed by bylaw
for the submission of the proposed operating budget unless some other
time is provided by bylaw.
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Annually the select board, in conjunction with
the town manager, shall prepare a five 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.
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Warrants for payments of town funds prepared
by the Town Accountant shall be submitted to the Town Manager for
approval.
The treasurer shall be responsible for the management
of all town funds.
[Amended by Acts of 2018, Ch. 76, approved 4-12-2018; Acts of 2020, Ch. 164, approved 8-25-2020; 10-17-2022 ATM by Art.
19, ratified 4-4-2023]
The select board 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 fiscal affairs of the town government or any
of its offices; provided, however, that any certified public accountant
or firm of accountants that conducts said audit shall change the audit
team that performs the audit at least every five years.
