The fiscal year of the Town shall start on July
1 and terminate on June 30 of the succeeding year.
[Amended 12-16-2019]
All departments, offices, agencies, boards,
commissions, committees and authorities shall submit to the Director
of Finance and the First Selectman, at such time and in such manner
as the First Selectman prescribes, but no later than January 2 of
each year, an estimate of proposed revenue and expenditures relating
to their respective departments, offices and public bodies for the
fiscal year to commence the following July 1. The Board of Education
shall submit to the First Selectman and Director of Finance its proposed
budget no later than January 23 of each year.
The budget as proposed by the First Selectman
shall consist of:
1.
An expense budget for all Town expenditures, including
expenditures of the Board of Education.
2.
A capital expense budget.
3.
A financial plan for the fiscal year.
4.
An explanation by the First Selectman of the proposed
budget and the fiscal policy proposed by the First Selectman.
5.
Recommendations of the First Selectman concerning
all proposed Town expenditures and capital projects.
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The budget as proposed by the First Selectman
shall be delivered to the Town Council not later than February 8 of
each year.
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[Amended 1-14-2019]
The Town Council, except as otherwise provided
by this Charter, has such powers and duties relating to the Town budget
and the Board of Education budget as are set forth in the Connecticut
General Statutes. The Council shall review the Town budget and shall
make such revisions as it deems desirable consistent with the welfare
and the resources of the Town. During its review of the budget, the
Council shall hold one public hearing, at which time any elector or
taxpayer may have an opportunity to be heard regarding the Town budget
as proposed by the First Selectman. Not later than March 15 of each
year, the Council shall forward the budget as proposed by the Town
Council to the Board of Finance.
[Amended 1-14-2019]
The Board of Finance, except as otherwise provided
by this Charter, has such powers and duties relating to the Town budget
and the Board of Education budget as set forth in the Connecticut
General Statutes for boards of finance. Upon receipt of the budget
as proposed by the Town Council, the Board of Finance shall review
the same and shall make such revisions as it deems desirable consistent
with the welfare and resources of the Town. During its review process
of the budget, the Board of Finance shall hold one public hearing,
at which such time the electors and taxpayers of the Town shall have
an opportunity to be heard regarding the budget as proposed by the
Town Council. After such meetings and hearings, the Board shall prepare
its final proposed annual budget and shall deliver the same to the
First Selectman not later than April 20 of each year.
[Amended 1-14-2019]
The First Selectman shall, upon receipt of the
budget as proposed by the Board of Finance, prepare the final proposed
annual Town budget to be submitted to the annual budget referendum.
The First Selectman shall cause to be published in a newspaper having
a general circulation in the Town of Monroe a summary of the final
proposed annual budget at least five days prior to the date of the
annual budget referendum.
The Town Clerk shall place notice of the annual
budget referendum in a newspaper having a substantial circulation
in the Town of Monroe at least five days before the date of the referendum.
The ballots shall be prepared by the Town Clerk, and the question
shall be worded in accordance with the requirement of § 9-369,
Connecticut General Statutes.
In addition to the vote on the proposed budget,
the budget referendum may also contain nonbinding advisory questions
as to whether or not the proposed budget is too high or too low, in
accordance with Connecticut General Statutes.
The annual budget referendum shall be held on
the first Tuesday in May of each year. Copies of the final proposed
annual budget shall be made available to the public at the Town Library
and the Town Clerk's office at least five days prior to the date of
the annual budget referendum. The annual Town budget shall be deemed
approved and shall become effective when approved by a majority of
those voting at the annual budget referendum. Not later than seven
days after approval by the annual budget referendum, the Board of
Finance shall file a copy of the approved annual Town budget in the
office of the Town Clerk. Within 10 days after such budget approval,
the Board of Finance shall determine and fix the tax rate in mills
for the ensuing fiscal year in accordance with the budget approved
in the referendum.
In the event that the proposed annual Town budget
is rejected at the annual budget referendum, the proposed budget shall
be reviewed by the First Selectman, who shall meet with and receive
input from all elected officials of the Board of Finance, the Town
Council and the Board of Education. All revisions shall be decided
by the First Selectman. The First Selectman shall thereupon call for
a second annual budget referendum to be held two weeks from the date
of the first annual budget referendum. Notice of each succeeding annual
budget referendum shall be published in a newspaper having a general
circulation in the Town not less than five days prior to the date
of each referendum. Copies of the revised annual budget as proposed
by the First Selectman shall be made available to the public at the
Town Library and the Town Clerk's office at least five days prior
to the date of such referendum.
In the event that the second annual budget referendum
rejects the proposed budget, third and succeeding budget referenda
shall be held two weeks following the date of the previous referendum,
and shall be held in accordance with the procedures outlined for the
second annual budget referendum as aforesaid, until such time as an
annual budget of the Town is approved by budget referendum. If the
budget remains unaccepted at the start of the fiscal year, the previous
mill rate will continue to prevail until such time as the budget is
accepted. The Board of Finance may direct the Tax Collector to mail
out tax bills reflecting the old mill rate until the budget has been
approved. Once the budget is approved, a supplemental tax bill may
be mailed to reflect the new mill rate, if necessary. The Council
may prescribe the hours of voting in a budget referendum.
(a)
The several offices, agencies, boards, commissions
and authorities of the Town shall not involve the Town in any obligation
to spend money for any purpose in excess of the amount appropriated
therefor in the approved annual budget, except as provided elsewhere.
(b)
No purchases shall be made by any office, agency,
board or commission of the Town, other than the Board of Education,
except through the First Selectman.
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Requests from the several offices, agencies,
boards or commissions for goods or services needed for the discharge
of their responsibilities or duties will be honored by the First Selectman
upon request unless the First Selectman provides alternative(s) to
meet such needs for goods or services.
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(c)
Each order drawn upon the Treasurer shall state
the office, agency, board or commission and the appropriation against
which it is to be charged.
(d)
No voucher, claim or charge against the Town
shall be paid until the same has been approved by the First Selectman
and audited by the Director of Finance.
(e)
Except as otherwise provided, checks shall be
drawn by the First Selectman for the payment of approved claims and
shall be valid only when countersigned by the Treasurer. The Treasurer
may draw checks for investment disbursement and disbursements required
for employee payroll deductions, including but not limited to social
security withholding, pension funds, and hospitalization or medical
insurance. The Chairman of the Council is authorized to act in the
absence or inability to act of either but not both the First Selectman
and the Treasurer.
(f)
When any office, agency, board or commission,
except the Board of Education, shall desire to secure a transfer of
funds in its appropriation from funds set apart for one specific purpose
to another, the First Selectman may make application to the Council
which may approve the transfer.
(g)
Upon request of the First Selectman, the Board
of Finance may transfer any unencumbered appropriation, balance or
portion thereof from one office, agency, board or commission to another
within the fiscal year after notice by the First Selectman to the
affected office or agency, board or commission. No transfer shall
be made from any appropriations for debt service or other statutory
charges.
(h)
Any portion of an annual appropriation remaining
unexpended and unencumbered at the close of the fiscal year shall
lapse, except for the capital or nonrecurring expenditure fund and
other such specifically allocated reserve funds. Appropriations for
capital construction or other permanent improvements shall not lapse
until the purpose for which the appropriation was made shall have
been accomplished or abandoned. A project shall be deemed to have
been abandoned if three fiscal years shall lapse without any expenditure
from or encumbrance of the appropriation therefor.
(i)
The Board of Finance shall provide a contingency
fund not to exceed 1/2 of one mill of the grand list within the annual
budget to cover unexpected conditions or requirements. Except as otherwise
provided in this Charter, additional expense appropriations over and
above the total amount of the approved annual budget shall not be
made, except from the contingency fund. Appropriations from the contingency
fund shall be approved by the First Selectman, the Council, and the
Board of Finance.
The Town shall make no contributions to any
organization or private corporation unless so authorized by Connecticut
General Statutes. With the exception of the volunteer fire departments,
no such contribution of more than $500 shall be made to any such organization
or corporation unless the Town is represented on its board by one
or more members nominated thereto by the First Selectman and approved
by the Council.
