[HISTORY: Adopted by the Annual Town Meeting of the Town of Fairhaven 2-17-1934 by Art. 37 as Ch. V of the 1934 Bylaws. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Department of Finance — See Ch. 37.
[Amended 8-24-1957 STM by Art. 13; 6-14-2021 ATM by Art. 46]
There shall be a Finance Committee consisting of 13 members, two members to be appointed from each voting precinct in the manner and at the time hereinafter prescribed, and one member to be appointed at large. The Chair of each voting precinct shall within one month after the Annual Town Meeting of 1958 appoint from the voters of such precinct two members to represent the precinct on the Finance Committee. One member shall be appointed for a term of two years and one for one year. There shall be appointed each succeeding year by the Chair of each precinct at the time and in the manner above prescribed one member from such precinct to serve for a period of two years. The Moderator, Chair of the Select Board and Chair of the Finance Committee for the preceding year shall, annually at a meeting called for the purpose, appoint one member at large, who shall serve for a period of one year.
[Amended 8-24-1957 STM by Art. 13]
The Finance Committee shall as soon as convenient after notification of appointment, and at least within two months after the Annual Town Meeting, meet and perfect an organization by the election of a Chair and a Clerk who shall serve until their successors are elected.
[Amended 2-29-1936 ATM by Art. 43]
The duties of the Finance Committee shall be to thoroughly investigate all articles on the warrant for the Annual and Special Town Meetings that call for appropriations of money for town purposes and also all articles that in any way may affect the finances of the town, and shall report in writing to the Town Meeting members its recommendations thereto.
[Amended 4-24-1936 STM by Art. 3; 6-14-2021 ATM by Art. 46]
The Finance Committee shall (with the exception of the Secretary) serve without pay but may be reimbursed for all necessary expenses incurred in performance of its duties upon approval of such expenditures by the Select Board. Such expense when incurred and approved for payment by the Select Board shall be charged to the Town Meeting Expense Account.
Vacancies among the members of the Finance Committee which may occur by death, resignation or removal from the town shall be filled in the manner heretofore specified by appointment for the unexpired term only.
The Finance Committee shall, upon written request from any petitioner on any article on the warrant, grant such petitioner a hearing upon said article before final action on same is determined.
The Finance Committee shall, annually, not later than one week prior to the time fixed for the Annual Town Meeting, prepare and publish for the benefit of Town Meeting members and voters and distribute to the same its recommendations as to the several articles on the warrant coming under its jurisdiction, and the amounts required to be appropriated to cover the expenditures of the various departments of the town for the next fiscal year. It shall also report, in detail, the amounts of maturing bonds or notes and the amount required for interest or other outstanding indebtedness of the town. It shall also at the same time prepare and publish a comparative statement, in parallel columns, of each department of funds and the expenditures thereof for the previous two years. It shall at the same time report and publish estimates of revenues from all sources, as far as possible, with the probable amount to be levied and raised by taxation to defray the expenses and liabilities of the town for the next ensuing fiscal year.
[Amended 8-24-1957 STM by Art. 13; 1-30-2001 STM by Art. 21]
No person shall be eligible to serve on the Finance Committee who is an employee of the town or who holds an elective or appointive position in the town government, whether or not the employment or position carries any salary or compensation, except Town Meeting members elected under Section 2 of Chapter 285 of the Acts of 1930 and except appointed members of any advisory or ad hoc committees. This section shall become effective 30 days after adjournment of the Annual Town Meeting of 1958.