A.
The Town Manager shall develop and annually revise a long-range general
financial plan for the Town. The plan shall project anticipated revenues
from all sources, provide projections relating to the Town's future
debt obligations and identify anticipated municipal problems likely
to require major expenditures in the future.
[Amended ATE 5-15-2007, Question 12]
B.
The financial plan shall be reviewed by the Select Board and Finance
Committee and adopted by the Select Board with or without amendments.
[Amended ATE 5-19-2020, Question 3]
A.
On or before the first day of October each year, the Town Manager
shall request and receive from all financial officers the estimated
revenues for the next fiscal year.
[Amended ATE 5-15-2007, Question 12]
B.
Upon receipt by the financial officers of any additional specific
fiscal data provided by the Commonwealth or from any other source,
such estimates shall be revised, updated and submitted forthwith to
the Town Manager.
[Amended ATE 5-15-2007, Question 12]
C.
On or before the first day of November of each year, the Select Board,
after consulting with the Town Manager, shall issue a policy statement
relating to the budget for the next fiscal year. The statement shall
establish the outer limits of possible budget growth for the Town.
[Amended ATE 5-15-2007, Question 12; ATE 5-19-2020, Question 3]
D.
All department heads and governmental bodies shall submit their budget
requests to the Town Manager on or prior to the first day of December
each year. The budget request submitted by the School Committee shall
be submitted in sufficient time, and in sufficient detail, to enable
the Town Manager to assess the probable impact of the School Department's
budget upon the total Town budget.
[Amended ATE 5-15-2007, Question 12]
E.
On or prior to the first day of January of each year, the Town Manager
shall submit to the Select Board a comprehensive budget for all Town
functions for the ensuing fiscal year and an accompanying budget message.
[Amended ATE 5-15-2007, Question 12; ATE 5-19-2020, Question 3]
F.
The budget message shall explain the budget both in fiscal terms
and in terms of what specific projects are contemplated in the year
ahead. It shall:
(1)
Outline the proposed financial policies of the Town for the ensuing
fiscal year.
(2)
Describe the important features of the budget.
(3)
Indicate any major changes from the current year in financial policies,
expenditures and revenues, together with the reasons for such changes.
(4)
Summarize the Town's debt position.
(5)
Include such other material as the Town Manager may deem appropriate.
[Amended ATE 5-15-2007, Question 12]
G.
The budget shall provide a complete financial plan for all Town funds
and activities in such format as the Finance Committee may suggest,
provided the format suggested is compatible with the standards recommended
by the State Association of Finance Committees. The budget shall indicate
proposed expenditures for both current operations and capital improvements
during the ensuing fiscal year, detailed by departments, offices,
governmental bodies and specific purposes and projects.
H.
The Finance Committee shall annually review the salaries of all elected
officials and make recommendations to the Town Meeting.
[Amended ATE 5-15-2007, Question 6; ATE 5-19-2020, Question 3]
[Amended ATE 5-15-2007, Question 12; ATE 5-19-2020, Question 3]
A.
The Select Board shall within fifteen (15) days adopt the budget,
with or without recommendations, and submit it to the Finance Committee
on or before the 16th day of January of each year. The Select Board
shall also transmit the budget request of the School Committee to
the Finance Committee.
B.
The Finance Committee shall conduct at least one (1) public hearing
on the proposed budget and shall issue printed recommendations and
detailed explanations on all financial articles in an annual Finance
Committee report, which shall be mailed or distributed to the residences
of all members of the Town Meeting at least fourteen (14) days prior
to any scheduled Town Meeting. In preparing its recommendations, the
Committee may require the Town Manager or any Town department, office
or any governmental body to furnish it with appropriate financial
reports and budgetary information.
C.
The Select Board shall be responsible for presenting the budget to
the Town Meeting.
[Amended ATE 5-19-2020, Question 3]
The Town Meeting shall adopt the budget, with or without amendments,
prior to the beginning of the fiscal year.
A.
The Town Manager shall prepare a five-year Capital Improvements Plan
consistent with the Strategic Plan and the Local Comprehensive Plan
which shall include a clear summary of its contents; a list of all
capital improvements proposed to be undertaken during the next five
(5) fiscal years, together with supporting data; cost estimates, methods
of financing and recommended time schedules; and the estimated annual
cost of operating and maintaining the facilities or equipment to be
constructed or acquired. The above information shall be revised and
extended each year with regard to capital improvements pending or
in the process of construction or acquisition.
[Amended ATE 5-15-2007, Question 12; ATE 5-17-2022, Question 8]
B.
The Capital Improvements Plan shall be submitted to the Select Board
on or before the 15th day of December of each year. The Board shall
act thereon within thirty (30) days and shall then submit it to the
Finance Committee, which shall issue its recommendations to the Town
Meeting.
[Amended ATE 5-19-2020, Question 3]
The Finance Committee shall publish, in one (1) or more newspapers
of general circulation in the Town, the general summary of the Capital
Improvements Plan and a notice stating:
A.
The time and places where copies of the Capital Improvements Plan
are available for inspection.
B.
The date, time and place, not less than seven (7) days following
such publication, when the Committee shall conduct a public hearing
on said plan. The public hearing shall be conducted at least thirty
(30) days prior to the Town Meeting at which the capital budget is
acted upon.
Except as otherwise provided by General Laws or bylaw, all moneys
and fees received by any department, officer or governmental body
shall be paid forthwith into the Town treasury.
Every appropriation, except an appropriation for a capital expenditure,
shall lapse at the close of the fiscal year to the extent that it
has not been expended or encumbered. An appropriation for capital
expenditure shall continue in force until the purpose for which it
was made has been accomplished or abandoned, after which any funds
remaining in the appropriation shall be returned to the general fund
by the Town Accountant. The purpose of any such appropriations shall
be deemed abandoned if three (3) years pass without any disbursement
from or encumbrance of the appropriation.
The budget and Capital Improvements Plan shall be public records,
and copies shall be kept available for inspection at the office of
the Town Clerk and at the Falmouth Library.