The fiscal year of the Town shall begin on the first day of
July and shall end on the last day of June, unless another period
is required by general law.
[Amended 10-21-2019 FTM by Art. 3]
(a) Capital Improvements Committee. There shall be a Capital Improvements
Committee, which shall consist of one member of the Finance Committee,
one member of the Select Board, one member of the School Committee,
and one member of the Planning Board, each of whom shall be designated
by the respective board or committee to which they belong, and their
names reported to the Town Manager no later than September 15 of each
year. In addition, the Town Manager shall serve on the committee.
(b) Five-year planning program. No later than the first week of March,
the Capital Improvements Committee shall submit to the Select Board
and the Finance Committee a list of all capital improvements proposed
by any department to be undertaken during the next ensuing five years,
along with general cost estimates and recommended time schedules for
each improvement. This list shall include any ongoing costs and time
lines for projects already underway.
(c) Annual capital improvements budget. No later than seven weeks prior
to the convening of the Spring Annual Town Meeting, the Town Manager
shall submit to the Capital Improvements Committee, the Select Board
and the Finance Committee a schedule showing all capital improvement
projects, new and ongoing, which have been proposed for the ensuing
fiscal year. It should also indicate those items to be paid for over
several fiscal years, and the methods of financing each improvement.
This schedule should also indicate which of the proposed improvements
is recommended for funding by the Town Manager.
(d) Report of the Capital Improvements Committee. Not later than four
weeks before the date set by the Select Board for convening the Spring
Annual Town Meeting, the Capital Improvements Committee shall submit
its recommendations to the Finance Committee.
(e) Action of the Finance Committee. The Finance Committee shall consider the report of the Capital Improvements Committee and determine the Finance Committee's recommendations in an open public meeting. The recommendations of the Finance Committee regarding capital improvements for the next fiscal year shall be contained in the Committee's report and recommendations to the Town Meeting on all warrant articles, as provided in Subsection
(b) of Section
2-3.
[Amended 10-21-2019 FTM by Art. 3]
The Town Manager shall be the chief fiscal officer of the Town.
Warrants for the payment of Town funds prepared by the Town Accountant
in accordance with the provisions of the general laws shall be submitted
to the Town Manager. The approval of any such warrant by the Town
Manager and at least three members of the Select Board shall be sufficient
authority to authorize payment by the Town Treasurer, but the Select
Board alone shall approve all warrants in the event of the absence
of the Town Manager or a vacancy in the office of Town Manager.
[Amended 10-21-2019 FTM by Art. 3]
The Select Board shall provide for an independent annual audit
of all financial books and records of the Town. Audits of the Town's
financial books and records shall be conducted by a certified public
accountant, or firm of such accountants, having no interest, direct
or indirect, in the affairs of the Town.