The fiscal year of the Town of Rockland shall be in accordance
with the provisions of Chapter 44, Section 56 of the General Laws
of the Commonwealth.
[Amended by c. 99, Acts of
2024]
On or before the 31st day of December of each year the select
board shall prepare a budget for the ensuing fiscal year and shall
submit said budget to the Finance Committee. Said budget shall be
inserted in the Warrant for the Annual Town Meeting.
[Amended by c. 99, Acts of
2024]
The budget shall provide a complete financial plan of all Town
funds and activities for the ensuing Fiscal Year; and except as required
by law, shall be in such forms as the select board deem desirable.
It shall begin with a clear general summary of its contents and shall
show in detail all estimated income and proposed expenditures for
the ensuing fiscal year. It shall be so arranged as to show comparative
figures for actual and estimated income and expenditures of the current
fiscal year. It shall indicate in separate sections:
(1)
proposed expenditures for the current operation during the ensuing
fiscal year, as detailed by officers, departments and agencies, and
the method of financing such expenditures; and
(2)
proposed capital expenditures during the ensuing fiscal year, as
detailed by officers, departments and agencies, and the method of
financing each such capital expenditure. The total of the proposed
expenditures shall not exceed the total of the estimated income.
A.
There shall be a Finance Committee consisting of fifteen (15) registered
voters of the Town of Rockland who shall be appointed by the Moderator
for a term of three (3) years in such a manner that one-third (1/3)
of said Finance Committee shall be appointed annually, said appointments
being made as soon as practicable after the conclusion of each year's
Annual Town Meeting.
B.
In the event that any member of the Finance Committee shall resign
during his term of office, he shall not be eligible for reappointment
to the Finance Committee until the expiration of one (1) year from
the date of such resignation.
C.
No person shall serve as a member of the Finance Committee who holds
any Town position by reason of election or appointment. However, a
member or members of the Finance Committee may serve on special committees
established by vote of Town Meeting if such vote requires that a member
or members of the Finance Committee be named to said special committee.
Any member of the Finance Committee who shall become a candidate for
elected office in the Town shall ipso facto be disqualified from continuing
to serve as a member of the Finance Committee.
D.
The Finance Committee shall consider the budget as submitted to it
by the select board, and shall give its opinions as to each budgetary
item together with an explanation of said opinion. The select board
shall cause the opinion of the Finance Committee to be included in
appropriate places in the Warrant. The Finance Committee may hold
hearings and take any other action necessary to discharge its duties
hereunder. No appropriation shall be made at a Town Meeting until
the Finance Committee has reported thereon. The Finance Committee
shall endeavor to complete its duties and make its report within such
time as to allow the Warrant to be printed and distributed by the
select board in accordance with the terms of this Charter.
[Amended by c. 99, Acts of
2024]
E.
A majority of those members appointed shall constitute a quorum;
however, a lesser number may from time to time adjourn meetings of
the Finance Committee.
[Amended by c. 59, Acts of 2005]
F.
The Finance Committee shall choose its own officers and shall serve
without compensation, except that the Secretary shall be paid an annual
salary to be determined at the Annual Town Meeting.
G.
In addition to the specific powers enumerated above, the Finance
Committee shall have all the powers and duties conferred upon it by
the General Laws of the Commonwealth.
A copy of the budget and the capital program as adopted shall
be public records, and shall be deposited with the Town Clerk.
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, or as otherwise provided by a
vote at a Town Meeting. An appropriation for a capital expenditure
shall continue in force until the purpose for which it was made has
been accomplished or abandoned. The purpose of any such appropriation
shall be deemed abandoned if three (3) fiscal years pass without any
disbursement from or encumbrance of the appropriation.
[Added by c. 55, Acts of 2005]
(a)
There shall be a capital planning committee comprised of 7 voting
members, 2 of whom shall be appointed by the select board, 2 by the
finance committee, 1 by the school committee, and 2 by the moderator.
When first constituted the select board, the finance committee and
the moderator shall each appoint 1 member for a 3-year term and the
school committee 1 member for a 2-year term. The select board, the
finance committee and the moderator shall each appoint 1 member for
a 1-year term. Thereafter, following the annual town meeting, appointments
to the committee shall be made by the the same appointing authorities
so as to provide for overlapping 3-year terms. Two members of the
committee may also be current members of the finance committee. The
town administrator and the town accountant shall be non-voting ex-officio
members.
[Amended by c. 99, Acts of
2024]
(b)
The capital planning committee shall study proposed capital projects
and improvements involving major recurring and non-recurring tangible
assets and projects which (1) are purchased or taken at intervals
of not less than 5 years; or (2) have a useful life of at least 5
years, and; (3) cost over $50,000. All officers, boards, departments,
and committees, shall, by October 1 of each year, give to the capital
planning committee, on forms furnished by the capital planning committee,
information concerning all anticipated projects requiring town meeting
appropriation during the ensuing 5 years. Using the revenue and expenditure
projections prepared by the town administrator, the capital planning
committee shall consider the relative need, impact, timing and cost
of these expenditures and the effect each will have on the financial
position of the town. An appropriation shall not be voted for a capital
improvement request by the department, board, or committee unless
the proposed capital improvements is considered in the committee's
report or the committee shall first have submitted a report to the
town meeting explaining the omission.
(c)
The capital planning committee shall prepare an annual report recommending
a capital improvement budget for the next fiscal year and a capital
improvement program, including recommending budget for the next fiscal
year and capital improvement program, including recommended capital
improvements for the following 4 fiscal years. The report shall be
submitted to the select board for review and recommendations.
[Amended by c. 99, Acts of
2024]
(d)
The capital planning committee's report and the select board's recommended
capital improvement budget shall be published and made available in
a manner consistent with the distribution of the operating budget.
[Amended by c. 99, Acts of
2024]
