The Selectboard shall establish and appoint a committee to be known as the "Capital Improvement Planning Committee," composed of one member of the Selectboard, one member of the Finance Committee, one member of the Planning Board, the School Superintendent or his designee and two members of the community at large. The Town Administrator shall be an ex officio member without the right to vote. All members shall be appointed for three-year terms, with the initial appointments being staggered. The Committee shall choose its own officers.
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Annual Town Meeting of the Town of Whately 4-25-1995 by Art. 11. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The Committee shall study proposed capital projects and improvement involving major nonrecurring tangible assets and projects which are purchased or undertaken at intervals of not less than five years, have a useful life of at least five years, and cost over $10,000. All officers, boards and committees, including the Selectboard and the School Committee, shall, by October 1 of each year, give to the Committee, on forms prepared by it, information concerning all anticipated projects requiring Town Meeting action during the ensuing six years. The 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. No appropriation shall be voted for a capital improvement requested by a department, board or commission unless the proposed capital improvement is considered in the Committee's report or the Committee shall first have submitted a report to the Selectboard explaining the omission.
The Committee shall prepare an annual report recommending a capital improvement budget for the next fiscal year and a Capital Improvement Program, including recommended capital improvements, for the following five fiscal years. The report shall be submitted to the Selectboard for its consideration and approval. The Board shall submit its approved capital budget to the Annual Town Meeting for adoption by the Town.
Such Capital Improvement Program, after its adoption, shall permit the expenditure on projects included therein of sums from department budgets for surveys, architectural or engineering advice, options or appraisals; but no such expenditure shall be incurred on projects which have not been so approved by the Town through the appropriation of sums in the current year or in prior years, or for preliminary planning for projects to be undertaken more than five years in the future.
The Committee's report and the Selectboard's recommended capital budget shall be published and made available in a manner consistent with the distribution of the Finance Committee report. The Committee shall deposit its original report with the Town Clerk.