9-1-1. 
A Finance Committee of nine members shall be appointed by the Moderator for three-year overlapping terms. Three members shall be appointed annually.
9-1-2. 
Any person duly appointed to the Finance Committee shall take up the duties of the office upon the final adjournment of the Annual Town Meeting, provided that he/she first shall have been sworn to the faithful performance of his duties by the Town Clerk.
9-1-3. 
Vacancies in the Finance Committee shall be filled by the Moderator within 30 days after he/she has been notified, in writing, of the vacancy on the Board. Any person appointed to fill out an unexpired term shall take up the duties immediately, provided that he/she first shall have been sworn to the faithful performance of his duties by the Town Clerk.
9-1-4. 
No member of the Finance Committee shall hold any other elected or appointed Town office.
9-2-1. 
On or before the first day of October of each year, the Town Manager shall request and receive from the Director of Finance and the Assessor (solicitor) the estimated revenues for the ensuing fiscal year.
9-2-2. 
Upon receipt of any additional specific fiscal data provided by the Commonwealth, such estimates shall be revised, updated, and submitted forthwith to the Town Manager.
9-2-3. 
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 ensuing fiscal year. The statement shall establish the outer limits of possible budget growth for the Town.
[Amended by Chapter 292 of the Acts of 2020, approved 1-8-2021]
9-2-4. 
All department heads, boards, committees, and commissions, shall submit their budget requests to the Town Manager at least 120 days before the date of the Annual Town Meeting or at an earlier time, as directed by the Town Manager. The Town Manager shall forward such budget requests to the Finance Committee forthwith.
9-2-5. 
At least 90 days prior to the scheduled date of the Annual Town Meeting, the Town Manager shall submit to the Select Board and the Finance Committee a comprehensive budget for all Town functions for the ensuing fiscal year and an accompanying budget message.
[Amended by Chapter 292 of the Acts of 2020, approved 1-8-2021]
9-2-6. 
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:
(a) 
Outline the proposed financial policies of the Town for the ensuing fiscal year;
(b) 
Describe the important features of the budget;
(c) 
Indicate any major changes for the current year in financial policies, expenditures, and revenues, together with the reason for such changes;
(d) 
Summarize the Town's debt position; and
(e) 
Include such other material as the Town Manager may deem appropriate.
9-2-7. 
The budget shall provide a complete financial plan for all Town funds and activities and shall be 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 projects during the ensuing fiscal year, detailed by divisions, departments, offices, boards, commissions, committees, and specific purposes and projects.
9-3-1. 
The Select Board shall within 30 days adopt the budget, with or without amendments, and submit it to the Finance Committee. The Select Board shall also transmit the budget request of the School Committee to the Finance Committee.
[Amended by Chapter 292 of the Acts of 2020, approved 1-8-2021]
9-3-2. 
(Reserved)
9-3-3. 
The Select Board shall be responsible for presenting the budget to the Town Meeting.
[Amended by Chapter 292 of the Acts of 2020, approved 1-8-2021]
9-5-1. 
The Town Manager shall prepare a five-year capital improvements plan which shall include: (a) a clear summary of its contents; (b) a list of all capital improvements proposed to be undertaken during the next five years, together with supporting data; (c) cost estimates, methods of financing, and recommended time schedules; and (d) the estimated annual cost of operating and maintaining the facilities or equipment to be contracted or acquired. The above information may be revised and shall be extended each year with regard to capital improvements pending or in the process of construction or acquisition.
9-5-2. 
The capital improvements plan shall be submitted to Select Board at least 150 days prior to the date of the Annual Town Meeting. The Board shall act thereon within 30 days and shall then submit it to the Finance Committee, which shall issue its recommendations as part of the annual Finance Committee report.
[Amended by Chapter 292 of the Acts of 2020, approved 1-8-2021]
[Amended by Chapter 171 of the Acts of 2010, approved 7-22-2010; Chapter 105 of the Acts of 2021, approved 12-17-2021]
9-6-1. 
The Finance Committee shall conduct at least one public hearing on the proposed budget and capital improvements plan and shall issue printed recommendations, if the recommendations are available, and detailed explanations on all financial articles, including the operating budget and the capital improvements plan, in an annual finance committee report. The report shall be made available to all residents of the Town, not less than 21 days prior to the Annual Town Meeting, at the Town Hall, the Stevens Memorial Library, the senior center and the police station, on the Town's website and, upon request, by email and United States mail. Copies of the annual Finance Committee report shall also be made available at the Annual Town Meeting. In preparing its recommendations, the committee may require the Town Manager or any Town division, department, office, board, commission or committee to furnish it with appropriate financial reports and budgetary information.
9-7-1. 
At least 90 days before the end of the fiscal year, the Select Board shall retain a certified public accountant or accounting firm to conduct an audit of all accounts, books, records and financial transactions of every division, department, office, board, commission or committee of the Town and to file its report within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year.
[Amended by Chapter 292 of the Acts of 2020, approved 1-8-2021]
9-7-2. 
A copy of every auditor's report shall be filed with the Town Clerk, shall be a public record, and a summary thereof shall be published in the next Annual Town Report.