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]
9-4-1.
The Town Meeting shall adopt the budget, with or without amendments,
prior to the beginning of the fiscal year.
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.
[Repealed by Chapter 147 of the Acts of 2010, approved 7-1-2010]
