Consistent with the Winchendon Home Rule Charter, Section 5-2(a), the Capital Planning Committee shall be composed of five registered voters of the Town, one to be appointed by the Moderator and one to be appointed by each of the following: Board of Selectmen, School Committee, Finance Committee and Planning Board. The Committee shall choose a Chairman. Appointments shall be made following the Annual Town Meeting, for the period beginning July 1 through June 30 of each year. Vacancies shall be filled in the manner of the original appointment for the remainder of the unexpired term; provided, however, that if 30 days pass after notice of the vacancy has been provided to the respective appointing authority, the Committee may fill the position under Section 7-8 of the Town Charter. Each appointing authority shall consider the qualifications of applicants for appointment, and who will best be able to represent both Town employees and taxpayers. If possible, appointees shall include registered voters who are familiar with and experienced with financial principles.
[Adopted 5-20-2013 (Art. 2, § 2.9, of the Bylaws)]
The Committee shall consider the capital needs of the Town, including both long-term and more immediate needs. It shall evaluate, coordinate and prioritize proposed capital improvements and other outlays involving major assets and projects, including proposed gifts to the Town that would incur future operating costs. It shall determine the method of funding for each capital need. It shall advise the Town Manager and Town Meeting.
A "capital project" is one that:
A.
Will have a useful life of three or more years or will not recur within three years.
B.
Will cost at least $10,000, whether spread over one or more years; provided, further, that large projects shall not be divided into smaller projects to avoid this threshold.
C.
May include but not be limited to: the purchase of land; the erection of new buildings and alterations to existing buildings; the construction of and major repairs to infrastructure such as highways, water mains and stormwater systems; the purchase of vehicles, machinery and heavy equipment; or the purchase and installation of technology and communications equipment.
[Amended 5-17-2021 ATM by Art. 22]
All proposed capital projects shall be reviewed by the Committee, and requests therefor may be submitted at any time. Such review is not necessarily dependent on the annual budget cycle, and shall occur regardless of whether the project is included within the annual Town operating budget, will be funded through a grant, or is a proposed gift that will later incur operating or maintenance costs. The Committee in examining the need for capital improvements shall evaluate the need for the project, the urgency of the need, and the affordability of the project.
Capital project requests may be submitted by any Town agency or as set forth in a petitioned warrant article, and shall, if submitted by a Town agency, be accompanied by an estimated initial capital cost and a financial impact statement detailing increased operating costs reasonably necessary for the project to accomplish its intended purpose. The Committee may request, but not require, additional information or that the project proponent attend a meeting of the Committee.
The Committee shall recommend to the Town Manager a proposed annual capital budget and five-year capital plan, prioritizing the capital budget requests it has reviewed, and proposing funding sources therefor. Such recommendation shall, to the extent possible, be submitted well in advance of the deadline for submission of a capital budget as required by Section 5-7 of the Town Charter. Notwithstanding the provisions of this bylaw, however, failure of the Committee to review a proposed capital project, or to make a recommendation with respect to the same, shall not prohibit inclusion of the same in the capital budget prepared by the Town Manager or action of the Town Meeting with respect thereto. The Committee shall report at Town Meeting its recommendation on each capital project included in the warrant.