Town of Sherborn, MA Advisory Committee

There shall be an Advisory Committee for the Town which shall perform the duties set forth in this article, and be governed by the provisions thereof. The Advisory Committee shall consist of nine voters of the Town, other than Town officers, appointed or elected. The Moderator shall appoint three members each year for a term of three years, the appointments shall be made in the month of May or June after the Annual Town Meeting for the election of officers, and the appointments shall become effective on the first day of August and run until a successor is appointed and qualified. No Advisory Committee member shall serve for more than two successive terms; provided, however, that a member who has been appointed to complete the unexpired term of a former member may, upon completion of such unexpired term, thereafter serve no more than two additional successive terms. Any member of said Committee who shall be appointed by the Select Board or elected to Town office or a committee or board shall forthwith upon his qualification in such office cease to be a member of said Committee. Any member of said Committee who shall remove from the Town shall, upon such removal, cease to be a member of said Committee. Members absent from one third of the regular meetings in any calendar year may be removed by a two-thirds vote of the other members, present and voting. Said Committee shall choose its own officers and serve without pay, excepting, however, that the secretary thereof may receive such compensation as the Town may by vote provide. Said Committee shall cause to be kept a true record of its proceedings.

§ 7-4 Vacancies.

[Amended 4-25-2023 ATM by Art. 22]

In the event of any vacancy in its membership, the Advisory Committee shall notify the Moderator, in writing, and the Moderator shall thereupon fill such vacancy.

§ 7-5 Duties.

The Advisory Committee shall consider all matters of business included within the articles of any warrant for a Town Meeting.

§ 7-6 Public hearings on proposed warrant articles.

[Amended 1980]

A public hearing shall be held by the Advisory Committee upon all articles in any warrant for a Town Meeting, except for a meeting held solely for the election of officers and determination of such matters as by law are required or permitted to be upon the ballot. At least five days before such hearing, notice shall be given by posting a copy thereof in one or more public places in the Town, and by distributing said notice to each household in which a voter eligible to vote at the Town Meeting resides.

§ 7-7 Report on proposed warrant articles.

[Amended 1974; 1980; 4-25-2023 ATM by Art. 22]

After the public hearing required by § 7-6 of this chapter, and after due consideration of the subject matter of each article in the warrant, the Advisory Committee shall issue a written report to the Town, at least five days before each Special Town Meeting, and 10 days before the deliberative session of the Annual Town Meeting. This report shall be distributed to each household in the Town in which a voter eligible to vote at the Town Meeting resides. This report shall include the Committee's estimates or recommendations for the action of the Town on each article in the warrant. The recommendations shall be those of a majority of the entire Committee but nothing herein shall be construed to prevent recommendations by a minority as such. Where necessary, the substance of the motion to be offered by the Committee on each article at the Town Meeting shall be printed in the report. The report shall state the total amount of the appropriations recommended by it on the entire warrant and the approximate tax rate based on such recommendations or suggestions as it may deem advisable on any matters pertaining to the welfare of the Town. It may issue recommendations on referenda and other matters on any ballot other than the choices of individuals for offices.

§ 7-8 Investigation of Town affairs.

[Amended 4-25-2023 ATM by Art. 22]

The Advisory Committee shall have authority at any time to investigate the books, accounts and management of any department of the Town, and to employ such experts and other assistance as it may deem advisable for that purpose, and the books and accounts of all departments and officers of the Town shall be open to the inspection of the Committee and any person employed by it for that purpose. The Committee may appoint subcommittees and delegate to them such of its powers as it deems expedient.

§ 7-9 Submission of budget estimates.

[Amended 1980; 4-25-2023 ATM by Art. 22]

The various Town boards, officers and committees charged with the expenditure of Town money shall, not later than the 31st of December of each year, prepare detailed estimates of the amounts deemed by them necessary for the administration of their respective offices or departments for the ensuing fiscal year, with explanatory statements of the reasons for any changes from the amounts appropriated for the same purposes in the preceding year. They shall also prepare estimates of all probable items of income which may be received by them during the ensuing year in connection with the administration of their departments or offices, and a statement of the amount of appropriation requested by them for the ensuing fiscal year. Such estimates and statements shall be filed with the Town Accountant, who shall at once transmit same to the Advisory Committee.

§ 7-10 Review of budget estimates.

The Advisory Committee shall duly consider the estimates and statements filed by the Town boards, officers, and committees, and may confer with said boards, officers and committees. The Advisory Committee shall thereupon recommend such sums and in such division of items as it considers necessary and convenient.