[ATM Art. 19, 5-3-2022]
The fiscal year of the Town shall begin on the first day of
July and shall end on the last day of June, unless another period
is required by general law.
[ATM Art. 19, 5-3-2022]
The budgets as prepared by all elected officials shall be submitted
to the town manager within the time fixed by by-law before the date
the town manager is required to submit a proposed Town budget to the
finance committee.
Within the time fixed by by-law, before the town meeting is
to convene in its annual session, the town manager, after consultation
with the board of selectmen, shall submit to the finance committee
a proposed operating budget for the ensuing fiscal year with an accompanying
budget message and supporting documents. The town manager shall simultaneously
provide for the publication in a local newspaper of a general summary
of the proposed budget. The summary shall specifically indicate any
major variations from the current operating budget and the reason
for such changes. The notice shall further indicate the times and
places at which complete copies of the proposed operating budget are
available for examination by the public.
[ATM Art. 19, 5-3-2022]
The budget message of the town manager shall explain the budget
for all Town agencies both in fiscal terms and in terms of work programs.
It shall outline proposed financial policies of the Town for the ensuing
fiscal year, describe important features of the budget, indicate any
major variations from the current year in financial policies, expenditures
and revenues together with the reasons for such changes, summarize
the Town's debt position and include other material as the town manager
deems desirable, or the board of selectmen may reasonably require.
[ATM Art. 19, 5-3-2022]
The proposed operating budget shall provide a complete financial
plan for all Town funds and activities for the ensuing fiscal year.
Except as may otherwise be required by general law, or this charter,
it shall be in the form which the town manager deems desirable or
the board of selectmen may require. In the presentation of the budget,
the town manager shall utilize modern concepts of fiscal presentation
so as to furnish maximum information and the best financial control.
The budget shall show in detail all estimated income from the proposed
property tax levy and other sources and all proposed expenditures,
including debt service, for the following year. The budget shall be
arranged to show the actual and estimated income and expenditures
for the previous, current and ensuing fiscal years and shall indicate
in separate sections:
(a) Proposed
expenditures for current operations during the ensuing fiscal year,
detailed by Town agency and position in terms of work programs, and
the method of financing such expenditures;
(b) Proposed
capital expenditures during the ensuing fiscal year, detailed by Town
agency, and the proposed method of financing each such capital expenditure;
and
(c) Estimated
surplus revenue and free cash at the end of the current fiscal year,
including estimated balances in any special accounts established for
specific purposes.
(d) General
long-term debt group of accounts and a statement of general long-term
debt that shall include: inside and outside debt limit, date of bond,
maturity year, rate of interest, amount of original issue, bonds outstanding
at end of current fiscal year, and bonds outstanding at end of proposed
budget year.
[ATM Art. 19, 5-3-2022; ATM Art. 23, 5-3-2022]
(a) Public
Hearing - Forthwith upon its receipt of the proposed operating budget
the finance committee shall provide for the publication in a local
newspaper of a notice stating the time and place, not less than seven
nor more than fourteen days following such publication, at which it
will hold a public hearing on the proposed operating budget as submitted.
(b) Review
- The finance committee shall consider, in open public meetings, the
detailed expenditures proposed for each Town agency and may confer
with representatives of each such agency in connection with its review
and consideration. The finance committee may require the town manager,
or any other Town agency, to furnish it with such additional information
as it may deem necessary to assist it in its review and consideration
of the proposed operating budget.
(c) Action
by Town Meeting - The finance committee shall file a report containing
its recommendations for the action to be taken by the town meeting
on each line item in the proposed operating budget, which report shall
be available at least seven days before the date on which the town
meeting acts on the proposed budget. When the amendments which have
been submitted subsequent to its initial filing, is before the town
meeting for action it shall first be subject to amendments, if any,
proposed by the finance committee before any other amendments shall
be proposed.
(d) Reports
of the Finance Committee - The report of the finance committee shall
be printed and copies shall be made available at least seven days
before the town meeting for distribution to every person who shall
request a copy thereof at the office of the town clerk, at the public
library, and at other places in the town chosen by the finance committee
for the convenience of the voters.
(e) Time for Submission of Proposed Operating Budgets - For the purposes of section
6-2(b), section 6-3 and section 6-4, the following shall apply: The town manager shall submit a proposed town operating budget to the finance committee not less than sixty days prior to the date on which the town meeting is to convene in its annual session. The school committee shall submit its proposed operating budget to the town manager at least seventy-five days prior to the date on which the town meeting is to convene in its annual session.
The town manager shall submit a capital improvement program
to the board of selectmen and the finance committee at least one hundred
fifty days before the start of each fiscal year. It shall be based
on material prepared by the capital improvement committee established
by by-law, if any including:
(a) a
clear and concise general summary of its contents;
(b) a
list of all capital improvements proposed to be undertaken during
the next ensuing five years, with supporting information as to the
need for each capital improvement;
(c) cost
estimates, methods of financing and recommended time schedules for
each improvement; and,
(d) the
estimated annual cost of operating and maintaining each facility and
piece of major equipment involved.
This information is to be annually revised by the town manager
with regard to the capital improvements still pending or in the process
of being acquired, improved or constructed.
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[ATM Art. 19, 5-3-2022]
The town manager shall be the chief fiscal officer of the Town.
Warrants for the payment of Town funds prepared by the Town accountant
in accordance with the provisions of the general laws shall be submitted
to the town manager. The approval of any such warrant by the town
manager shall be sufficient authority to authorize payment by the
Town treasurer, but the board of selectmen alone shall approve all
warrants in the event of the absence of the town manager or a vacancy
in the office of town manager.
[ATM Art. 19, 5-3-2022]
The board of selectmen shall provide for an independent audit
of all financial books and records of the Town whenever the Commonwealth
fails, in any two year period, to provide for such audit, or whenever
it deems an audit of the whole town, or, of any particular Town agency,
to be necessary.
Audits of the Town's financial books and records shall be conducted
by a certified public accountant, or firm of such accountants, having
no interest, direct or indirect, in the affairs of the Town.