[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]
(a) 
Public Hearing - At least seven days before the meeting at which the school committee is to vote on its final budget request, the school committee shall cause to be published in a local newspaper a general summary of its proposed budget. The summary shall specifically indicate any major variations from the current budget, and the reasons for such changes. It shall further indicate the times and places at which complete copies of its proposed budget are available for examination by the public, and the date, time and place when a public hearing will be held by the school committee on the proposed budget. The school committee shall take its final vote on its proposed budget not sooner than at its next regularly scheduled meeting following the public hearing.
(b) 
Submission to Town Manager - The budget as adopted by the school committee 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 to enable the town manager to consider the effect of the school department's requested appropriation upon the total Town operating budget which is required to be submitted under this article.
[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.
[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.