The fiscal year of the Town shall begin on the first day of July and end on the last day of June.
On or before the first day of February of each year, the head of each Town office, department or agency supported wholly or in part from Town funds, except the Board of Education, shall submit to the Town Manager its preliminary estimate, consisting of a detailed statement of the expenditures to be made by his office or agency and the revenue, other than tax revenues, to be collected thereby in the ensuing fiscal year. The Town Manager shall recommend a proposed budget to the Town Council by March 1st.
Not later than the regular meeting of the Board of Finance in March of each year, the Town Council, with the assistance of the Town Manager, and the Board of Education, shall present to the Board of Finance a proposed budget consisting of:
(a) 
a budget message outlining the financial policy of the Town government and describing in connection therewith the important features of the budget plan indicating any major changes from the current year in financial policies, expenditures, and revenues together with the reasons for such changes, and containing a clear general summary of its contents;
(b) 
estimates of revenue, presenting in parallel columns the itemized receipts collected in the last completed fiscal year prior to the time of preparing the estimates, total receipts estimated to be collected during the current fiscal year, estimates of the receipts, other than from the property tax, to be collected in the ensuing fiscal year, and an estimate of available surplus;
(c) 
itemized estimates of expenditures, including debt service, presenting in parallel columns the actual expenditures for each department, office, agency or activity for the last completed fiscal year and for the current fiscal year prior to the time of preparing the estimates, total expenditures as estimated for the current fiscal year, appropriations as proposed by the Town Council, with the assistance of the Town Manager, and the Board of Education for all items for the ensuing fiscal year, and such other information as may be required by the Board of Finance.
Such proposed budget shall be so arranged as to show comparative figures for actual and estimated income and expenditures of the current fiscal year and actual income and expenditures of the preceding fiscal year.
The presentation shall also include proposed capital expenditures during the ensuing fiscal year-and the proposed method of financing each such capital expenditure.
This section shall not apply to all special revenue funds, including without limitation, the Sewer Usage Fund, Sewer Assessment Fund, Dog Fund and Sidewalk Fund which shall be reviewed by the Board of Finance who shall provide a non-binding recommendation and then approved by the Town Council.
For any fund, the total of proposed expenditures shall not exceed the total of estimated income plus carried forward fund balance, exclusive of reserves.
(a) 
Notice and Hearing. The Board of Finance shall call a public hearing on the proposed budget to be held within twenty-one (21) days of the presentation of the proposed budget to the Board of Finance. At least seven (7) days prior to the hearing, the Board of Finance shall publish notice of such public hearing in accordance with state law requirements for publication of municipal notices:
1. 
the times and places where copies of the proposed budget are available for inspection by the public, and
2. 
the time and place for a public hearing on the budget.
(b) 
Amendment Before Adoption. Within ten (10) business days after the public hearing on the proposed budget, the Board of Finance shall approve the proposed budget with or without amendment. In amending the proposed budget, the Board of Finance may add or increase programs or amounts and may delete or decrease any programs or amounts, except expenditures required by law or for debt service or for an estimated cash deficit, provided that no amendment to the budget shall increase the authorized expenditures to an amount greater than the total estimated income. With respect to the proposed budget for the Board of Education, the Board of Finance may approve this proposed budget with or without amendment, however, consideration of the proposed budget for the Board of Education is limited to the authority to increase or decrease the total amount allocated to the Board of Education, subject to the requirements provided by law. The Board of Finance's vote to approve the budget shall be deemed its recommendation to approve such budget. Failure of the Board of Finance to act within ten business days of the public hearing shall be deemed to constitute approval by the Board of Finance for submission to the annual budget referendum.
(a) 
The Annual Budget Referendum shall be held on the first Tuesday of May at such place and time as the Council may determine. Individuals qualified to vote pursuant to Section 7-6 of the Connecticut General Statutes may vote to approve or reject the Bonded Debt, General Government and Board of Education Budgets, as separate questions, proposed by the Town Council and Board of Education and approved, or deemed approved, by the Board of Finance with the result(s) being determined by a simple majority of those voting at referendum. Additional referenda, as required, will be held every other week on Tuesday thereafter until a budget is approved. Notice of the referendum to be held on the first Tuesday of May shall be advertised at least five (5) days prior to such referendum in the manner provided by state law for publication of municipal notices to the general public; notice for subsequent referenda shall be published in accordance with state law governing publication of municipal notices at least three (3) days prior to each such referendum. In the event that no budget for the ensuring fiscal year shall be adopted by June 15 in any year, then the Tax Collector may send out interim tax bills for the same amount as in the previous year. When said budget is finally adopted, the Tax Collector may adjust the second tax bill to conform to the new rate as voted by the Board of Finance or send out additional tax bills.
(b) 
Rejection of Budget. In any case in which the proposed budget is not approved at the budget referendum by a majority of those voting in the affirmative of those eligible to vote in referenda, the Board of Finance, shall determine modifications, if any, that it deems appropriate and recommend a revised budget for approval at a subsequent budget referendum in the manner provided above.
The adoption of a budget by the Annual Budget Referendum shall be deemed to constitute the appropriation to each department or when so indicated in the budget a major subdivision thereof and to each office, board, commission and agency separately listed in the budget of the sum estimated to be expended by such unit respectively.
To implement the adopted budget, the Board of Finance shall, within five (5) days following the adoption of the budget at the Annual Budget Referendum, fix the tax rate in mills, which shall be levied on the taxable property in the Town for the ensuing fiscal year.
It shall be the duty of the Tax Collector to mail to each taxpayer a tax bill prepared in accordance with Chapter 204 of the Connecticut General Statutes, as amended. Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Charter, the assessment of property for taxation and the collection of taxes shall be carried on in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 203 and 204 of the Connecticut General Statutes, as amended.
(a) 
Supplemental Appropriations. The Board of Finance shall have the power by resolution and only upon the recommendation of a majority of the entire Town Council, to make appropriations supplemental to those provided in the annual budget not to exceed a cumulative amount of one percent (1%) of the total annual appropriation in any one fiscal year. The Board of Finance shall also have the power, by resolution, to incur indebtedness for any specific purpose in order to finance said supplemental appropriations provided for in this section.
(b) 
Emergency Appropriations. For the purpose of meeting a public emergency threatening the lives, health or property of citizens, emergency appropriation, the amount of which shall not exceed two percent (2%) of the current tax levy in any one fiscal year may be made upon the recommendation of at least five members of the Town Council and by an affirmative vote of not fewer than three members of the Board of Finance. In the absence of sufficient general fund resources to meet such appropriations, additional means of financing shall be provided in such manner, consistent with the provisions of the Connecticut General Statutes and of this Charter, as may be determined by the Board of Finance.
(c) 
Reduction of Appropriations. If at any time during the last three (3) months of the fiscal year it appears probable to the Town Manager that the revenues or fund balances available will be insufficient to finance the expenditures for which appropriations have been authorized, the Town Manager shall report to the Town Council and Board of Finance without delay, indicating the estimated amount of the deficit, any remedial action taken by the manager and recommendations as to any other steps to be taken. The Town Council, upon the recommendation of the Board of Finance, shall then take such further action as it deems necessary to prevent or reduce any deficit and for that purpose it may by resolution reduce one (1) or more appropriations.
(d) 
Transfer of Appropriations. At any time during the last three months of the fiscal year the Town Manager, upon the review and approval by both the Town Council and the Board of Finance, may transfer part or all of the unencumbered appropriation balance from one department or major organizational unit to the appropriation for other departments or major organizational units, provided this section shall not apply to the Board of Education. The Town Manager may at any time transfer part or all of any unencumbered appropriation balances among programs within a department or organizational unit and shall report such transfers to the Council in writing in a timely manner.
(e) 
Limitations; Effective Date. No appropriation for debt service may be reduced or transferred, and no appropriation may be reduced below any amount required by law to be appropriated or by more than the amount of the unencumbered balance thereof. The supplemental and emergency appropriations and reduction or transfer of appropriations authorized by this section may be made effective immediately upon adoption.
Every appropriation, except an appropriation for a capital expenditure, shall lapse at the close of the fiscal year to the extent that it has not been expended or encumbered. An appropriation for a capital expenditure shall continue in force until expended, revised or repealed; the purpose of any such appropriation shall be deemed abandoned if three (3) years pass without any disbursement from or encumbrance of the appropriation. The foregoing shall not apply to any non-lapsing accounts established in accordance with law.
(a) 
No purchase to be satisfied with Town funds shall be made by any department, board, commission or officer of the Town, other than the Board of Education except through procedures established by the Town Manager. The Town Manager shall cause the amount of authorized purchases and contracts for future purchases to be recorded as encumbrances against the appropriations from which they are to be paid.
(b) 
No voucher, claim or charge against the Town shall be paid until the same has been audited by the Finance Director/Town Treasurer, and approved by him for correctness and validity. Payment of all approved claims against Board of Education accounts shall be authorized by the Superintendent of Schools, or his agent, which authorization shall be valid when countersigned by the Finance Director/Town Treasurer. Payment of all approved claims against all Town accounts shall be authorized by the Town Manager, which authorization shall be valid when countersigned by the Finance Director/Town Treasurer, provided, in the absence or inability to act of the Town Manager, the Acting Town Manager shall substitute temporarily for the Town Manager.
(c) 
The Finance Director/Town Treasurer shall prescribe the time at which and the manner in which persons receiving money on behalf of the Town shall pay the same to him.
(d) 
No expenditure and no commitment to make an expenditure shall be made, or authorized by any officer, agent or agency of the Town, or by any board or commission of the Town unless an appropriation shall have been made covering such expenditure or commitment in accordance with the provisions of this Charter.
(e) 
Each order drawn upon the Town shall state the department, commission, board or officer and the appropriation against which it is to be charged.
(f) 
Every payment made in violation of the provisions of this Charter shall be deemed illegal and every official authorizing or making such payment or taking part therein and every person receiving such payment or any such payment shall be jointly and severally liable to the Town for the full amount so paid and received. If any officer or employee of the Town shall knowingly incur any obligation or shall authorize any expenditure in violation of the provisions of this Charter or take any part therein, such action shall be cause for his removal.
(g) 
The Town Council may adopt, by resolution, such rules and regulations concerning expenditures, and bidding procedures, not inconsistent with the provisions of this section, as it may from time to time deem necessary and appropriate.
(a) 
Submission to Town Council. The Town Manager shall prepare and submit to the Town Council a five (5) year capital improvement program no later than March 1st of each year.
(b) 
Contents. The capital program shall include, but is not limited to:
1. 
a clear general summary of its contents;
2. 
a list of all capital improvements and other capital expenditures which are proposed to be undertaken during the five (5) fiscal years next ensuing, with appropriate supporting information as to the necessity for each;
3. 
cost estimates and recommended time schedules for each improvement or other capital expenditure;
4. 
method of financing, upon which each capital expenditure is to be reliant; and
5. 
the estimated annual cost of operating and maintaining the facilities to be constructed or acquired.
6. 
in the Town Manager's discretion, capital projects that are recommended by the Plan of Conservation and Development.
The above shall be revised and extended each year with regard to capital improvements still pending or in process of construction or acquisition.
(a) 
Notice and Hearing. The Town Council shall hold a public hearing on the Capital Improvement Program before March 15th. The Town Council shall publish in accordance with state laws governing the publication of municipal notices, the general summary of the capital improvement program and a notice stating:
1. 
The times and places where copies of the capital program are available for inspection by the public, and
2. 
The time and place, not less than one week after such publication, for a public hearing on the capital program.
(b) 
Adoption. The Town Council, by resolution, shall adopt the capital improvement program, with or without amendment, after the public hearing thereon and prior to the regular meeting of the Board of Finance in March. The Town Council shall submit its adopted Capital Improvement Program to the Board of Finance with the presentation of its proposed budget.
Copies of the budget, capital improvement program, and appropriations and revenue estimates shall be public records and shall be made available to the public at the Town Clerk's Office and other suitable places in the Town, as determined by the Town Council.
The Town shall have the power to incur indebtedness by issuing bonds or notes as provided by the General Statutes subject to the limitations thereof and the provisions of this Charter. The Board of Finance may authorize the Town to incur indebtedness by issuing bonds, notes or other forms of financing. Any proposal to incur bonded debt, except emergency expenditures, in an amount equal to or greater than ten per cent (10%) of the operating budget for that fiscal year shall be subject to a referendum vote.