[Added 5-11-2009 ATM
by Art. 31, approved 5-13-2010 Annual Town Election; amended 1-10-2013 by Chapter 457, Acts of 2012; 5-11-2015 ATM by Art. 26, approved 5-12-2016 Annual Town Election; 1-13-2021 by Chapter 344, Acts of 2020]
At the onset of the annual budget process, the town manager
shall meet with the select board, the Monomoy Regional School Committee
and the finance committee to discuss the upcoming operating and capital
budgets.
Within a time fixed by by-law, prior to the annual meeting,
the town manager shall submit to the select board and the finance
committee a proposed operating and capital budget for all town departments,
including the operating and capital budgets as adopted by the Monomoy
Regional School Committee, for the ensuing fiscal year with an accompanying
budget message and supporting documents.
The budget as adopted by the Monomoy Regional School Committee
shall be submitted to the town manager in sufficient time to enable
the town manager to consider the effect of the school department's
requested appropriation on the total town budget which is required
to be submitted under this section.
The budget message submitted by the town manager shall explain
the budget in fiscal terms and in terms of work programs. It shall
outline the proposed fiscal policies of the town for the ensuing fiscal
year, describe important features of the proposed budget and indicate
any major variations from the current budget, fiscal policies, expenditures
and revenues together with reasons for the changes. The proposed budget
shall provide a complete fiscal plan of all town funds and activities
and shall be in the form the select board deems desirable.
Upon receipt of the town manager's proposed operating budget,
the select board shall announce the date on which they intend to act
on the budget, but that date shall not be earlier than 30 days after
receipt.
[Amended 5-11-2009 ATM
by Art. 31, approved 5-13-2010 Annual Town Election; 1-10-2013 by Chapter 457, Acts of 2012; 5-11-2015 ATM by Art. 26, approved 5-12-2016 Annual Town Election; 1-13-2021 by Chapter 344, Acts of 2020]
The town manager shall submit a five-year capital improvement
program to the select board and the finance committee at the date
fixed by bylaw for the submission of the proposed operating budget
unless some other time is provided by bylaw. The capital improvement
program shall contain information regarding the cost of such program
including a schedule of the existing principal and interest owed by
the town. In addition, at least once every 10 years, a long-term facility
master plan shall be created and/or updated for each of the major
facility groups including but not limited to buildings, roads, sewer,
water, storm drains, landings and piers, sidewalks, and parking facilities
showing all major capital investments anticipated for the ensuing
20-25 years. Year one of the five-year capital improvement program
shall be submitted as the capital improvement budget with the operating
budget for the ensuing fiscal year.
Upon receipt of the town manager's proposed capital improvement
budget, the select board shall announce the date on which they intend
to act on the budget, but in no case earlier than 30 days after receipt.
[Amended 5-11-2009 ATM
by Art. 31, approved 5-13-2010 Annual Town Election; 1-10-2013 by Chapter 457, Acts of 2012; 5-11-2015 ATM by Art. 26, approved 5-12-2016 Annual Town Election]
(a) The finance committee shall, upon receipt of the operating and capital
budgets from the town manager, consider in public meetings the detailed
expenditures for each town department and agency. The finance committee
may request the town manager to provide necessary information from
any town agency. The town manager shall promptly meet requests of
the finance committee.
(b) The finance committee shall make budget recommendations and report
those recommendations to the select board in sufficient time for the
select board to consider those recommendations prior to the select
board voting on the operating and capital budgets.
[Amended 1-13-2021 by
Chapter 344, Acts of 2020]
(c) The finance committee shall report to the voters at the annual town
meeting or at a special town meeting its advisory recommendations
on all articles on the warrant for such town meetings.
[Added 5-11-2009 ATM
by Art. 31, approved 5-13-2010 Annual Town
Election; amended 1-10-2013 by Chapter 457, Acts of 2012; 1-13-2021 by Chapter 344, Acts of 2020]
Within a time fixed by by-law, the select board shall review
the operating and capital budget improvements program, make changes
as deemed appropriate and place their approved budget on the annual
town meeting warrant. The select board shall transmit their approved
budget to the finance committee.
[Added 5-11-2009 ATM
by Art. 31, approved 5-13-2010 Annual Town Election; amended 1-10-2013 by Chapter 457, Acts of 2012; 1-13-2021 by Chapter 344, Acts of 2020]
The finance committee shall vote their recommendations for action
on the budget as received from the select board. Additionally, the
finance committee shall file a report of its recommendations for action
prior to the date on which the town meeting is to act on the budget.
The report of the finance committee shall include the fiscal and tax
implications of the budget and a statement outlining support or opposition
to the budget or sections of the budget. The report of the finance
committee shall be prepared in sufficient time to be incorporated
in the annual town meeting warrant. The budget to be acted upon by
the town meeting shall be the budget approved by the select board
with the accompanying recommendations of the finance committee.
[Amended 1-10-2013 by
Chapter 457, Acts of 2012]
Warrants for payments of town funds, prepared by the town accountant,
shall be submitted to the town manager for approval. The approval
of any such warrant by the town manager shall be sufficient authority
to authorize payment by the town treasurer.