[Adopted 3-6-1944 ATM by Art. 1]
[Amended 4-14-1992 ATM by Art. 42; 5-2-2000 ATM by Art. 48; 5-7-2007 ATM by Art. 4; 5-4-2009 ATM by Art. 16; 5-2-2011 ATM by Art. 39; 5-6-2024 ATM by Art. 42]
A. 
There shall be an Appropriation Committee of five residents of sound business experience or good judgment, who shall serve without pay and who shall consider any and all questions involving the expenditure of money, for the purpose of making reports or recommendations thereon to the Town. The Finance Director shall serve on the Appropriation Committee ex officio, as a sixth non-voting member.
B. 
The members of the Appropriation Committee, excluding the Finance Director, shall be appointed to serve terms of three (3) years and shall be chosen immediately following the Annual Town Meeting as provided in the Town Charter.
C. 
No person holding any other elective or appointive office in their individual capacity shall be eligible to appointment or qualified to serve as a member of the Appropriation Committee, with the exception of the Finance Director; provided, however, that a member of the Appropriation Committee may be designated by the Appropriation Committee to serve on another board, committee or commission as a representative of the Appropriation Committee.
[Amended 5-2-2011 ATM by Art. 39]
Whenever a vacancy shall occur in the membership of the Appropriation Committee for any reason, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment, as provided in the Town Charter, for the remainder of the term.
The Appropriation Committee shall, as soon as possible after the annual appointment of new members as stated above, meet for the purpose of organization and shall elect from the members a Chair and a Secretary, who shall hold office until the final adjournment of the next Annual Town Meeting and until their successors are appointed. The Appropriation Committee shall meet at regular intervals.
All requests by the Town boards, officers or committees, or by citizens for appropriations shall be inserted in the Town Warrant in proper form, and all articles calling for an appropriation or expenditure of money in the Town Warrant shall be referred to the Appropriation Committee.
The Committee, after consideration, shall report with suggestions on such appropriation or expenditure, in whole or in part, and shall notify the board, officer or committee requesting same, and also the Select Board, making such suggestions or recommendations as may be advisable.
The Appropriation Committee shall at each Town Meeting present and explain its action on each of such articles in the Town Warrant, presenting its budget with advice and explanations, and recommendations as to any appropriation of Town funds.