A Finance Committee of nine voters of the Town
shall be appointed by the Moderator to fill staggered three-year terms.
No elective or appointive Town officer or Town employee shall be eligible
to serve on said Committee. If any member announces his candidacy
for an elective office, his position shall be deemed to be vacant
and shall be filled as herein provided.
The Finance Committee shall meet for purposes
of organization each year within 75 days after the start of each fiscal
year. It shall choose its own officers, and it shall cause to be kept
a true record of its proceedings. It may appoint sub-committees and
liaisons from its own membership. It shall notify the Town Manager,
Selectmen, Town Clerk, and Moderator in writing of its organization.
Vacancies shall be filled promptly by the Moderator for the unexpired
term of the member whose appointment is vacated.
The Finance Committee shall have the authority
to inspect and have access to all books, accounts, contracts and documents
of any department or office of the Town. Copies of all newly-negotiated
employment contracts and contract amendments shall be submitted to
the Town Accountant by the appropriate Town agency within 10 days
after the contract's execution by all parties, and the Town Accountant
shall be custodian of all original Town contracts.
[Amended 4-2-2012 ATM by Art. 15M]
The Finance Committee shall report its recommendations in writing on every article contained in a Town Meeting warrant at least 10 days prior to a scheduled Town Meeting. Said recommendations shall include a summary of reasons for each recommendation and shall be filed with the Town Clerk. Said report shall also be made available to voters of the Town, forthwith after the filing with the Town Clerk, in the manner provided in §
152-2B, and at Town Meeting.
The Town Manager shall annually prepare a detailed
budget for the ensuing year in accordance with the requirements of
the Charter. A draft budget shall be submitted to the Finance Committee
on or before January 15th of each year
in preparation for the Annual Town Meeting. The Finance Committee
and the Town Manager shall coordinate the presentation and format
of final budget information for each Town Meeting.
When requesting a Reserve Fund Transfer from
the Finance Committee subsequent to the Annual Town Meeting, Town
officers, department heads, boards, and committees shall submit such
requests on forms furnished by the Finance Committee together with
explanatory statements in sufficient detail to justify the request.
[Amended 6-6-2016 ATM
by Art. 9]
Each Town officer, department head, board, or committee shall
be responsible for the proper use, handling, storage, condition and
security of all tangible Town-owned property in its possession or
under its control. Each responsible individual, board, or committee
shall, not later than July 15 of each year, prepare and furnish to
the Town Manager an inventory as of June 30 of all such property on
forms provided for the purpose. Accompanying such inventory list there
shall be shown separately a list of property declared to be of no
further use and surplus to its needs. Before disposal of surplus property
in a manner consistent with law, whether by sale, transfer to another
department, destruction, or otherwise, such action shall be approved
by the Board of Selectmen. Report of the action taken by such Board
shall be furnished to the Town Manager. Inventory sheets and surplus
property lists shall be prepared in such form and detail as the Town
Manager may prescribe.
[Amended 6-6-2016 ATM
by Art. 9]
The Board of Selectmen shall within each calendar year, without
notice, cause to be made an internal audit of the Town's inventory
by the Town's Internal Auditor of all property (excluding office
furniture and general office supplies with a total value of less than
$5,000) in the possession or control of each Town officer, department
heard, board or committee and such audits shall be filed with the
Town Manager.