Establishment

The Finance Committee, established by Town Meeting in 1992, is defined in the Douglas General Bylaws under Article 2 – Administration and Finance, section 3 – Finance Committee.

Section 3

(a) There shall be a Town Finance Committee composed of nine members who shall be appointed by the Town Moderator. Three members shall be appointed subsequent to each annual town meeting to serve for a term of three years. Vacancies among said members shall be filled by appointments by the Town Moderator for the unexpired term. The Committee shall elect from among its members a Chairman, Vice Chairman and Secretary. Subsequent to the first annual town meeting held after this bylaw becomes effective, the Town Moderator shall appoint, in addition to the three members for a term of three years provided for above, such additional members for terms of one or two years as is necessary to ensure that the terms of three members shall expire each year. (Adopted under Article 13 at the Annual Town Meeting held on May 16, 1992 and approved by the Attorney General on September 18, 1992.)

(b) All articles in a town meeting warrant requiring or purporting to require an appropriation, shall be referred to the Town Finance Committee which Committee shall report its recommendations . to the Town Meeting. For the annual town meeting, these recommendations shall be available in print at the office of the Town Clerk at least seven days prior to said meeting.

(c) It shall be the duty of the Finance Committee, from time to time during the fiscal year, to inquire into the expenditures and commitments of each town department and it shall have access to all records of each town department, officer, board or committee. The Finance Committee shall meet with representatives of the various town departments, officers, boards and committees, at least one month prior to the annual town meeting to discuss the budgetary requirements for the ensuing fiscal year of such departments, officers, boards and committees. Each such department, officer, board and committee shall, 90 days prior to the next annual town meeting, furnish to the Finance Committee and to the Town Accountant, an itemized estimate of the amounts necessary for the administration of its or his department during the ensuing fiscal year.