Board of Finance

The Board of Finance meets the second Monday of every month (with the exception of some holidays) at Town Hall at 7 pm. 

The 2024 Regular meeting dates are:  1/8/2024; 2/5/2024; 3/11/2024; 4/8/2024; 5/13/2024 (Annual Town Budget Meeting at Chaplin Senior Center); 6/10/2024; 7/8/2024; 8/12/2024; 9/9/2024; 10/7/2024; 11/4/2024; 12/9/2024.

The Board receives budget requests from Town Boards and Agencies, reviews those requests and presents a budget to the Town. The Board also chooses an auditor, receives reports from the auditor and must act to correct any deficiencies found in procedures. In addition, it is the job of the Board to request and compile annual reports from the various agencies and arrange to have the report printed.

The budget season begins with a request by the Board of Finance in December for all the Town Boards and Agencies to send their budget requests for the next fiscal year to the Selectmen's Office, where they are compiled and presented to the Board of Finance. At the Board of Finance meeting in March, these requests are made in person by at least one member of each agency to allow for questions and discussion of those requests. At the April meeting, the Board holds a Public Hearing so the public can review and question those requests. The Board of Finance then reviews the requests, considering needs of the Town, public comments and expected revenues. The Board then presents their proposed budget to the citizens at the Annual Meeting, usually held the second Monday in May.

The Board invites public participation throughout the year, but particularly during the budget process. It is the people's budget, it is the people's money and the Board wants to represent the wishes of the people. The Board is continuously working on ways to ascertain better information in a timely fashion to assure budget decisions are made with the most accurate and up to date information. The Board is working on updating forms and procedures to better track spending. The Board is also working on a handbook to facilitate training of new members.