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• Make recommendations to the voters on each
<br /> Report of the Warrant Article presented at Town Meeting, i
<br /> Finance Committee even if the Article has no financial impact.
<br /> To this end the Finance Committee members i
<br /> fully participated in the budget preparation processes ]
<br /> To the Honorable Members of the Board of leading up to the final Fiscal Year 2009 budget pre.
<br /> Selectmen and the Citizens of the Town of Mashpee. sented by the Town Manager to the Selectmen and
<br /> Town Meeting. In its report to the residents, the
<br /> In the Town Meeting form of government under Finance Committee recommended approval of the
<br /> which many Massachusetts municipalities, like Town Manager's $46,781,144, as presented. In doing
<br /> so,it voted against a proposed"Over-ride"Petition by
<br /> Mashpee, are constituted, the Board of Selectmen is
<br /> empowered with the responsibilities of the Executive
<br /> the School Committee to restore some $2.1 millionto
<br /> Branch of the town. Since as part-time elected offs- the school's appropriation request. In addition,the
<br /> cials, the Selectmen don't have the time to administer committee recommended that the Selectmen and
<br /> the day to day operations of the town,a town's Charter Town Manager continue a close follow up and coordi.
<br /> orbylaws entrust those obligations ations to a Town nation between the town departments and the
<br /> inted position. Such
<br /> Manager, or other full-time, appoWampanoag Tribe as the tribe established itself as a
<br /> j is the case in Mashpee,through which the Charter cre- sovereign nation, a continued oversight of police and
<br /> ated the position of Town Manager. fire department overtime and personnel leave prac.
<br /> tices, a more comprehensive projection of 3-5 year
<br /> revenues and expenses, and a greater cost control
<br /> Unlike in other forms of government which elect
<br /> representatives to conduct the Legislative affairs of the emphasis on pension and medical benefit programs.In
<br /> municipality,in the Open Town Meeting form,the leg- addition, the committee expressed a major concern
<br /> islative business of the town is conducted at one or with the level of unfunded pension and medical bene
<br /> more Town Meetings at which the registered voters of fit costs. With regard to this, the committee recom
<br /> the town assemble to vote on the business matters of mended the development of a plan to address this con.
<br /> the town, which can range from the approval, or cern for these unfunded liabilities.
<br /> defeat, of the annual town budget, to zoning matters,
<br /> or to the licensing of animals,for example.To provide Based on the budget, as approved, an anticipated
<br /> input to the Legislative Branch of municipal govern- decline in residential and commercial construction,as
<br /> ment, i.e., the voters of the town, Massachusetts law well as an anticipated 6% decline in overall property
<br /> provides for the establishing of a Finance Committee assessments, the Committee projected an increase m
<br /> to advise the voters on matters which will come before the municipal tax rate of $0.62 to $7.20/ $1,000 of
<br /> j them at the ensuing Town Meeting. assessed property value. The final tax rate struck by
<br /> the Town Assessor in December was $6.99/$1,000 of
<br /> In Mashpee the Finance Committee is a 7 mem- assessed value.
<br /> her volunteer board appointed by the Town Moderator
<br /> whose function is to become familiar with the work- In addition to the budgetary Warrant Articles
<br /> ings of the Mashpee governmental operations,provide required by the Charter, the Finance Committee in its
<br /> ht to the Selectmen and reports to the May and the October Town Meetings,
<br /> some direction and oversight
<br /> Town Manager, but primarily to act in an advisory also made recommendations on 50 other Articles for
<br /> consideration. Interestingly, three Articles the
<br /> capacity to the voters on matters which will come Finance Committee strongly recommended that Town
<br /> before them for their vote.
<br /> Meeting defeat, were subsequently approved by the
<br /> The Charter of the Town of Mashpee adopted in Town Meeting attendees. These were an Article to
<br /> 2004 specifically mandated that the Finance purchase, in part with grants, an 80 acre parcel of land
<br /> Committee annually perform three specific functions: on Route 130,which would restrict the use of the land '
<br /> to conservation uses only in perpetuity; the hiring of
<br /> • Provide the voters with a "concise and read- two firefighters to begin the staffing of the fire sub-sta-
<br /> able financial report" describing the revenues tion on Red Brook Road, and an Article to rescind a
<br /> and consolidated expenses as part of the previously approved Article, requiring the Water
<br /> annual Town operating budget. District to conduct its elections coincidental with the
<br /> Town elections.
<br /> • Calculate a projected municipal tax rate result-
<br /> ing from the adoption of the Town budget.
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