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2 <br /> CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE MINUTES Thursday, May 2, 2024 <br /> The Town Manager explained the budget and budget message, saying the budget message is very <br /> brief because it goes into the newspaper and although the Enterprise is here tonight, we try to <br /> keep what we're putting in print to a minimum.And that's what has been historically done. I think <br /> the message could be much more elaborate if that's what is preferred. But I don't necessarily <br /> think that it ought to be attached to what is publicized unless we were to put it in the. On the <br /> website and I'm not trying to sound like a cheapskate. I'm not certain that a lot of people are <br /> reading my message in the enterprise, and if they are interested in reading it then we want them <br /> to have it and it could be much more elaborate than what it is. That's the bottom line. So if we <br /> were to get into more elaborate detail about the budget. I think it should be. Available to <br /> somebody who's actually going to read it and cares about it. Compared to the individual who gets <br /> it in the newspaper and probably doesn't bother to read. <br /> Mary Waygan said she thinks budget message is important it should be placed online. She also <br /> referenced Open Gov and how it works for Chatham. <br /> The Town Manager continued explaining the budget, he said I'm not objecting to that at all. I <br /> think we always want to be a transparent and we always want to be detailed and we always want <br /> to provide sufficient information for those who are interested. It would be nice to have <br /> something that somebody could click on and see department heads presenting their request. <br /> And then after the request is submitted, the books go to the Finance Committee. <br /> The reviews are conducted within a matter of weeks, even though the school is not a department, <br /> they do come in and they present.Then the finance team, which consists of the Finance Director, <br /> or the accountant and the Treasurer and the Assessor, makes recommendations.The reason why <br /> it's not a public document until then is because number one, it's all being discussed operationally <br /> and #2. It's a work in progress. <br /> John Miller said I'm comfortable with the discretion of the town manager if he or she chooses <br /> when the budget is presented to the select board and made public for the first time to have a <br /> paragraph or two narratives about assumptions and where it's appropriate, maybe a sentence or <br /> two like. I don't think we really need to amend anything here to improve on how we <br /> communicate. <br /> Rodney Collins suggested in the future that the budget message is uploaded to the website <br /> including department narratives. <br /> Carol Sherman added that narrative summary of what the department needs, what they're <br /> looking for it doesn't break it down to money. <br /> John Miller said both of these things we talked about, you know the short summaries and the <br /> where the funds come and go from would be enhancements to the existing Charter with words <br /> to be determined. <br /> Don Myers referred to the stabilization funds, for example is the town still putting the $250,000 <br /> away for the insurance. He wants the balance to show in the budget. <br />