The Budget Committee, as established under RSA 32:15, consists of 5 elected at large members and 2 ex officio members, one each from the School Board and Board of Selectmen. (2014 Warrant Article 22). At large members shall serve staggered terms of 3 years and are elected at Town Meeting. 

 

The responsibility of the Budget Committee is "to assist voters in the prudent appropriation of public funds" for the town and school district operations. More specifically, "to provide a committee with special knowledge to oversee and analyze the expenditures of the various town departments and districts. In this manner the electorate, which would ordinarily be without detailed knowledge necessary to vote intelligently on certain budgetary problems, might be given sufficient information to determine the annual amounts necessary to properly manage town affairs."

 

The Budget Committee meets with the respective political subdivision and reviews the recommendations for the upcoming year. Several work sessions are held between the Committee and department heads or school administration in order to establish priorities and program goals.

 

Public hearings are held to accept the public's input on the various portions of the budget. The Committee then reviews the input from the public hearing and makes final recommendations which are then submitted to the Board of Selectmen or School Board. These recommendations are then presented at the Town or School District Meeting for approval by the citizens of the community.