WARWICK — There has been no town finance committee since the last member resigned about a month ago.
The town isn’t legally required to have a finance committee, and the lack of one isn’t a roadblock for the yearly budgeting process, which must happen this time of year in preparation for Annual Town Meeting, town officials say. Town Coordinator David Young said that he has been involved in the budgeting process for the last 11 years and is able to do it himself.
Former Selectwoman Dawn Magi has been keeping tabs on some of the Finance Committee’s regular responsibilities — mostly by attending meetings of the Pioneer Valley Regional School Committee — but, Young said, she is not committed to continuing it long-term.
“It’s a problem because there’s too much responsibility concentrated on the town coordinator,” said Selectboard Chairman Doc Pruyne. “Responsibility for the budgeting process should be spread out.”
A finance committee also serves a purpose in Town Meeting of explaining the budget and making financial recommendations. Pruyne said that it is preferable to have more than one person in that role.
But in the past, Young said, the Finance Committee’s recommendations have frequently been ignored by Town Meeting voters, especially when it comes to questions of school funding. In recent years, Young said, the Finance Committee has recommended against increasing the town’s funding for the school system, but voters have continued to approve budgets with increases in school spending.
That apparent disregard for the committee’s work, Young said, might be why the town is now having difficulties finding new committee members.
“Folks give a lot of their time, go to a lot of meetings, and they feel like they’re ignored at Town Meeting,” Young said. “It’s difficult to attract competent, knowledgeable people given what they’ve seen in the past.”
The issue is on the Selectboard’s agenda for a meeting on Monday at 6 p.m. Pruyne said the board has asked several people about joining the Finance Committee, but no one has publicly expressed interest.