In a virtual information session with town officials Thursday, a representative from the state Division of Local Services emphasized the importance of communication between finance committees and other local officials.
This is particularly important between the selectboard and finance committee, where sometimes the finance committee — which is viewed by the state as an advisory role — is delegated more aspects than typical in the budget development process.
“It is something that comes up,” said Theo Kalivas, project manager at the Division of Local Services, responding to a question from Claire McGinnis, finance director at the Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG). Kalivas noted there aren’t always enough people available in town government for everything that needs to get done. “It’s a town culture issue. … The selectboard should be involved … and if not, (finance committees) want to try to be in communication with them.”
Although the state views the budget as “province of the selectboard,” he said, miscommunication can result in a finance committee thinking the budget is “only theirs.”
The hour-long presentation on Thursday — which addressed the roles and responsibilities of different town bodies, the budget process and financial best practices — was organized by FRCOG.
In his presentation, Kalivas explained that finance committees are required by law in towns with a worth greater than $1 million. Its members are elected, and they serve to advise on financial matters, act as a fiscal watchdog and uphold a set of community bylaws that describe the name, form, membership and duties of the committee.
“This is going to be different (town by town), but it should be defined in a community’s bylaws,” Kalivas said.
The primary duties of the finance committee involve advising Town Meeting voters on recommendations of spending articles, as well as municipal financial planning — or in other words, providing budget analysis, and forecasting revenue and expenditures. As for budget development, a committee may be directed to review a selectboard budget or develop a budget to submit to Town Meeting.
“Primarily, the finance committee is there to advise Town Meeting on articles that are going to appear before them,” he said.
In any case, Kalivas said a “solid working relationship” with the selectboard will allow a finance committee to be more effective in presenting its budget, or recommendations, to Town Meeting.
“One thing that comes up is the perceived stepping on of toes in town finances,” he noted.
Larry Langford, chair of the Buckland Finance Committee, suggested to attendees at the meeting that the finance committee and the selectboard should be in contact on an ongoing basis.
“When the finance committee works its butt off to create a budget … and the selectboard changes a number or overrides it, or makes a different decision, if you have not been tightly communicating with your selectboard, that can really hurt your feelings and make you mad,” he said.
Kalivas echoed the sentiment.
“I don’t think we should get to a point that the selectboard is going to do something that is so out of the realm of what the finance committee thought it was going to do … that it’s upsetting,” he said.
After a roughly 45-minute presentation and answering a handful of pre-submitted questions, Kalivas also provided attendees with resources, including the Division of Local Services’ Databank, the Massachusetts Municipal Association and the Massachusetts Government Finance Officers Association.
Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne