Budget Procedure

There are many facets to passing a municipal budget.  The following is offered to give interested residents a sense of the process and is for informational purposes only.

The legal requirements for budget adoption are spelled out in the town charter and town ordinances, which are available on line, at the town building and in the town libraries.

Schedule
In January of each year, the Town Council approves a budget calendar that lists the schedule for budget  procedures, including when department personnel meet with the Budget Board, when public hearings are scheduled, and the anticipated timetable for budget adoption. The calendar is a useful tool for following the process from submission of department budgets (including the school budgets) in January to the beginning of the fiscal year on July 1st. The calendar is posted on the website and at the town building. Copies can also be obtained from the town clerk’s office.

Requests & Input
The Town Council appoints a citizen based Budget Board who receives and reviews all estimates for capital and operating expenditures submitted, including from the schools.  The Budget Board holds public meetings at which department heads, town officials and agencies submitting requests for appropriation appear to explain and support their requests. Citizen input is always welcome.

Recommendation
After receiving input, the Board meets to examine the budget requests, considers budget impacts and prepares a budget recommendation. The Board submits its recommendations for capital and operating budgets to the Town Manager, including its comments and observations.

Capital Budget Process
The Budget Board submits its capital budget recommendation to the Town Manager, who then submits it to the Town Council in early March. At least one public hearing is held by the Town Council to provide another opportunity for input by citizens. After the public hearing(s) the Town Council adopts the capital budget on or before April 15th.

Operating Budget Process
The Manager reviews the recommendations of the Budget Board for the operating budget, including schools, and is charged with making changes that the Manager deems appropriate for submittal to the Town Council. Please note, by State law, neither the Budget Board nor the Manager has authority to change any line item in the School Department operating budget request, except the overall total amount.

The Manager submits his recommendation to the Town Council no later than the first Monday in May. The Manager provides a written narrative on the budget to support the presentation.

Public Input
The Town Council will then hold a minimum of two public hearings on separate days. One public hearing focuses on the municipal operating budget and one covers the school department operating budget. At these hearings, the recommendations are explained to the public.  Citizens who wish to speak are given an opportunity to address the Town Council.

Adoption
After the public hearings, the Town Council makes any changes that it deems appropriate.  A final budget that is balanced between authorized expenditures and anticipated receipts is adopted, usually at the first regular meeting in June. Final budget adjustments may be made later in the month. When the Town Council adopts a budget, it is posted on the website and is available in the Town Hall.

Posted to the Web
View budget documents on our website as they are posted; or go the Burrillville Finance Department's webpage.