Town Budget Timeline
| January | By Thursday, January 31: Assessor must file Grand List |
| February | Board of Selectmen conducts special meetings to create preliminary budget. By 2nd Monday: Board of Finance meets with Board of Selectmen to discuss priorities. |
| March | By 2nd Monday: Board of Selectmen submits a preliminary town budget to Board of Finance. By 2nd Monday: Board of Finance determines the probable total income of the town for the forthcoming fiscal year. By 3rd Monday: Board of Selectmen proposes operating and capital budgets for the forthcoming fiscal year to Board of Finance. Proposed budget is made available to the public in Town Clerk’s office. |
| April | By 1st Monday: Board of Finance prepares the final preliminary town budget. By 3rd Monday: Board of Finance reviews the final preliminary budget with Board of Selectmen, explaining any changes. By 4th Monday: printed copies of the final preliminary budget are made available to the public in the Town Clerk’s office. |
| May | By 1st Monday: Board of Finance holds a public hearing on the final preliminary town budget. After the public hearing, Board of Finance drafts its final recommended budget and provides it to Board of Selectmen, with a detailed explanation of any further changes made. By 2nd Monday: copies of the final recommended budget are available to the public in the Town Clerk’s office. By 3rd Monday: Annual Town Budget Meeting, with the power to decrease or delete any appropriation or item in an appropriation but not to make any appropriation for a purpose not recommended by the Board of Finance. |