Members

The York Budget Committee is comprised of seven members elected by York voters to serve three-year terms.  Terms are staggered so that two or three members are elected each year. Each year, the committee elects a Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary.

Committee members serve as liaisons with the Town’s Finance Department, the School Department, and the York Public Library.  Members also represent the Committee on the Town’s Capital Planning Committee and on the Town Hall Building Committee.

Meetings

The Committee’s regular monthly meetings normally consist of review and approval of minutes, public comment, liaison reports, and other matters as appropriate.  Liaison reports serve as opportunities for the Committee to review how actual financial results are tracking to approved budgets, for both revenues and expenditures.

During the fall, department heads make informal presentations to the Committee.  These discussions serve as mid-year financial and operational updates as well as previews of upcoming budget requests.

Budget Season

By calendar year-end, the School Committee and Town Manager present their proposed budgets for the next fiscal year (beginning July 1) to the Budget Committee.  During January and February, the Budget Committee meets twice a week, and conducts at least one public hearing, to review the proposed budgets, ask questions of department heads and administrators, and discuss the proposed budgets, both operating and capital.  Presentations are made by individual department heads, and Committee members evaluate the proposed budgets in a deliberative and collegial fashion.  It is the Committee’s goal to be transparent, collaborative, and respectful, acting as the eyes and ears of the townspeople and ensuring that the town’s departments are appropriately funded.  Accordingly, and as permitted under the town charter, the Budget Committee may amend individual budget line items up or down, based on the Committee’s assessment of factors such as previous results and anticipated needs.

When the budget reviews are complete, the Budget Committee votes to establish a dollar amount and approve each budget warrant article.  Committee members then take preference votes on each monetary warrant article.   Finally, the Committee reviews the warrant article language and statements of fact for the Voter Guide.

Financial Information

In accordance with SEC regulations, and to ensure that the town’s financial position is not misinterpreted by potential investors, much of the financial data that the Committee reviews is not available online, and what is published is preliminary and subject to review by the Town’s auditors.  The Town of York’s audited financial statements can be found on the Finance Department page of the town website.  

The Budget Committee welcomes public comment and engagement in the budget process and works to ensure that the citizens of York are well informed about budget matters.

Respectfully submitted,

Marla Johnson, Chair