2023 Annual Town Meeting & FY24 Budget Timeline

Budget season for 2023-24 is already underway – we’ll keep our timeline updated as the year progresses so you can follow along.

FY24 Town & School Budget Websites

• Town FY24 Budget Website
• School FY24 Budget Website

September 29, 2022

• Town Manager gains consensus on budget timeline and budget message with Select Board, Appropriation Committee and School Committee. (Charter § 7-2(a))
• Town Manager issues Budget Schedule.

September 30, 2022 – CFO distributes budget materials.

October 1, 2022 – Deadline for establishing and issuing budget schedule (Charter § 7-2(a))

October 13, 2022 – Deadline to submit CPC applications

November 1, 2022

• Municipal Services budgets due to Town Manager.
• Select Board discusses its potential articles, including any General Bylaw changes

November 14, 2022

• Town Manager CIP review.
• CPC capital requests due to CIC
• Long Term capital plans due to CIC.

December 1, 2022 – Town officials and multiple member bodies may submit draft warrant articles to Town Counsel for review and comment (S.B. policy).

December 6, 2022 – Select Board discusses its own potential articles, including any General Bylaw changes.

December 8, 2022 – Select Board, School Committee, Appropriation Committee Joint Meeting – Budget Update

December 15, 2022 – School Superintendent presents budget

December 19, 2022 – Town Manager completes Municipal Services budget review.

December 20, 2022

• CIC & CPC complete capital hearings and submit to Town Manager.
• Select Board vote to open the ATM warrant on January 1, 2023 (or before). (120 days before ATM)
• Select Board discusses its own potential articles, including any General Bylaw changes.

January 1, 2023 – ATM Warrant opens. Submission of proposed warrant articles begins.

January 5, 2023 – School Superintendent presents budget to School Committee

January 10, 2023 – Select Board discusses its own potential ATM articles.

January 12, 2023 – School Committee Public Hearing/Board Discussion, with Select Board and Appropriation Committee

January 19, 2023 – School Committee Votes FY 23 Budget

January 24, 2023 – Select Board review its own ATM articles; vote to submit own articles into warrant.

January 24, 2023 – Town Manager submits a consolidated budget to the Select Board.

January 31, 2023

• ATM Warrant closes (90 days before ATM, Charter § 2-3).
• All petitions for warrant articles submitted to Town Clerk for signature confirmation.
• Town Manager refers all appropriation articles to Appropriation Committee.
• Select Board refers voter petitions to Board of Registrars (MGL c.39 § 10).
• Select Board refers all zoning articles to Planning Bd. within 14 days of submission (MGL c.40A § 5).
• Select Board conducts budget and capital hearings.
• Select Board reviews language of its own ATM articles.

February, 2023 – Planning Board public hearing on zoning articles (date scheduled by Planning Board, Zoning Bylaw §210-153; MGL c.40A §5

February 7, 2023 – Draft ATM Warrant to Town Counsel

February 7, 14, 28, 2023

• Select Board budget and capital hearings.
• Select Board finalize language of its own ATM articles.

March, 2023 Public Forum – General Bylaw articles submitted into Warrant, hosted by those proposing the General Bylaw articles. (optional)

March 14, 2023

• Select Board budget and capital hearings.
• Select Board finalize language of its own ATM articles.
• Select Board adopts budget and capital and submits to Appropriation Committee.
• Draft ATM Warrant to Select Board for review.
• Working session with Department Heads – Non-financial Warrant articles, as needed.
• Select Board take positions on Warrant articles

March 27, 2023 – Last day to file nomination papers for town election (MGL c.53 § 7, 49 days prior to election).

March 28, 2023 – Select Board Review ATM Warrant Select Board take positions on Warrant articles

April 4, 2023

• Select Board review ATM Warrant.
• Select Board take positions on Warrant articles.
• Select Board finalize ballot questions.
• Select Board review draft Motions.

April 6, 2023 – Appropriation Committee holds hearing and votes on budget and delivers required report by April 17. (At least 14 days before ATM, Charter § 7-2(b))

April 7, 2023 – Warrant and Motions Document completed.

April 10, 2023

• Deadline for submission of powerpoint presentations for ATM. Send to Moderator for approval.
• Deadline for final written notice of any ballot questions to be submitted to the Town Clerk (35 days before annual town election, MGL c.54 § 42C).

April 11, 2023

• Select Board review draft Motions.
• Select Board take positions on Warrant articles.
• Select Board sign ATM Warrant.
• Select Board discuss its town meeting presentations.
• April 11, 2023 Last day to register to vote for the Annual Town Meeting and Annual Town Election (20 days before Town Meeting/Election M.G.L. c. 51 § 1F).

April 12, 2023 – Moderator’s Meeting: Review of final motions and meeting process with Town Counsel, SB Chair, Moderator, Appropriation Committee Chair, Town Manager, Principal Planner/Planning Board Chair, School Committee Chair, School Superintendent, Finance Director, Town Clerk, Asst. Town Manager, Deputy Moderator.

April 17, 2023

• Appropriation Committee Report Due (At least 14 days before ATM, Charter § 7-2(b))
• Town Report, Q&As and other documents made available (Annual Town Report 14 days before ATM, Charter § 3-1(f)).
• All Town Meeting Reports/handouts Are Published and Available to the Public

April 18, 2023 – Select Board review and assign town meeting duties/presentations.

April 21, 2023 – Combined Election and Warrant posted at least 8 days before ATM (Bylaws § 47-1; MGL c.39 §§ 9A, 10).

May 1, 2023 – Annual Town Meeting (First Monday in May, Bylaws § 47-2)

May 15, 2023 -Annual Town Election (3rd Monday in May, Bylaws § 47-2)