Who votes on the Town Budget? There appears to be differing opinions between the Town Manager and Town Councilor John Farrell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Email to Michael Malaguti 2\/22\/2024:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mr. Malaguti,
It was my understanding, and I may be incorrect, but are elected town employee’s salaries voted on by the citizens? I have lived in town since 2008 and I don’t recall these votes. Also, what would be the salary if a new clerk was elected?
Thank you,
Kristine Perez<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Email from Town Manager:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rep. Perez, Councilor John Farrell comments at the Town Council meeting on 5\/6\/2024:
Elected salaries, including the Town Clerk’s, are included in the budget and voted on by the Town Council<\/strong> and residents each year. The sitting Town Clerk was designated a department head, in charge of managing the clerk’s office and the clerk’s staff (which was not previously the case) in 2016. The Town Clerk regularly works well over 40 hours a week and receives no insurance or benefits. The salary of a new town clerk would be determined by the Town Council and then become part of the yearly budget process.
Sincerely,
Michael J. Malaguti<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I’d like to discuss the process for preparing budget warrant articles for Deliberative Sessions. So When the Council prepares a budget what the council does is it goes through several months of going through the budget the budget is presented by the town manager and by staff. The Council then moves the budget to the deliberative session. Once moved to the Deliberative Session the voters move the budget to the warrant. The voter adopt the budget not the town council. At no time does the town council ever actually vote to adopt the budget<\/strong>, we just manage the process.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n