Tuesday, May 23, 2017

from Massachusetts General Law, chapter 41;

Section 61: Annual report

Section 61. The town accountant shall make an annual report, to be published as a town document, giving a statement of all receipts and expenditures of the town for the past financial year, including those of funds managed by trustees or commissioners for the town and showing also the amount of each specific appropriation, the expenditures therefrom, and the purpose for which money has been spent; and said statement shall be arranged in accordance with the classifications prescribed by the director of accounts. Such report shall contain a statement of any change in the amount of the town debt during the year and a list of indebtedness incurred and unpaid at the end of the financial year.

from the Ledger History - expenditure Ledger - allocated summary
Some accounts/funds on this budget versus actual (so-called) show a % variation of more than 100%.

Solid waste disposal expenses:    113.24% var. shown as               -$842.01

Recycling revolving expenses:      218.11% var. shown as              - $983.67

COA revolving MART expenses:   148.68% var.  shown as         -$25,649.27

Elementary School:                      1,308.86% var.  shown as  -$1,287,015.44

Snow & Ice shows a deficit and that is allowed by law.

I can already hear the grumblings from Town Hall but this information is on a report from the Town Accountant and if those numbers are not negative or in deficit then perhaps it should be noted on the document as in an explanation. This was also on the agenda and discussed at the last meeting of the Advisory (finance) Committee.


posted by Jeff Bennett
from Massachusetts General Laws, chapter 41;

Section 52: Approval of bills

[ Text of section effective until November 7, 2016. For text effective November 7, 2016, see below.]
  Section 52. All accounts rendered to or kept in the departments of any city shall be subject to the inspection of the city auditor or officer having similar duties, and in towns they shall be subject to the inspection of the selectmen. The auditor or officer having similar duties, or the selectmen, may require any person presenting for settlement an account or claim against the city or town to make oath before him or them, in such form as he or they may prescribe, as to the accuracy of such account or claim. The wilful making of a false oath shall be punishable as perjury. The auditor or officer having similar duties in cities, and the selectmen in towns, shall approve the payment of all bills or pay rolls of all departments before they are paid by the treasurer, and may disallow and refuse to approve for payment, in whole or in part, any claim as fraudulent, unlawful or excessive; and in that case the auditor or officer having similar duties, or the selectmen, shall file with the city or town treasurer a written statement of the reasons for the refusal; and the treasurer shall not pay any claim or bill so disallowed. This section shall not abridge the powers conferred on town accountants by sections fifty-five to sixty-one, inclusive.
Chapter 41: Section 52. Approval of bills
[ Text of section as amended by 2016, 218, Sec. 57 effective November 7, 2016. For text effective until November 7, 2016, see above.]
  Section 52. All accounts rendered to or kept in the departments of any city shall be subject to the inspection of the city auditor or officer having similar duties, and in towns they shall be subject to the inspection of the selectmen. The auditor or officer having similar duties, or the selectmen, may require any person presenting for settlement an account or claim against the city or town to make oath before him or them, in such form as he or they may prescribe, as to the accuracy of such account or claim. The willful making of a false oath shall be punishable as perjury. The auditor or officer having similar duties in cities, and the selectmen in towns, shall approve the payment of all bills or pay rolls of all departments before they are paid by the treasurer, and may disallow and refuse to approve for payment, in whole or in part, any claim as fraudulent, unlawful or excessive; and in that case the auditor or officer having similar duties, or the selectmen, shall file with the city or town treasurer a written statement of the reasons for the refusal; and the treasurer shall not pay any claim or bill so disallowed. The board of selectmen may designate any 1 of its members for the purpose of approving bills or payrolls under this section; provided, however, that the member shall make available to the board, at the first meeting following such action, a record of such actions. This provision shall not limit the responsibility of each member of the board of selectmen in the event of a noncompliance with this section. This section shall not abridge the powers conferred on town accountants by sections fifty-five to sixty-one, inclusive.

Section 58: Duties; notice of condition of appropriations; record of appropriations

Section 58. Whenever any appropriation shall have been expended or whenever, in the judgment of the town accountant, it appears that the liabilities incurred against any appropriation may be in excess of the unexpended balance thereof, he shall immediately notify the selectmen and the board, committee, head of department or officer authorized to make expenditures therefrom, and no claim against such appropriation shall be allowed nor any further liability incurred until the town makes provision for its payment. The town accountant shall, at regular intervals and as often at least as once each month, send to the selectmen and to each board, committee, head of department or officer having the disbursement of an appropriation a statement of the amount of orders approved and warrants drawn on behalf of said board, department or officer during the preceding month, and a statement of the balance of such appropriation remaining subject to draft. Each head of a department, board or committee authorized to expend money shall furnish the town accountant, at the close of the financial year, a list of bills remaining unpaid, showing to whom and for what due, and their amounts; and the town accountant shall incorporate the same in his annual report covering the financial transactions of the town, as provided by section sixty-one.

posted by Jeff Bennett
from the Templeton Town Moderator:


 
Sun 5/21, 8:17 PM
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