Massachusetts General Law, chapter 39

Section 16: Appropriation, advisory or finance committees; appointment; tenure; powers and duties

Section 16. Every town whose valuation for the purpose of apportioning the state tax exceeds one million dollars shall, and any other town may, by by-law provide for the election or the appointment and duties of appropriation, advisory or finance committees, who shall consider any or all municipal questions for the purpose of making reports or recommendations to the town; and such by-laws may provide that committees so appointed or elected may continue in office for terms not exceeding three years from the date of appointment or election.

In every town having a committee appointed under authority of this section, such committee, or the selectmen if authorized by a by-law of the town, and, in any town not having such a committee, the selectmen, shall submit a budget at the annual town meeting.

So, first off, Templeton has two conflicting Town by-laws concerning budget presentation; is the Attorney General's office aware of this?

Secondly, kind of hard to make a report or recommendation (s) to town meeting if the committee is kept out of the loop. Kind of hard to make a report or show a report to the Town Meeting when the information is unclear or hidden, such as the budget versus actual documents. Kind of hard for departments to know this information if it is unclear or hidden as well.