Town of Brookline FY21 Program Budget

Administration and Finance l Advisory Committee

Program Description
The Advisory Committee is appointed by the Town Moderator in accordance with Sections 2.2.1 and 2.2.2  of the Town's By-Laws, which read as follows:

"Section 2.2.1:  The Moderator shall, in June of each year, appoint citizens to serve on the Advisory Committee (herein the "Committee") established under G.L.C. 39, Section 16, and this By-Law.  Members of the Committee shall serve without compensation.  The Committee shall consist of not fewer than twenty nor more than thirty registered voters of the Town.  At least one elected Town Meeting Member shall be appointed from each precinct.  No more than six members shall be appointed who are not elected Town Meeting Members at the time of their appointment.  No more than four members of the Committee shall reside in the same precinct.  No member of the Committee shall be an employee of the Town or a member of any standing board or Committee having charge of the expenditure money; but, this restriction shall not disqualify from appointment to the Committee, members of special committees which may be created from time to time by Town Meeting, the Moderator, or the Select Board to report on specific matters. 

Section 2.2.2: members shall hold office from July 1st, in the year of their appointment, for three year staggered terms and until their successors are appointed.  All vacancies shall be filled by the Moderator for the unexpired term of the appointee's predecessor."
 
FY21 Objectives
  1. In accordance with Section 2.2.5 of Article 2.2:  "The Committee shall consider any and all municipal questions, including appropriation requests and proposed action under all articles in the Warrant for a Town Meeting, for the purpose of making reports and recommendations to the Town. The Committee shall submit a budget at the Annual Town Meeting.  It may examine the books and records of any board, committee, or officer of the Town as far as permitted by law.
FY20 Accomplishments
  1. Overview: During FY2020, the Advisory Committee reviewed and developed recommendations to Town Meeting and the Select Board on the FY2020 budget and on a wide range of warrant articles, many of which had implications for the budget. In the course of that work, the full Advisory Committee and its subcommittees met over 120 times. In addition, the Capital Subcommittee made multiple visits to project sites.
  2. Spent three months reviewing the Town Administrator’s Proposed FY2020 Financial Plan and Capital Improvements Program (CIP) and developing the Advisory Committee’s version of the budget for FY2020. Presented a detailed analysis and recommendation to the May 2019 Annual Town Meeting including an overview of the Town budget and the longer-term fiscal outlook, a comprehensive report on the School budget, and descriptions and analyses of the numerous construction/renovation projects included in the CIP.
  3. Monitored fiscal trends and met to hear and discuss presentations from the Brookline Fiscal Advisory Committee, which the Select Board had appointed pursuant to the Advisory Committee’s FY2019 recommendation.
  4. Continued to follow a process for more detailed review of Reserve Fund transfer requests, including subcommittee evaluation of all such requests prior to review by the full Advisory Committee.
  5. Prepared and presented to Town Meeting comprehensive reports on a number of complicated Warrant Articles and financial considerations. The Committee investigated and made recommendations on amendments to the FY2020 budget. Other topics to which the Advisory Committee devoted a great deal of attention and analysis included the financial implications of rebuilding the Driscoll School. Members of the committee presented in-depth analysis of and detailed reports on these topics. Committee members assisted several petitioners in the process of improving their Warrant Articles. One outstanding example was the work done by the Planning & Regulatory Subcommittee on a helping the petitioners finalize a warrant article restricting the future installation of new natural gas infrastructure. Another example was the extensive hearings and work with petitioners on warrant articles modifying the conditions under which recreational marijuana dispensaries operate.
  6. The Committee adopted the practice of publishing timed agendas so that members of the public could plan attendance at the times the agenda items in which they had an interest were being discussed. The Committee maintained ongoing communications and provided materials to all department heads, Town boards and commissions, Town Meeting Members, union officials, local newspapers, and other interested parties. Held open public hearings on issues before Town Meeting.
  7. Members of the Advisory Committee participated on committees appointed by the Select Board and the Moderator, including the Brookline Financial Advisory Committee, the Land Bank Study Committee, the Newbury College Acquisition Study Committee, the Moderator’s Committee on Elderly Tax Relief, the Driscoll School Building Committee, the Surveillance Technology & Military-Type Equipment Committee, and the Building Committee for the Brookline High School Expansion Project.
  8. Members also served on several standing Town committees, commissions, and boards, including the Economic Development Advisory Board, Martin Luther King Celebration Committee, Zoning By-Law Review Committee, Town/School Partnership Committee, Hubway Advisory Committee, Naming Committee, Taxation Aid Committee, and Audit Committee.