NORWAY — The Board of Selectmen on Thursday evening discussed whether the Budget Committee should meet more often throughout the year to prepare the town budget.
Selectman Thomas Curtis, who also serves on the committee, brought up the issue at the start of their meeting.
“I was speaking to some of the Budget Committee members, and discussion was initiated to have the Budget Committee meet more frequently than from late February to late May,” Curtis said. “Of the 15 people on the Budget Committee, 10 have said that (meeting more often) sounds interesting and would be enjoyable to do.”
Chairman Russell Newcomb said he didn’t see any reason why the Budget Committee couldn’t meet more often if they wanted to do so.
Town Manager David Holt told the board that “all of our committees have the ability to chart their own course.”
He added that the only difference between meeting earlier in the year and meeting during the budget season was that there would be “no budget proposal in front of them.”
“I imagine that discussion would focus on the existing budget,” he said.
Selectman Warren Sessions said he didn’t want the Budget Committee to put additional pressure on the department heads to come up with early budget numbers.
“They like to see most of the year go by before trying to predict what it’ll cost next year,” Sessions said. “I just worry about extra pressure being put on the department heads.”
“That being said, I do applaud their eagerness to meet more,” Sessions added with a smile.
Newcomb told Sessions that the “Budget Committee would have to understand that they wouldn’t be getting new numbers.”
“They can get together and discuss how they want to move forward, or figure things out for future years,” he said, adding that department heads wouldn’t be required to submit budget numbers at early meetings.
Curtis told the board that the next time he meets with Budget Committee members, he can suggest that they draft a mission statement for what they wish to accomplish by meeting earlier and more often and put it before the Board of Selectmen.
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