§864. Budget procedures

1.  Commissioners' budget.  The county commissioners shall submit an itemized budget estimate, as described in sections 701, 702 and 7503, to the budget committee in a timely fashion, no later than 60 days before the end of the county's fiscal year.

[PL 2001, c. 170, §4 (AMD).]

2.  Budget review process.  The budget committee shall develop a proposed budget following review of the itemized budget estimate prepared by the county commissioners, together with any supplementary material prepared by the head of each county department or provided by any independent board or institution or another governmental agency. The budget committee may propose that the budget estimate be increased, decreased, altered or revised, provided that:

A. The budget committee enters into its minutes an explanation for any recommended change in the estimated expenditures and revenues as initially presented by the county commissioners; and   [PL 2001, c. 170, §4 (AMD).]

B. The total estimated revenues, together with the amount of county tax to be levied, equals the total estimated expenditures.   [PL 1991, c. 533, §5 (AMD); PL 1991, c. 533, §10 (AFF).]

[PL 2001, c. 170, §4 (AMD).]

3.  Public hearing.  The budget committee shall hold at least 2 public hearings in the county on the proposed budget before the end of the county's fiscal year and before submitting the budget to the commissioners. At least one public hearing must be held in the northern part of the county and at least one public hearing must be held in the southern part of the county. Notice of the hearing must be given at least 10 days before the hearing in a newspaper of general circulation within the county.

[PL 2001, c. 170, §4 (AMD).]

3-A.  Written notification.  Written notice and a copy of the proposed budget must be sent at least 10 days before the public hearing to the clerk of each municipality in the county. The municipal clerk shall notify the elected officials of the proposed budget.

[PL 1991, c. 533, §6 (NEW); PL 1991, c. 533, §10 (AFF).]

4.  Approval of budget.  After the public hearings are completed, the budget committee shall adopt a final budget and shall submit that budget to the county commissioners for review not later than the end of the county's fiscal year, subject to the conditions and restrictions imposed in subsection 2. The county commissioners may not revise the budget adopted by the budget committee except by unanimous vote of the county commissioners. If the adopted budget is changed by the county commissioners, the budget committee may reject that change by a 2/3 vote of its membership. Those actions are final and are not subject to further action by either the county commissioners or the budget committee.

[PL 2001, c. 170, §4 (AMD).]

4-A.  Legislative approval.

[PL 2001, c. 170, §4 (RP).]

5.  Interim budget.  If the budget is not approved before the start of a fiscal year, until a budget is finally adopted, the county shall operate on an interim budget that may not exceed the previous year's budget.

[PL 2001, c. 170, §4 (AMD).]

6.  Transfer of funds.  The county commissioners may transfer funds as provided in section 922.

[PL 1989, c. 473 (NEW).]

SECTION HISTORY

PL 1989, c. 473 (NEW). PL 1991, c. 533, §§5-8 (AMD). PL 1991, c. 533, §10 (AFF). PL 2001, c. 170, §4 (AMD).