Hampshire Council of Governments Charter

1. Fiscal Year
The fiscal year of the Council of Governments shall begin on the first day of July and shall end on the thirtieth day of June, unless another provision is made by general law.

2. Submission of Proposed Budget
Within the time fixed by the administrative code the administrator shall submit to the Council of Governments councilors a proposed budget for the ensuing fiscal year, with an accompanying budget message and supporting documents. Within five days after receipt of the proposed budget, the chairman of the Council of Governments councilors shall transmit a copy of the budget to the chairmen of the boards of selectmen in towns and the mayor and the president of the city council in cities.

3. Budget Message and Proposed Budget
The budget message and the accompanying proposed budget submitted by the administrator shall explain the proposed budget for all Council of Governments agencies, both in fiscal terms and in terms of work programs. It shall outline proposed financial policies of the Council of Governments for the ensuing fiscal year; describe important features of the proposed budget; indicate any major variations from the current budget in financial policies, expenditures, and revenues, together with the reasons for the changes; and summarize the Council of Governments debt position; and it shall include any additional information the administrator deems desirable or the Council of Governments councilors may reasonably require.

4. Action on the Proposed Budget

a. The Council of Governments councilors shall forthwith, upon receipt of the proposed budget, provide for the publication in a local newspaper or newspapers of a notice stating the date, time and place, not fewer than ten nor more than twenty days following publication, when a public hearing will be held by the Council of Governments councilors on the proposed budget.

b. The Council of Governments councilors, or a committee thereof, shall consider, in open public meetings, the detailed expenditures proposed by each Council of Governments department or agency. The councilors may require the administrator, or any other Council of Governments department or agency, to furnish additional information as the councilors may deem necessary to assist in their review of the proposed budget.

c. The executive committee shall file a report containing its recommendations for actions on the proposed budget which shall be available at least seven days prior to the date on which the Council of Governments councilors act on the proposed budget. The budget shall be adopted by a majority of weighted votes prior to May first of each year, and, consistent with the principle of self-government embodied by this charter, shall not be subject to disallowance by any other legislative body.

5. Capital Improvement Program
The administrator shall submit a capital improvement program to the Council of Governments councilors at least thirty days prior to the submission of the proposed operating budget. The capital improvement program shall include, but need not be limited to, the following:

a. a clear, concise general summary of its contents;

b. a listing of all capital expenditures proposed to be made, by years, during the five fiscal years next ensuring, with supporting information as to the need for each expenditure;

c. cost estimates, methods of financing and recommended time schedules;

d. the estimated annual cost of operating and maintaining any new facility or piece of major equipment involved.

e. the information in the capital improvement program shall be revised annually with regard to all items still pending, or in the process of being acquired, improved or constructed.

6. Sources of Revenue

a. For the fiscal year beginning July first, nineteen hundred ninety-nine, the Hampshire Council of Governments may impose a regional assessment up to the rate of .0001 of the equalized valuation of each member municipality as reported to the general court by the commissioner of revenue in accordance with section 10C of chapter 58 of the General Laws. The regional assessment shall be based upon the budget adopted by the Council of Governments, net of estimated revenues.

b. After July first of the year two thousand, the Hampshire Council of Governments may increase or reduce the regional assessment on each member municipality from the base year of fiscal nineteen hundred ninety-nine, subject to the same limits section 21C of chapter fifty-nine of the General Laws imposes on the member municipalities.

7. The Hampshire Council of Governments may accept or participate in any grant, donation or program available to any political subdivision of the Commonwealth, and may also accept or participate in any grant, donation, or program made available to counties or councils of governments by any other governmental or private entity.

8. Additional sources of revenue shall be determined by the council and may include any user fees or fees for service and any other methods allowable by general or special laws or approved by the voters of the member municipalities.

9. If any payment of service charges or assessments is not made when required, the Director of Finance shall cause notice to be sent to the delinquent municipality. Ninety days delinquency in any payments to which notice shall have been given to the municipality shall entitle the Executive Committee to suspend services until the delinquency is satisfied and the deficiency shall bear interest, after notice, at a rate determined in the administrative code.

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