Budget Committee

Chair: Elyse Seeley

Selectmen’s Representative: Jeffrey Bryan

School Board Representative: Charles Gargaly

Members at Large: Ken Christiansen, Jason Clark, William Faria, and Robert Mantegari

The Brentwood Budget Committee was formed by a Town Meeting vote in 1971. Per RSA 32 six members were appointed from the floor by the moderator; two for 1 year terms, two for 2 year terms and three for 3 year terms. Two members are elected annually for three year terms. Occasionally members are appointed by the committee to fill seats vacated by the resignation of standing members. The School Board and the Board of Selectmen each appoint a representative to the committee bringing the total membership to 8.

The duty of the Budget Committee is to prepare the budget for submission to each annual or special meeting of the voters of the municipality, and, if the municipality is a town, the budgets of any school district wholly within the town, except if the warrants do not propose any expenditure. There are required meetings with governing bodies, or department heads and other officials to establish estimated revenues and expenses.

After the required public hearings are held, the committee must post and forward the recommended budgets to the respective governing bodies 20 days before the annual Town or School District Meetings. The result of this process is the budget that voters vote on at the annual town meeting. Voters, the legislative, can raise to recommended budget by no more than 10 of the recommended budget less fixed charges such as bonds, notes, and mandatory governmental assessments, state, county and federal.