Maine § 2008. - Budget meeting

§ 2008.. Budget meeting

The trustees of a watershed district shall annually before June 1st call a district budget meeting to approve the operating budget, reserve fund for a capital outlay purpose or capital outlay appropriations in the following manner.   [PL 1987, c. 711 (NEW).]

1.  Call and notice.  Each district budget meeting shall be called by a warrant signed by a majority of the trustees. The warrant shall specify the time and place of the meeting and shall set forth the proposed budget and any other items of business. The warrant shall be directed to any resident of the district, by name, ordering that resident to notify all voters within the district to assemble at the time and place appointed. An attested copy of the warrant shall be posted by the person to whom it is directed in some conspicuous place in each of the municipalities within the district at least 7 days before the meeting. The person who gives notice of the meeting shall make a return on the warrant, stating the manner of notice in each municipality and the time when it was given.

2.  Voting list.  The trustees shall appoint a resident of the district to serve as registration clerk and to make and keep a voting list of all residents in the district eligible to vote. The registration clerk shall compile the district voting list from the voting lists of all municipalities and the portions of unorganized territory lying within the district. At least 14 days before any budget meeting, the registration clerk shall bring that voting list up to date by comparing the list with those voting lists found in the municipalities and the portions of unorganized territory within the district and by making such additions and deletions as necessary. Additions or deletions may not be made within the 14-day period prior to the meeting.

3.  Quorum; meeting rules.  Each person whose name appears on the district voting list may attend and vote at a district budget meeting. Twenty-five registered voters constitute a quorum. When a quorum of voters is present, the chair of the trustees shall open the meeting by calling for the election of a moderator, receiving and counting votes for moderator and swearing in the moderator. As soon as a moderator has been elected and sworn, the moderator shall preside at the meeting. The secretary of the district shall record accurately all votes of the meeting.

4.  Budget approval.  The trustees shall thoroughly explain the proposed budget and the voters of the district shall be given an opportunity to be heard. At the district budget meeting, only those items dealing with the expenses necessary to operate the district, appropriations for a reserve fund and capital outlay shall be subject to change by the voters. The initial budget submitted by the trustees of the watershed district following the district's formation and organization must be approved by the voters at the district budget meeting. If the initial budget is not approved by July lst, the trustees shall make as many revisions and conduct as many meetings as necessary to secure budget approval by the voters. If a budget for the operation of the district is not approved prior to July 1st in any following year, the previous fiscal year's budget shall automatically be considered the approved budget for that fiscal year.