New Hampshire § 32-11 - Section 32:11 Emergency Expenditures and Overexpenditures.

§ 32-11. Section 32:11 Emergency Expenditures and Overexpenditures.

When an unusual circumstance arises during the year which makes it necessary to expend money in excess of an appropriation which may result in an overexpenditure of the total amount appropriated for all purposes at the meeting or when no appropriation has been made, the selectmen or village district commissioners, upon application to the commissioner of revenue administration or the school board upon application to the commissioner of education, may be given authority to make such expenditure, provided that: I. Such application shall be made prior to the making of such expenditure. No such authority shall be granted until a majority of the budget committee, if any, has approved the application in writing. If there is no budget committee, the governing body shall hold a public hearing on the request, with notice as provided in RSA 91-A:2. II. The commissioner of revenue administration or the commissioner of education may accept and approve an application after an expenditure if caused by a sudden or unexpected emergency, in which case paragraph I shall not apply. III. Neither the commissioner of revenue administration nor the commissioner of education shall approve such an expenditure unless the governing body designates the source of revenue to be used. Neither commissioner shall have the authority to increase the town or district's tax rate in order to fund such an expenditure. IV. When applying to the commissioner of education for such authority, the school board shall send a copy of such application to the department of revenue administration. The commissioner of education, when granting authority to the school board, shall notify, in writing, the commissioner of revenue administration of any and all authorizations given to school boards for emergency expenditures or overexpenditures, and the revenue source for funding such expenditures. V. Notwithstanding paragraphs I through IV, if the legislative body has by warrant article established a contingency fund in the annual budget for the purpose of unanticipated expenses, the board of selectmen may expend funds from such account to meet the costs of such expenses.