APRIL 21, 2023 Selectboard Finance Committee Meeting Minutes

OFFICE OF THE SELECTBOARD

Finance Committee

TOWN OF HALIFAX, VERMONT

MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING

APRIL 21, 2023

CALL TO ORDER

  • McAllister called the meeting to order at 12:00 pm

CHANGES AND ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA

  • Christofferson suggested discussion of Q4 Budget Cycle preparations be made earlier in the meeting.

APPROVAL PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES

  • There are no previous meeting minutes as this was the first meeting of the Finance Committee

NEW BUSINESS

  1. The description of the Finance Committee was reviewed. Christofferson suggested that the charge of the Finance Committee be amended to reflect a specific role in preparation of the annual Town Budget. She proposed the Finance Committee liase with the Treasurer and Highway department teams as the primary constituencies in the Town Budget discussions in order to provide further transparency regarding line-item details and to ensure that all parties are working with the same information and “as of “ dates, and offered to work with the Treasurer and Highway Department to develop a budgeting and forecasting spreadsheet to help inform the Selectboard during its budget review process.  She will prepare a proposed revise charge for discussion at the next meeting.
  2. The date, timing and place of regular meetings of the Finance Committee was established as the third Friday after the end of each fiscal quarter at noon at the Town Office, for the primary purpose of reviewing the Treasurer’s Quarterly Financial Statements and such other matters as may be appropriate. The meeting dates for the next four quarters are as follows:
Town of Halifax Quarterly Financial Statement Finance Committee Regular Meeting Schedule
3Q23 – March 31, 2023 Noon on April 21, 2023  (Friday) in Town Hall
4Q23 – June 30, 2023 Noon on July 21, 2024 (Friday) in Town Hall
1Q24 – September 30, 2023 Noon on October 20, 2023 (Friday) in Town Hall
2Q24 – December 31, 2023 Noon on January 19, 2024 (Friday) in Town Hall
  1. McAllister provided information regarding the Selectboard discussions with the Auditor (Batchelder Associates P.C.) with respect to the FY 2022 Audited Financial Statements
    • The roles and responsibilities of the town Auditors was discussed.
    • McAllister will check with the Selectboard Chair as to the status of the elected/ appointed Town Auditors and ask them to join a future meeting of the Finance Committee to discuss their role and expectations and implement closer collaboration with the Selectboard.
  2. A review of the 3Q23 Financial Statements was initiated.

OLD BUSINESS

A Special Meeting of the Finance Committee was proposed for April 26, 2023 (Wednesday) to continue review of the 3Q23 Financial Statements.

OTHER BUSINESS

HEARING OF VISITORS

ADJOURNMENT

McAllister adjourned the meeting at 1:54 pm