WESTERLY — Citing dissatisfaction with the new schedule for municipal and schools budget deliberations, the Board of Finance's chairman, Kenneth J. Swain, has resigned after more than 18 years of service.
In October, voters approved amendments to the Town Charter that changed the deadlines for when the town manager and superintendent of schools are required to submit their proposed annual budget to the Board of Finance. The town manager's deadline changed to the third Monday in March from the third Monday in February and the superintendent of schools' deadline moved to the first Monday in March from the the first Monday in February.
Advocates of the changes said the new schedule would make it easier for town officials because they would likely have a more accurate reading of state budget figures if the local budgets were turned in later in the year.
Despite the two changes, the Town Charter-mandated deadlines for public hearings conducted by the Town Council, after the Board of Finance's review, were not changed. Under a provision in the Town Charter, the Town Council must complete a second hearing on the proposed budget no later than the fourth Wednesday in April.
The changes had the effect of compressing the Board of Finance's annual budget review. Swain, in a resignation letter dated Sept. 15, called the changes "very disturbing. I find this time constraint to allow minimal budget review from the board."
The finance board is intended to serve as an independent, non-partisan adviser to elected officials on the Town Council and School Committee and to town managers and superintendents of school. The Town Charter states, “At the time of their appointment and during their term of office, members of the Board of Finance shall not hold any elective or appointive office in the town or state, nor be a member of any town or state central committee of any political party, nor be an employee of the town.”
Swain said the finance board's function is critical, and he noted that under the new budget deliberations schedule the board now has 30 days to review the enterprise budgets, such as those for the water and sewer departments, but just 15 days total to review both the Town Council and School Committee budgets.
"It is my belief that the finance board is the only public review the town and school budgets undergo. Reducing this time to 15 days, but leaving the enterprise fund review to 30 days, is a disservice to our community," Swain wrote.
In his letter, Swain thanked the board members he served with over the years and also thanked residents for supporting and encouraging him.
"My resignation comes to you in an effort to move the finance board forward in new ways with new energy, to develop our community in a fiscally responsible manner," Swain wrote.
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September 22, 2020 at 07:55AM
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Westerly Board of Finance Chairman Kenneth Swain resigns - The Westerly Sun
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