NORWAY – Town Manager David Holt said he will present the preliminary fiscal year 2013 budget to the Board of Selectmen at its April 5 meeting.

“Requests are assembled by the departments and others in February,” explained Holt of the financial process that is used to develop the budget for the upcoming fiscal year which begins on July 1 and ends on June 30, 2013.

Holt said he is currently putting together the preliminary budget, based on those requests, which he will then present to the Board of Selectmen at its first meeting in April.

Then both the selectman and the Budget Committee will begin the review of each department budget, usually on a twice weekly basis for the next four to six weeks. The Budget Committee is made up of Norway residents, appointed by the Board of Selectmen each year to review the town manager’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The budget does not include county or school budgets, which are developed separately by those parties.

“In recent years the two boards have met together for detailed explanation from the various requesters and departments. Then they meet independently to decide on recommendations,” Holt said.

In mid May the Board of Selectmen will set the warrant article which town meeting voters must approve on June 18 at annual town meeting.

In June of 2011, annual town meeting members approved the overall $3.1 million town budget that was developed by Holt and the 15-member Budget Committee.

The budget includes capital requests. Last year, for example, voters approved $427,500 in capital projects including money to fund a new firetruck, highway truck and road improvements.

ldixon@sunjournal.com

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