Category: Webster Town Moderator

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WEBSTER – Town Administrator Douglas C. Willardson prefaced this week’s town meeting by suggesting that although some financial issues need to be addressed, the town’s overall condition is not dire. In wake of a recent audit report about fiscal 2016, which raised numerous concerns, and the Finance Committee’s suggestion that the town rein in spending, Mr....

WEBSTER — The public’s response from the town’s first-time use of electronic voting during the recent special and annual town meetings was extremely positive, according to Town Clerk Robert Craver. In past years, the meetings have been a venue for spirited and lengthy debate, including last year’s filibuster on the town budget. “When was...

WEBSTER – Twenty-four people have applied for the vacant town administrator position, Thomas Ralph Jr., chairman of the nine-member screening committee, said in an interview Tuesday. Thursday was the deadline to apply for the job. On Friday, Mr. Ralph and fellow screening committee members Michael Finamore and Town Clerk Robert Craver met to go...

The term “municipal finance” incorporates a number of fiscal components, also called systems, that exist within a town government. These systems exist to determine how local funds are to be spent, to ensure that the funds are spent legally and in a manner consistent with the original intent, and to control the collection of...

Proposition 21⁄2 (M.G.L. Ch. 59 Sec. 21C), which was passed by Massachusetts voters in November of 1980, places a limit on the amount of property taxes a community can levy each year. Proposition 21⁄2 establishes two types of restrictions on the annual property tax levy. First, a community cannot levy in excess of 2.5...

WHAT ARE THE BASIC ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF TOWN MEETING RELATIVE TO MUNICIPAL FINANCE? Town meeting is the legislative body and appropriating authority of a town. As the legislative body, town meeting enacts by- laws and other measures to provide for the operation of municipal government and the administration of town affairs. For example,...

Town Moderator Appointments The Town Charter states that the Town Moderator is charged with making four appointments to the Town Administrator Search Committee. The Town Moderator is currently accepting letters of interest from town residents who wish to serve on this Committee. The letter should explain why the resident wishes to be named to...

I am happy to report that all of the positions on the By-Law Committee have been filled. I want to thank all of the individuals who volunteered to assist. I still have opens on the Charter Review Commission and the Finance Committee. If anyone is interested in either of these, please forward a letter...