SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2301        FILED ON: 8/22/2012

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2429

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Stanley C. Rosenberg

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act amending the charter of the city known as the town of Greenfield to further regulate the interdepartmental transfer of funds.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2301        FILED ON: 8/22/2012

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2429

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Twelve

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An Act amending the charter of the city known as the town of Greenfield to further regulate the interdepartmental transfer of funds.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 5-7 of the charter of the town of Greenfield, which is on file in the office of the archivist of the commonwealth, as provided in section 12 of chapter 43B of the General Laws, is hereby amended by striking out subsection               (b) and inserting in place thereof the following:-

(b) Interdepartmental Transfers - With the approval of the Town Council funds appropriated to the use of one (1) municipal agency may be transferred to the use of another municipal agency as follows:

The Town Council may, by majority vote, on recommendation of the Mayor, transfer within the last 2 months of any fiscal year, or during the first 15 days of the new fiscal year to apply to the previous fiscal year, an amount appropriated for the use of any department.   Except as provided in the preceding sentence (1) no transfer shall be made of any amount appropriated for the use of any town department to the appropriation for any other department except by a 2/3 vote of the Town Council and (2) The Town Council shall, by Ordinance, provide a procedure governing such requests, which shall include at least two (2) readings and a public hearing by the Town Council and it shall specify the circumstances under which notice by publication in a newspaper shall be required.  Requests for the transfer of funds from one municipal agency to another shall be made by the Mayor, in writing, to the Town Council and shall include a statement setting forth the reason the additional funds are needed by the agency to which it is proposed they be transferred. The request shall be accompanied by a certificate, signed by the Finance Director, Accountant, and head of the agency from which the appropriation is proposed to be taken, that such transfer will not prevent that agency from performing its vital functions.                The Town Council will hold a public hearing prior to its approval.  Notice of the hearing will be posted or published at least five (5) days prior to the vote in accordance with the Town Ordinance governing these requests.