How Finance Committees Are Selected By Massachusetts Towns

Barry Pease, member of the Groton Finance Committee, presented the Charter Review Committee with FinCom's reasons for wanting to change the current practice of Selectmen appointing the Finance Committee.

Pease said FinCom members feel there is not enough perception of arms-length dealing between the Board of Selectmen and the FinCom - that the direct authority of Selectmen appointing the FinCom represents something that is not what most people consider to be a check and balance system.

Pease also pointed out that Groton's current practice is the least common method of appointing a Finance Committee in the Commonwealth.

He said that his research showed that 65% of FinCom's state-wide are appointed by sole appointment of the Town Moderator, 20% are elected, 9% are appointed by a so-called 'Troika' [a 3 member appointing board made up of the Moderator, the Chairman of the Board of Selectmen and the Chairman of the FinCom], and only 8% are appointed by the Board of Selectmen.

The goal, according to Pease said, is to establish an arms-length distance between the powers of the Selectmen and the budget oversight authority of the FinCom.