§ 25. Board of finance.

(a)

The board of finance of the city and town of Bristol shall consist of nine members, of which the mayor shall be one member, ex officio. Upon the expiration of the term of any member in June, the mayor shall nominate, and the city council shall, within sixty days after such nomination, confirm a successor, who shall serve for a period of four years or until their respective successors shall be appointed, subject to the provisions hereinafter set forth.

(b)

All appointments, except vacancy appointments, shall begin to run from the date of expiration of the term of office succeeded to or from the date of the appointment, if made subsequent thereto, but the term of four years, shall begin at the expiration date of the office succeeded to. The mayor, by nomination, and the city council, by appointment, shall fill any vacancy for the unexpired portion of the term.

(c)

No person shall be eligible for membership to said board who is not an elector and taxpayer of said city, and no member except the mayor, shall hold an office in said city or town of Bristol from which such person receives compensation from the city or town.

(d)

All members shall serve without compensation. On all matters voted upon by the board independently and not in conjunction with the city council, a majority vote of the members of the board, present and absent, shall prevail. At all meetings a quorum shall consist of five members. The city council, at the direction of said board, shall, from time to time, provide suitable offices and equipment as said board shall deem necessary and advisable for the conduct of its work.

(e)

The mayor shall be the chairperson of the joint meeting which shall be defined as a meeting of the board of finance and city council. The mayor may call a joint meeting of the city council and board of finance at any time and shall call such a meeting upon request, in writing from the chairperson of the board.

(f)

The board of finance shall annually elect a chairperson and vice chairperson and establish rules of procedure and fix the dates for and the time of meetings and for the notices to be given members, if any. It shall designate such public meetings or hearings as it shall deem necessary and proper.

(g)

The following words, when used in this charter with reference to the powers, rights and duties of the board of finance shall be interpreted, respectively, as follows: The word "board" shall be interpreted to mean the "board of finance"; the word "department", shall be interpreted to mean any agency authorized to perform any governmental function within the limits of the city or town of Bristol, either by authority of the charter or by authority of the ordinances authorized under it, whether administered by an appointive or elective board, commission, official or committee; the word "district" shall be interpreted to mean any portion of the city or town of Bristol which is set off or defined or which may be created, either by authority of the charter of said city, by its ordinances, by statute or by special act of the legislature, and authorized to carry out any governmental or educational function, state or local, regardless of the agency that may be authorized to administer such district; the word "officer" shall be interpreted to mean any official, whether appointed or elected, for the purpose of administering any department, subdivision or district; the word "officer" shall also be interpreted to mean the chairperson or other member of any board, commission or committee and the word "subdivision" shall be interpreted to mean any section or partition of any department or district.

(h)

The board shall determine the system of records to be kept by all city departments, subdivisions and districts. It shall provide methods of bookkeeping, accounting and auditing and shall adjust accounts against the city.

(i)

The board through the purchasing agent may procure for the several departments of the city, such insurance, materials or supplies as may be necessary in its opinion, subject to provisions hereinafter set forth.

(j)

It shall be a board of estimate and apportionment of expenditures of said city and of any subdivision thereof. At the first meeting in the month of March, and annually, or as soon as practical thereafter, it shall make an estimate of the expenditures for each department in as minute detail as is practicable, for the next ensuing fiscal year beginning July first.

(k)

Upon the completion of the grand list of all property in the city of Bristol liable to taxation, it shall prepare and publish, in one or more newspapers having a circulation in said city, a budget and estimate of expenditures of said city for the next ensuing fiscal year. Such budget shall state the appropriations for each class of expenditures and shall give the amounts in as minute detail as practicable and shall include therein requirements of all debts. It shall also state the amount which it is estimated will be received from all sources of revenue of said city, except general taxation and the amount required to be raised by general taxation. Such budget shall be submitted to the city council for its study at least fifteen days before the joint meeting of the city council and the board of finance, hereinafter provided for. The newspaper publication provided herein shall take place at least one week before said joint board meeting.

(l)

Upon the completion of such budget, annually, the mayor shall call a joint meeting of the city council and the board of finance, which shall be held at a date set by ordinance for the purpose of discussing such budget. No changes shall be made therein except that, by a majority vote of the total membership of both the city council and the board, present and absent, at such meeting, such budget may be increased or decreased but unless so increased or decreased at such meeting, such budget shall constitute the budget for the fiscal year beginning July first next ensuing. The mayor shall declare the budget so adopted. All voting at joint meetings of the city council and board of finance shall be in person.

(m)

Upon the completion of the budget as provided herein, the board of finance and the city council, in joint meeting, shall forthwith lay the tax or taxes for the next ensuing fiscal year for the city and shall cause to be prepared and signed, a rate bill therefor, and determine the dates on which taxes shall be payable.

(n)

The board of finance shall, annually, determine the amount to be expended for the public schools in the preparation of its budget and the expenditure of such sum annually shall be in the discretion of the board of education.

(o)

The board shall annually make appropriations to include expenses necessary to meet its requirements and for compensation for necessary assistance for the year next ensuing, and such appropriation shall be included in the budget annually.

(p)

In cases where less than five thousand dollars is involved, the board during any fiscal year, may transfer the full or any part of any appropriation, of any budgetary account when it is the opinion such transfer may be advisable. In matters where more than five thousand dollars is involved, the board, subject to the approval of both the city council and the board at a joint meeting, by a majority vote of the total membership of the city council and the board, present and absent at such meeting, may transfer during any fiscal year, the whole or any part of the balance of any appropriation of any budgetary account.

(q)

A monthly report shall be filed with the mayor and city council showing all transfers of balances to or from said reserve fund.

(r)

If during any fiscal year, in the opinion of the board, a revision of the budget shall be necessary, or any special appropriation required, it shall have the power to make such revision or special appropriation, which shall have the same force and effect as an original budget appropriation, provided such special appropriation or revision shall be approved at a joint meeting by a majority vote of the total membership of both the city council and the board of finance, present and absent, at such meeting.

(s)

Should it appear to the board that any department supported by the city is expending an appropriation, or any part thereof, for a purpose not intended or authorized, or has entered upon a plan of operation which is calculated to involve an expenditure in excess of the amount of such appropriation, or is extravagant in handling its funds, or is so managing its affairs as not to produce for the city the best results obtainable for the purpose for which such appropriation was granted, the board shall conduct an investigation into the conduct of such department and, after a hearing duly held, due notice of which shall have been given to officers and heads of the department in question, make such finding, together with recommendations as shall, in the judgment of the board, be necessary to insure the proper expenditure of the appropriations made for such department. During the continuance of such investigation, and until the recommendations made by the board shall have been carried out by the management of the department, the appropriations allotted to such department may be administered by the comptroller.

(t)

The comptroller, assistant comptroller and purchasing agent in office on the effective date of the enactment of this charter shall continue to hold office and may be removed only for cause. They shall be bonded in an amount to be determined by the board of finance. As hereinafter provided, the comptroller, assistant comptroller and purchasing agent shall be nominated by the mayor and appointed by the city council for terms of four years each. The mayor shall notify such comptroller, assistant comptroller, or purchasing agent, as the case may be, at least one month prior to the expiration of such person's term in writing that such person will or will not be renominated. When a vacancy exists, the assistant comptroller shall function until such time as a comptroller is appointed. In the absence of the comptroller and assistant comptroller from the city or their inability to perform the duties of the office for whatever reason, the mayor shall name an acting comptroller of the city of Bristol, and said acting comptroller shall have the powers and discharge the duties of the comptroller while so acting. The comptroller shall act as clerk of the board of finance. Such clerk shall accurately record the doings of the board and shall be the custodian of all its books, papers and data relating to the conduct of its business. The comptroller shall perform for the city the usual duties of such office or such additional duties for the city and its districts as the board shall designate. The comptroller shall examine all bills ordered paid by the city council or the board, or of any department, except as herein otherwise provided, and, on the approval of any bills by the city council or the board or such department, shall draw an order on the city treasurer for the payment of the same. All orders on the city treasurer shall be signed by the comptroller. Upon a written order of the mayor, the comptroller shall withhold payment of any bills in controversy. The comptroller shall keep all the accounts of the city in such manner as may be provided for by the board. The comptroller shall, at any time when directed by the mayor or city council, examine the accounts, books, bills, and the methods of conducting business of any department of the city government, and of any officer of the city, and shall report thereon to the mayor and city council. All the books, accounts, vouchers and memoranda in the office of the comptroller shall, at all times during usual business hours when not required in actual use, be open to the inspection of the public. The minute book shall be open to the inspection of the public.

(u)

When it may be advantageous to the city by reason of cash discounts or otherwise, bills or accounts legally contracted by any board or commission and approved by it, may be ordered paid by the comptroller in such cases and subject to such limitations as may be provided by the board.

(v)

All contracts for the borrowing of money, including bonds, notes and other obligations of the city or town, or any subdivision thereof or district therein shall be countersigned by an agent designated by the board. No contract, except contracts of employment, involving the expenditure of money, shall bind the city unless countersigned by an agent of the board. No contract of employment for all or any part of any ensuing fiscal year shall bind the city until the budget of the city for such fiscal year shall have been approved by the board. When any department shall exceed its appropriation during any fiscal year, all original contracts of employment made in that department after the adoption of the budget for the fiscal year, may be terminated forthwith or at any time thereafter by the board. The board shall have power to borrow money, shall authorize the issuance of notes and determine the amount to be issued and shall apportion such moneys as it shall determine necessary for the benefit of the city and tax districts existing or which may be created.

(w)

The board shall have sole power to determine the necessity for issuing bonds by the city and town of Bristol, or any subdivision thereof or district therein. The members of the board of finance shall constitute a board of sinking fund commissioners for the city. The board of sinking fund commissioners, as a whole or acting through a sub-committee, shall have the care and management of any sinking fund already established or that may be established, to provide for the payment of the principal and interest of the bonds issued by the city. The board shall act as fiscal agents for all other funds which are the property of the city of Bristol except as otherwise provided.

(x)

The board of finance, as fiscal agent for city funds, may deposit, invest and reinvest the same as allowed for a municipality by and in accordance with the statutes of the State of Connecticut, as the same may be amended from time to time. The board may authorize the city treasurer to deposit, invest, or reinvest city funds pursuant to this section. Neither said sinking fund nor any part thereof shall ever be used by the city in any other way than for the redemption and payment of such bonds. Any sinking funds of the city, established by law, shall be continued for the purposes for which such funds were created.

(y)

Any agency or district, whether authorized to carry out state or to carry out local functions of government, which is required by statute to render or cause to be rendered any public service requiring an expenditure of the city's money from the treasury of said city, or any contract involving borrowing of money for the city or any subdivision thereof, shall first submit an estimate of the proposed expenditure or borrowing, with the statement of the necessity therefor, to the board. The board shall determine whether any such proposed expenditure or borrowing is necessary and, if necessary, the amount thereof. It may, at any time, summon before it any officer of said city for information, consultation and advice upon the affairs of the city.

(z)

The board of finance annually shall make appropriation for the expenses and maintenance of the city and including the debt of the former first taxing district. Upon completion of the grand list, the city council and the board of finance shall meet in joint meeting for the purpose of laying a tax on persons and property in the city, and a proper rate bill therefor shall be prepared and signed, and a tax laid and collected in the same manner as is provided for herein for the rate bill.

(Amend. eff. 11-9-83; Amend. eff. 11-4-92; Amend. eff. 12-4-97; Amend. eff. 12-5-02; Amend. eff. 12-8-11; Amend. eff. 12-5-13; Amend. eff. 12-6-18)

Legislative history— Sp. No. 352, §§ 20—22, 1911; Sp. No. 434, §§ 38—41; Sp. No. 117, 1933; Sp. No. 489, § 26, 1939; Sp. No. 588, 1939; Sp. No. 151, § 2, 1943; Sp. No. 144, §§ 1—3, 1945; Sp. No. 125, 1951; Sp. No. 576, 1953; Sp. No. 162, 1955; Sp. No. 368, 1965.