2023 Maine Revised Statutes › TITLE 30-A: MUNICIPALITIES AND COUNTIES › Part 1: COUNTIES › Chapter 3: COUNTY BUDGET AND FINANCES › Subchapter 1: TAX ASSESSMENT AND BUDGET PROCESS › Article 4: CUMBERLAND COUNTY BUDGET › 30-A §741-A. Cumberland County Budget Advisory Committee

§741-A. Cumberland County Budget Advisory Committee
Notwithstanding sections 701 and 702, the county commissioners working in conjunction with the Cumberland County Budget Advisory Committee, established in this section, and the county manager, established in section 82, subsection 5, are responsible for establishing the county budget as provided in this article, except for the Cross Insurance Arena budget as provided in section 747. The county commissioners shall appropriate money for county expenditures according to the budget established in accordance with this article.   [PL 2017, c. 195, §1 (AMD).]
1.  Membership; caucus; election.
The Cumberland County Budget Advisory Committee consists of the Cumberland County commissioners and 9 municipal officers. The county commissioner members serve on the budget committee in an advisory capacity only and may not vote on any committee matter. The municipal officer members are elected in accordance with this section.
A. There must be 3 members from each commissioner's district. No more than 2 members may reside in the same municipality.   [PL 1997, c. 584, §1 (AMD).]
B. No later than 135 days before the end of the county's fiscal year the county commissioners shall notify all municipal officers to caucus by county commissioner district at a specified date, time and place for the purpose of electing members to the budget committee. Public notice of the meeting must be issued at least 10 days before the meeting is held.   [PL 2007, c. 663, §4 (AMD).]
C. The commissioner for each district shall serve as the nonvoting moderator for that district caucus. At the caucus, the municipal officers shall nominate by motion from the floor proposed members to fill any vacancies on the budget committee. For each vacancy the nominee receiving the most votes from among the officers present and voting is elected as a budget committee member.   [PL 1995, c. 380, §4 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 380, §10 (AFF).]
D. Committee membership terminates when a budget advisory committee member ceases to be a municipal officer or to reside in the commissioner district from which elected. Vacancies occurring on the budget advisory committee must be filled by the committee, subject to confirmation by a majority of the county commissioners. If a vacancy occurs with less than one year remaining in the term of office, the person selected by the committee serves for the balance of the unexpired term. If a vacancy of one year or more occurs, the person selected by the committee serves until the next municipal officers' caucus. At that time a replacement is selected to serve for the balance of the unexpired term. The person appointed to fill the vacant office must be a municipal officer in the same commissioner district as the person vacating the office.   [PL 1995, c. 380, §4 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 380, §10 (AFF).]
[PL 2007, c. 663, §4 (AMD).]
2.  Chair; terms; compensation; procedures.
Administration of the budget advisory committee is as follows.
A. The budget advisory committee shall select its own chair, vice-chair and secretary each year.   [PL 1995, c. 380, §4 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 380, §10 (AFF).]
B. Members serve for 3-year terms and may not serve more than 2 consecutive terms.   [PL 1995, c. 380, §4 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 380, §10 (AFF).]
C. Members may be compensated. The amount and conditions must be unanimously approved by the budget advisory committee and the county commissioners.   [PL 1995, c. 380, §4 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 380, §10 (AFF).]
D. The committee shall adopt rules of procedure and bylaws each year. In a procedural situation not addressed by these rules and bylaws, Robert's Rules of Order prevail.   [PL 1995, c. 380, §4 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 380, §10 (AFF).]
E. The county commissioners shall provide the budget advisory committee with necessary clerical assistance, office expenses and suitable meeting space as well as access to appropriate county files and information.   [PL 1995, c. 380, §4 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 380, §10 (AFF).]
[PL 1995, c. 380, §4 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 380, §10 (AFF).]
3.  Meetings.
The budget advisory committee shall conduct its meetings in public in accordance with this subsection and shall record its minutes and votes.
A. The county commissioners shall call an organizational meeting of the budget advisory committee each year within 2 weeks after caucus elections.   [PL 1995, c. 380, §4 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 380, §10 (AFF).]
B. The county commissioners or the chair of the budget advisory committee may call a meeting for the purpose of discussing county financial matters and approving a county budget.   [PL 1995, c. 380, §4 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 380, §10 (AFF).]
[PL 1995, c. 380, §4 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 380, §10 (AFF).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1995, c. 380, §4 (NEW). PL 1995, c. 380, §10 (AFF). PL 1997, c. 584, §1 (AMD). PL 2007, c. 663, §4 (AMD). PL 2017, c. 195, §1 (AMD).