2024 Town Budget and Warrant

Since 1969, towns have had the option to divide the conduct of the meeting into two parts, a day for an election of officers by official ballot, and a separate time as set by the selectmen for the conduct of town business. Since 1995, towns, school districts and village districts have had the option of adopting the official ballot referendum town meeting, which calls for a first session for discussing and amending warrant articles and a second official ballot session for final voting. RSA 40:13 sets the dates of these meetings.

The agenda for the business portion of town meeting is contained in the town warrant, which is a document issued by the selectmen ordering the inhabitants of the town to gather together for the conduct of the town’s business. Historically, attendance at the meeting was compulsory, and inhabitants were fined for failure to appear, or for tardiness. Today, the importance of the warrant derives from RSA 39:2, which states in part, “The subject matter of all business to be acted upon at the town meeting shall be distinctly stated in the warrant, and nothing done at any meeting…shall be valid unless the subject thereof is so stated.” The purpose of this statute is to assure that all citizens have an opportunity to know in advance the issues that will be discussed, and also enables the selectmen to create a budget for the community that addresses all of the functions of municipal government that are likely to be conducted during the coming year.