Annual Town Warrants & Special Town Warrants

The Town of Brimfield operates under the Town Meeting form of government.   Each year, on the second Monday in June, Brimfield registered voters gather to consider the Town's complete operating budget for the upcoming fiscal year that runs from July 1 to June 30.  The meeting is officiated by the Town Moderator.   The annual budget presented for consideration includes salaries/wages for town officials and employees, general operating expenses of the Town as well as individual departmental budgets. As well, voters are asked to consider financial requests from various departments for capital equipment purchases and building improvements as well as the creation of new town positions, amendments to the Town's general and zoning bylaws and a number of other important matters.  

The annual budget that is presented to Town Meeting voters is prepared and finalized by the Brimfield Finance Committee based upon recommendations from town department heads during the budgeting process that begins late in the Fall of the previous fiscal year.    Voters are given the opportunity to openly question, support, or oppose each budget line item, (salary/wage/expense), and other individual financial requests as well as discuss proposed amendments and changes to Town bylaws and other matters placed on the Town Meeting warrant before taking a final vote in favor (or not).    

Special Town Meetings are called for at various times of the fiscal year when needed.  Special town meetings are initiated by a vote of the Board of Selectmen or by registered voter petition.   Generally, special town meetings are convened to hear specific emergency requests for, or transfers of, funding and/or to take action on an important issue that the annual June Town Meeting did not consider or was not aware of.   Special town meetings are kept to a minimum because of their cost to hold as well as the potential additional impact to the Town's taxes when dealing with financial articles after the Town's budget has been set.  

Annual and Special Town Meetings can be spirited as attendees are allowed to stand and state their positions and opinions, pro or con, on any given budget item or general article presented for consideration.  The majority rules (or 2/3rds or 4/5ths depending upon the article being considered).   Town meeting is truly government at work where the taxpayers have all the say in how Brimfield operates each fiscal year.   

We welcome every registered voter to attend Town Meeting each June.   The Warrant, (the official call to Town Meeting that includes budget line items, financial requests, bylaw amendments and other important articles that will be considered), may be picked up in the Town Hall Annex fourteen (14) days prior to the scheduled meeting date or found on the town's website at www.brimfieldma.org

We hope to see you there!