At Tuesday's meeting Ross Lally, wearing his finance committee hat, asked the board to defer scheduling capital meetings to the Finance Committee so the committee could set dates and compile materials consistent with the town charter. He proposed the Finance Committee take primary responsibility for capital meeting scheduling and recommended selectmen meet with school administration and finance members before the next cycle.

The board then considered a proposal to change the budget worksheets to display the dollar change and percentage change from the prior year adopted budget. Jill, who compiles the town's Excel budget workbooks, explained the current files are already formula-driven and cover more than 30 departmental sheets. "I can put that in there and give Kathy to disperse out," she said, noting the change will take some time but is feasible.

After discussion about audited and unaudited prior-year numbers and practical timing, a motion to modify the budget worksheets to show value and percentage change from the prior year adopted passed on a voice vote recorded as six in favor and one member absent.

What happens next: staff will add the dollar and percentage-change columns to the Excel budget workbooks for future cycles, and the Finance Committee will take a lead role in scheduling capital meetings as the town charter prescribes. No changes to current-year budget content were made.