Selectmen and budget committee press for clearer books, propose temporary CFO and more transparent quarterly reporting

During the session several members of the select board and budget committee pressed for clearer town finances after repeated references to an unfinished audit, delayed municipal‑accounting software migration (MRI) and legacy recordkeeping practices. Committee members said those gaps make it difficult to reconcile year‑to‑date spending and fully evaluate budget changes.

Multiple speakers urged hiring a fractional or interim chief financial officer to accelerate cleanup and to make quarterly close reports and trust‑fund statements available to the board and budget committee. One member said the town had come into new leadership with a ‘‘mess’’ in accounting records and recommended immediate outside expertise to stabilize reporting.

Select board members described steps underway — MRI rollout, contract audits, and trustee cleanup work — but acknowledged the town remains mid‑transition and that full, reliable FY2024 closing statements were not yet available.

What’s next: Budget committee members requested that the town deliver quarter‑end reports, trust‑fund balances, and vendor/contract reconciliations before the next session; several members proposed adding a warrant or budget line to fund an interim CFO if the selectmen choose that approach.