The report of the Town Financial Organization Study Committee, presented to the Budget and Revenue Task Force on Feb. 26, calls for a number of changes outlined in the executive summary, which follows. Selectman Annie LaCourt chaired the effort.

 

Pursuant to a request made of the Budget and Revenue Task Force by the Board of Selectmen, a Town Financial Organization Study Committee was convened to determine whether it were appropriate for the Town of Arlington to restructure its organizational model with regard to departments performing financial functions.
 
Primarily, the Committee was charged with considering whether a model involving an appointed treasurer should supplant the current elected-treasurer model. However, the committee also considered, among other things, the prudence and viability of creating such positions as Budget Director, Chief Financial Officer, and Town Administrator, along with various permutations of organizational charts.
 
The Committee created three working groups to study: (1) the current Arlington structure; (2) the rationale behind other municipalities adopting alternative models; and (3) information from 3rd parties (for example, the Mass DOR) with insight into the various models and ramifications of each.
 
The Committee identified a few areas where efficiencies may be achieved, and also acknowledged that on an operational level, budget presentations should be clarified to reflect better "budget to actual" figures.  Specific recommendations for the consideration of the Budget and Revenue Task Force are included in the full report that follows. However, the Committee concluded that there is no present need to modify the current financial structure.
 
With specific regard to the elected versus appointed Treasurer issue, the committee believed there were competing ideals between creating a broader (and presumably better-qualified pool of candidates)* and maintaining an autonomous check and balance.  The Committee ultimately determined that these two principles were mutually exclusive.  Therefore, given the soundness of the current arrangement and the extent and quality of citizen involvement, there was no compelling reason to recommend significant changes. 

* The committee wishes to note that this is an abstract observation and not a commentary on current or past personnel.