This annual training explains basic budgeting principles, financial management challenges, how to comply with legal requirements, and best practices for preparing the budget for town meeting. This year it will also include updates on ARPA and more. Attend this timely webinar and live Q&A to kick off budget development season.

Sessions:

Legal Parameters of Budgeting, Spending, and Borrowing
Each year, voters must approve the municipality’s budget. This session will cover statutory legal requirements for crafting the town meeting warning, setting the tax rate, and handling a failed budget vote. Attendees will also learn several basic principles of municipal budget administration.
Speaker: Garrett Baxter, Senior Staff Attorney, VLCT Municipal Assistance Center

Capital Planning Amidst Uncertainty
Approaches to evaluating debt capacity and scheduling debt over time will be discussed. Specific topics will include benchmarking with medians, municipal bond market trends, financing the capital costs of climate change adaptation, flood recovery finance, and emerging opportunities in energy project finance.
Speaker: Ken Linge, Loan Officer, Vermont Bond Bank

ARPA Update
Speaker: Katie Buckley, Director, VLCT Federal Funding Assistance Program