20-9-113. Preparation and adoption of preliminary budget by trustees. (1) The trustees of a district shall meet at their regular place of meeting at any time from February 1 through the fourth Monday in June, at the discretion of the board, to adopt a preliminary budget for the next ensuing school fiscal year. This budget meeting may be continued from day to day but may not exceed 5 days in total. Any taxpayer in the district may attend the meeting and be heard in regard to the preliminary budget or any item or amount proposed to be included in the budget. The preliminary budget must include all funds that require the adoption of a budget and that the trustees wish to utilize during the ensuing year.
     (2) The proposed expenditures adopted as the preliminary budget must be entered on the appropriate portion of the budget form. The amount of the preliminary general fund budget for a district may not exceed the maximum general fund budget for the district except in the manner permitted by the laws of Montana. If any appropriation item of the preliminary budget provides for the payment of wages or salaries to more than one person, the district shall attach to the preliminary budget a separate listing of each position of employment with the budgeted amount of compensation for each position.
     (3) After the adoption of the preliminary budget by the trustees, the presiding officer of the trustees and the clerk of the district shall sign the budget form, and it shall constitute the preliminary budget for the district. The trustees shall send both copies of the adopted preliminary budget, with all appendages and any other information required by law, to the county superintendent on or before the fifth day after the fourth Monday of June.
     (4) At least 2 weeks before the first meeting day on adoption of a preliminary budget for the ensuing school fiscal year, as required by this section, the trustees of a district shall publish a notice of the meeting at least one time in a newspaper of general circulation in the district. The notice must state that any taxpayer in the district may attend the meeting and be heard on the preliminary budget.

     History: En. 75-6707 by Sec. 213, Ch. 5, L. 1971; R.C.M. 1947, 75-6707; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 183, L. 1983; (4)En. Sec. 2, Ch. 183, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 12, Ch. 633, L. 1993.