Annual Budget Information

The Town Budget is subject to approval each year by the voters of Henniker.  The town budget process does not include the Henniker Community School or John Stark Regional High School.

Henniker operates under a traditional town meeting format. That means the first part of Town Meeting is held the second Tuesday in March to vote for the town officers that are elected, and to also vote on the warrant articles that are on the official town ballot. The second part of Town Meeting is held the following Saturday, (four days later) to vote on the remaining town warrant articles that are not on the official town ballot and to conduct any remaining town business.

The Town's fiscal year runs from January 1st through December 31st.  The budget year is normally 2 1/2 months old when the budget for the year is voted on by the voters.

The annual budget process begins in September each year.  Municipal departments compile their budget request and forward their requests to the Town Administrator.  The Town Administrator meets with each department and a preliminary budget is forwarded to the Select Board and Budget Advisory Committee.  The BAC reviews the budget with each department utilizing a subcommittee process.  These meetings occur in November of each year.  The BAC then forwards its budget recommendations to the Select Board.  The Board finalizes the budget working with the Town Administrator in December.  The budget is then presented for a public hearing alongside any bonding requests in January and February. After this is completed it is forwarded on to the voters in March. 

The town budget makes up approximately 25% of the property tax bill.  The water and sewer budgets are funded entirely by user fees and are not part of the town's tax rate.  Water and sewer users are billed quarterly.