ROCKPORT — The Rockport Budget Committee will convene Tuesday evening, at 6 p.m., in the Geoffrey C. Parker meeting room at the lower level of the Rockport Opera House to continue discussion of the municipal budget and how to restrain increasing property taxes.

The meeting was originally scheduled to take place Dec. 3 but was postponed due to weather. The meeting is to be streamed live.

The agenda follows:

2) Agenda Considerations and Changes

3) Public Comments

4) Discussion/nomination of Budget Committee Secretary

5) Discussion Topics

a) b) c) Continuation on discussion of potential draft charter modifications

Discuss process for information requests from town/town office.

Continue discussion of Mr. Bowen’s List of high value/dollar increase items

d) Status of short-term goals

i) Limit budget growth this year to 1% or less

ii) Benefits task force

iii) Interaction with CIP

iv) Public communication

e) Status of long-term goals

i) Spending survey of other municipalities

ii) Regionalization

iii) Continue target setting

6) Open Discussion of Items not on agenda

7) Adjourn

The possible charter changes that will be under discussion include:

"The Budget Committee may meet during the development of the proposed budget and shall meet upon completion of the proposed budget prepared by the Town Manager in order to review and to make recommendations concerning such budget. Prior to the adoption of a final budget by the Select Board to be included in a Town Warrant at the Town Meeting, the Budget Committee shall meet and adopt recommendations concerning such final budget."

"The Town Manager shall assign a staff liaison to the Budget Committee and shall adopt procedures for the handling of information requests from the Budget Committee. If fewer than nine citizens elect to run for the office of Budget Committee, the Budget Committee may conduct its business provided it has a quorum of at least five members."

THe budget, "shall begin with a clear general summary of its contents; shall include a graphical and tabular summary of revenue and expenditure trends for the prior ten years."