Brentwood budget committee elects chair and secretary, approves minutes

The Brentwood Municipal Budget Committee on an evening meeting elected Jim Hajar as its chair and Michelle Sudet as secretary and approved minutes from its Feb. 10 meetings.

The committee voted 5–0–2 to confirm the chair position. Michelle Sudet, who opened the meeting as acting chair, identified herself to the group by name and role earlier in the session: “I am the secretary, Michelle Sudet, and I will act as chair until elections are held.” After nominations and a second the committee held the recorded vote. A separate motion to appoint Michelle Sudet as secretary was seconded and carried; the minutes from the Feb. 10 budget committee meeting and the Feb. 10 public hearing were also approved in separate motions with members recording the standard abstentions from those not serving at the earlier meetings.

Committee members discussed the question of immediate elevation of a newly elected member to the chair role before the vote. Several members urged that the chair be someone with time and experience to manage debate and keep meetings on task; others noted the value of institutional knowledge. After brief discussion, the committee proceeded to the votes.

The committee set two upcoming meeting dates: a special session on May 5 to follow up on municipal-building tax-cap questions, and a regular meeting scheduled for June 9 at 5:00 p.m.

The appointments and minutes approvals were procedural and did not, by themselves, authorize new expenditures or change previously approved budgets. The committee recorded the formal outcomes of the motions in its meeting record.