At a meeting Monday morning, board members Don Gould and Emily Creighton agreed not to recommend the rule change, which was not recommended by the state Department of Revenue Administration either.

The selectmen currently hold the power to set default budgets. In an interview Wednesday, Creighton said the selectmen decided ceding that power would be tantamount to saying they do not trust themselves to prepare default budgets.

Default budgets are set according to a state formula, Creighton said, which prevents departments from "padding" their bottom lines. The Budget Committee has always held the power to recommend or not recommend budgets.

"We felt that really there was no need to sponsor or support a warrant article that would cede to the Budget Committee the authority to set the default budget," Creighton said.

She emphasized that the selectmen will continue to collaborate with the Budget Committee during the ongoing process.

"We really want to support the Budget Committee. We know that all of us are working together to keep the costs to a minimum."

The Budget Committee will meet again on Jan. 4 at 7 p.m. in the Mary Herbert Conference Room.