I believe we need not a financial audit (we’ll get those by law), but a periodic audit of the effectiveness of management and the fulfillment by Town government of its objectives.
Therefore, I have recommended to my fellow members of the Finance Committee that we request such audits.
Every ten years or so, we should have an outside or third-party expert review very extensively whether our Town is being run using best practices or not. Particularly at the juncture of the current inter-regnum (between Town Managers), this could end up being a very effective way of reducing Town expenses.
The new Town Plan would be a resource
The new Brattleboro Town Plan has town objectives, and the appendix has a list of goals with parties responsible, resources allocated, and priorities. The Finance Committee might start by looking at the new Town Plan to see some ways we could measure fulfillment of goals.
A solution—no need for a study or plan
The most effective way to reduce town taxes is to QUIT SPENDING MONEY.