Massachusetts General Laws Part I. Administration of the Government (Ch. 1-182) Ch. 121B, § 19

Cities and towns may raise and appropriate money for the purpose of defraying the initial costs and annual administrative expenses of an operating agency authorized to be organized therein, including the expense of preparing any plans, studies, programs and surveys an operating agency is authorized to prepare and the expense of preparing plans in connection with one or more proposed projects.

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any city or town may from time to time appropriate or agree to appropriate money for the purpose of aiding in the preparation of plans and estimates needed to prepare applications for federal loans or grants and in the preparation of any other estimates, plans, orders of taking and contract documents in connection with any proposed or approved project. All moneys appropriated by a city or town under the preceding sentence shall be repaid by the operating agency to such city or town if said agency subsequently receives other moneys available for the purposes for which such moneys were appropriated, but otherwise such moneys need not be repaid.

All moneys appropriated under this section in aid of an operating agency or received by it from any source shall be paid to the treasurer of the agency or such other officer of the agency as may be authorized by it, and shall be disbursed by such treasurer or other officer, subject to accounting therefor as required by this chapter.