SWAMPSCOTT — The Select Board debated what its level of involvement in overseeing and approving potential grant applications submitted by the town should be at its latest meeting.

While reviewing articles for the upcoming Town Meeting in May, Board member MaryEllen Fletcher pointed out that within the town’s financial policy manual, grants valued at more than $5,000 are supposed to be brought to the Select Board for approval before they are applied for.

“I’d really like to get us in line with our financial policies,” Fletcher said.

Chair David Grishman disagreed with Fletcher and said he is generally against the policy, which would require approval from the Select Board as part of the application process.

“We have a hardworking town staff who are trying to do their best to apply for these grants,” Grishman said. “I don’t understand why the Select Board or FinCom should be involved and engaged with what grants (Director of Community and Economic Development) Marzie (Galazka) and her team or others should be applying for.”

Grishman added that the Select Board is primarily a policy-making group and should not be involved in Swampscott’s day-to-day operations.

Fletcher emphasized that the language used in the policy regarding the Select Board’s role in the grant-approval process was approved by the board and unless it is officially changed, it should be followed.

“I don’t think that the intent is to slow anybody down. I think it’s to get real clarity on what we’re doing so that everybody knows,” Fletcher said. “This board made that policy, I’m recommending we follow the policy that we made.”

Grishman said he plans to revisit the current policy at a future meeting.