Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 7. LOCAL GOVERNMENT

CHAPTER 6. FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION AND TAXATION

Part 6. Local Government Accounting

Additional Records And Reports

7-6-612. Additional records and reports. (1) The chief executive or governing body of a county or municipality may require any elected or appointed local government official or employee to:

(a) maintain new or additional financial records;

(b) perform new or additional financial reconciliations; and

(c) submit new or additional financial reports.

(2) This part does not provide for the consolidation or reassignment, but does not prohibit delegation by mutual agreement, of any duties of elected county officials. Continuing county duties include but are not limited to the following:

(a) The county treasurer shall make a detailed monthly report to the governing body of the county of all receipts, disbursements, debt, and other proceedings of the treasurer's office.

(b) The county clerk shall compile and present to the governing body of the county the annual financial report provided for in 7-6-611(2)(a).

(3) The designated county or municipal treasurer shall:

(a) receive, disburse, and serve as the custodian of all public money;

(b) provide for accountability of all local government cash receipts and for deposits and investments of all departments, offices, and boards;

(c) pay out, in the order registered, all warrants presented for payment when there are funds in the treasury to pay the warrants; and

(d) require periodic departmental reports of money receipts and their disposition on forms that the designated county or municipal treasurer prescribes.

(4) All local governments:

(a) shall deposit all public money with the county or municipal treasurer within a month of receipt unless otherwise specifically authorized by law;

(b) may not maintain separate bank accounts unless specifically authorized by the county or municipal governing body;

(c) may not maintain separate investments.

(5) The governing body of a county or municipality shall direct the county or municipal treasurer to open separate accounts for the receipt of money for the governing body. Only the county or municipal treasurer may open an account for the receipt of local government money.

History: En. Sec. 4, Ch. 278, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 13, Ch. 114, L. 2003.