Laws of the State
Per M.R.S.A. Title 30-A: §
3. Expense accounts to be under oath
Whenever required by law to provide a bill of expenses, every county officer shall itemize the bill and swear, before presenting it for auditing or payment, that it includes only actual cash spent in performing the officer’s official duties.
§ 171. Deposit or investment of county funds
The treasurer, with the approval of the county commissioners, may deposit the money received for the use of the county in any of the banking institutions or trust companies or mutual savings banks organized under the laws of this State or in any national bank or banks located in the State. When, in the treasurer’s judgment, there is money in the treasury that is not needed to meet current obligations, the treasurer, with the advice and consent of the county commissioners, may invest any amount considered advisable in bonds, notes, certificates of indebtedness or other obligations of the United States which mature within one year from the date of investment or shares of an investment company registered under the Federal Investment company Act of 1940, whose shares are registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, only if the investments of the investment company are limited to obligations of the United States or any agency or instrumentality, corporate or otherwise, of the United States or repurchase agreements secured by obligations of the United States or any agency or instrumentality, corporate or otherwise, of the United States.
§ 183. Annual statement of financial standing
At the end of each year, in cooperation with the commissioners, each treasurer shall make a statement of the financial condition of the county and shall publish in pamphlet form a reasonable number of copies for distribution among its citizens. This statement must show in detail all money received into and paid out of the county treasury, including a statement in detail of:
- Unclaimed inheritances. All sums received under Title 18-A, section 3-914;
- Division among accounts. The division of money among general, special and capital reserve accounts and the amounts remaining in each account;
- Federal funds. All federal funds received; and
- Facts and statistics. Other facts and statistics necessary to exhibit the true state of the county’s finances, including the number of weeks’ board and expense of clothing furnished prisoners.
§ 951. County audit
- Annual audit. Every county shall have an audit made of its accounts annually covering the last complete fiscal year by the Department of Audit or by a certified public accountant selected by the county commissioners. The audit must be performed in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and procedures pertaining to governmental accounting. The auditor shall produce an audit report that includes the items required in section 952-A. When an audit is conducted by a certified public accountant, the audit, upon completion, must be forwarded to the Department of Audit. The audit, including the management letter, is a public document.
- Improper transactions; report to district attorney. If, in the course of the audit, the auditor finds evidence of improper transactions, including the use of contingency funds for nonemergency purposes, the transfer of funds between departments or agencies, incompetence in keeping accounts or handling funds, failure to comply with this subchapter or any other improper practice of financial administration, the auditor shall report the same to the district attorney immediately.
- Commissioners responsible. The county commissioners are responsible for the proper financial administration of each county department or agency and for approving county expenditures.
§ 952-A. Audit Report
- Report contents. The report required pursuant to section 951, subsection 1 must contain the following items:
- A management letter;
- A letter of transmittal; [2003, c. 178, §4 (NEW).]
- The independent auditor’s report on the financial statements; and
- All financial statements and all other information required by governmental accounting and financial reporting standards.
- Copies for distribution. Copies of the report must be deposited in the county commissioners’ office or a convenient place of business for distribution to the public and must be distributed to each municipality in the county.
- Copies open for inspection. Copies of the report and all county records must be kept in the county commissioners’ office and must be open to the inspection of the public during usual business hours.