Source: http://www.wvlegislature.gov/wvcode/code.cfm?chap=18&art=9
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 10:58:09+00:00

Document:
§18-9-1. School levies; when levy election necessary; special election.
§18-9-2. Elections under this chapter; procedure.
§18-9-2c. Transfer of funds remaining after retirement of school bonds; use of funds.
§18-9-2d. Transfer of funds for investment.
§18-9-3. Collection and disbursement of school money by sheriff; signing of orders for payment of money; forgery of signatures; penalties.
§18-9-3a. Preparation, publication and disposition of financial statements by county boards of education.
§18-9-4. Nonpayment of order; liability of treasurer of county board.
§18-9-6. Transfer of moneys; appointment of treasurer; bonding of treasurer; approval of bank accounts; authority to invest; security for funds invested.
§18-9-6a. County Board of Education treasurer authorized to make funds available to state Board of Investments; allocation of income.
/ / For school levy.
/ / Against school levy.
The officers conducting the general election at each place of voting shall conduct the election on the question of the school levy and canvass and certify the result thereof to the commissioners of the county court in the same manner, so far as applicable, as they are required to conduct and certify the result of the general election; and such commissioners shall promptly certify the result of the election on the question of the school levy to the board of Education of the district or independent school district within which the election was held, and such certificate shall be entered by the secretary as part of the minutes and records of such Board of Education. If a majority of the ballots cast at said general election in any district or independent school district on the question of such school levy be in favor of the levy, the board of Education of such district or independent school district shall annually thereafter levy a tax on all the taxable property in its district, for the support and maintenance of the schools in the district, until such time as an election may again be held on the question of such school levy in the manner hereinbefore provided.
In the event that a majority of the votes cast in any school district or independent school district upon the question of the school levy submitted at any general election be against the levy, the board of Education of such district or independent school district shall have authority to call a special election for the purpose of resubmitting the question of authorizing such school levy to the voters of such district or independent district. Such special election shall be held in accordance with the provisions of the next succeeding section of this article, so far as applicable, and the ballots shall be similar to those heretofore described in this section. If a majority of the ballots cast at such special election in any school district or independent school district be in favor of the school levy, the board of Education of such district or independent school district shall annually thereafter levy a tax for the support of the free schools in its district or independent school district, in the manner provided by law for school levies, until such time as the question of school levy may again be submitted at a general election upon a petition signed by not less than forty percent of the registered voters of the district or independent district, as hereinbefore provided, and a majority of the votes cast at such election be against the levy. If a majority of the votes cast at any such special election be against the school levy the board of Education of any such district or independent district shall again submit the question of a school levy to the voters of its district or independent district at the next general election: Provided, however, That upon petition of not less than forty percent of the qualified voters of the district, as determined from the last registration of voters, such Board of Education may again submit the question of school levy at a special election to be held for that purpose, in the manner hereinbefore provided, prior to the next succeeding general election.
Any and all elections authorized by this chapter for school purposes may, unless otherwise provided, be held separately or in connection with any general or special election. Notice of an election shall be given by the publication of the order of the board calling the same as a Class II-0 legal advertisement in compliance with the provisions of article three, chapter fifty-nine of this code, and the publication area for such publication is the territory in which the election is to be held. The order shall be published within fourteen consecutive days next preceding the day of election. All provisions of the law concerning general and special elections apply in these elections insofar as is practicable. In cases of special elections the board calling the election shall appoint necessary election officers. The secretary of the board shall procure and furnish to the election commissioners at each place of voting the ballots, poll books, tally sheets and other election supplies necessary for the election. In calling elections, district and county boards of education shall follow the forms prescribed by the Attorney General. For all elections authorized by this chapter for school purposes, the county commission is the board of canvassers to canvass the returns.
The board, as provided by section nine, article eight of chapter eleven, shall impose a levy for the maintenance and operation of all schools in the county. This levy shall be uniform throughout the county and the funds shall be distributed and expended without regard to the locality from which collected: Provided, however, That if a majority of the voters of any political subdivision of the county shall file with the board of Education of the county of which such political subdivision is a part, at their budget session as provided by section nine, article eight of chapter eleven, a petition praying for increased salaries, funds for the support and maintenance of libraries, medical and dental clinics, supervision and/or an extension of the school term therein for a given number of months, the board shall extend the term of school for the number of months requested in such petition and shall lay levies sufficiently high on each $100' valuation of taxable property within such political subdivision according to the last assessment thereof for such purpose or purposes as specified in the petition, which levies shall be separated and designated as a special maintenance fund levy and special teachers' fund levy of the political unit for which such levies are laid.
All additional levies so authorized shall be made as provided by law and shall in no case exceed the statutory limitation or maximum for the various classes of property of the political subdivision authorizing the same.
Upon a petition of one hundred taxpayers of any political subdivision of a county to the board of Education of the county of which such political subdivision is a part, the board of Education shall call an election within said political subdivision for the purpose of authorizing the county board of education to lay special increased rates of levy on the property of said political subdivision, as provided by law, for educational purposes as may be set forth in the petition and in the call for the election.
The bonded indebtedness incurred by former magisterial school district boards and independent district boards shall remain the debt of the property originally pledged as security for the payment of the obligation.
The county board shall impose separate levies in the manner provided by sections nine and thirteen, article eight, chapter eleven, upon the property in former magisterial districts and independent districts for the payment of current requirements of principal and interest of bonded indebtedness incurred prior to the creation of the county school districts.
The treasurers of the county boards of education are hereby authorized and directed to transfer to the credit of the school current fund of the boards of education of their respective counties, all remaining funds collected for the retirement of school bonds after such bonds shall have been retired, if the fact of such retirement has been certified by the state sinking fund commission.
When such bonds have been retired the state sinking fund commission shall certify the fact of the retirement of such bonds to the treasurer of the board of Education of the county. Such funds shall be used in the same manner as other funds now to the credit of, or which may hereafter be placed to the credit of, the school current fund by the respective county boards of education.
Any funds of a county board of education raised by levy or by the sale of bonds which cannot be used within a reasonable time may be transferred to the state sinking fund commission for investment, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.
The sheriff shall receive, collect and disburse all levies, and any other school moneys he may receive to the treasurer of the county board of education unless the sheriff has been designated treasurer of the county board pursuant to section six, article nine, chapter eighteen of this code. He shall keep accounts of the money belonging to the several funds and shall credit and charge every amount to the fund to which it belongs. The treasurer of the board of Education shall pay money only upon the order of the board. The order shall specify the amount to be paid, the purpose for which it is paid, and the fund to which it shall be charged. The order shall be signed by the president and shall be countersigned by the secretary: Provided, That such signatures authorizing the payment of such orders may be made by means of such mechanical or electrical device as the board may select. Such mechanical or electrical device for the making of the signatures of the president and secretary shall be safely kept so that no one shall have access thereto except the president and the secretary of the board and such of their respective employees as may be authorized to have access thereto. If any person shall sign the names of the president or secretary of the board of Education, without having authority so to do, by the use of any mechanical or electrical device, or otherwise, or use the facsimile of the signature of either of them on any order, he shall be guilty of forgery; and if any person shall utter or attempt to employ as true such forged order, knowing the same to be forged, he shall, in either event, be guilty of a felony, and, upon conviction, shall be confined in the penitentiary not less than two nor more than ten years.
The county board of every county, within ninety days after the beginning of each fiscal year, shall prepare on a form to be prescribed by the State Tax Commissioner and the state superintendent of free schools, and cause to be published a statement revealing: (a) The receipts and expenditures of the board during the previous fiscal year arranged under descriptive headings; (b) the name of each firm, corporation, and person who received more than $250 in the aggregate from all funds during the previous fiscal year, together with the aggregate amount received from all funds and the purpose for which paid: Provided, That such statement shall not include the name of any person who has entered into a contract with this board pursuant to the provisions of sections two, three, four and five, article two, chapter eighteen-a of this code; and (c) all debts of the board, the purpose for which each debt was contracted, its due date, and to what date the interest thereon has been paid. Such statement shall be published as a Class I-0 legal advertisement in compliance with the provisions of article three, chapter fifty-nine of this code, and the publication area for such publication shall be the county. The county board shall pay the cost of publishing such statement from the maintenance fund of the board.
As soon as is practicable following the close of the fiscal year, a copy of the published statement herein required shall be filed by the county board with the State Tax Commissioner and with the state superintendent of free schools.
The county board shall transmit to any resident of the county requesting the same a copy of the published statement for the fiscal year designated, supplemented by a list of the names of all school personnel employed by the board during such fiscal year showing the amount paid to each, and a list of the names of each firm, corporation, and person who received less than $500 from any fund during such fiscal year showing the amount paid to each and the purpose for which paid.
If, when an order of any county board of education is presented to the treasurer of the board, there are no funds to pay the same, the person entitled to receive the sum of money specified in such order may require the treasurer to endorse thereon, or write across the face thereof, the words "presented for payment," with the proper date, and sign the same; and the order, if it was due at the time of presentment, shall in such case be payable with legal interest from such date.
Any such order not paid when presented as aforesaid shall again be presented to the treasurer of the county board for payment by the person entitled to receive the money thereon not later than December 1, after such endorsement, and if not so presented, no further interest shall be allowed or paid on such order thereafter, until such order shall be so presented and endorsed as aforesaid a second time by the treasurer, and in no case shall interest be allowed or paid on such order for the period of time elapsed from December 1, following the first endorsement of such order by the treasurer and the date when such order is presented for payment or endorsement by the treasurer a second time.
In no event shall any such order bear interest for a longer period than one year and six months from date of its issue. But if the treasurer of the county board, having funds to pay the same, fails to pay any proper order of any Board of Education of his county, properly endorsed, when presented to him during business hours by a person entitled to receive the money therein specified, if the same be then due and payable, he and his sureties, and the personal representatives of such of them as are dead, shall be liable to the person entitled to receive the money due on said order for the whole amount due thereon at the time of such presentation, with legal interest on such amount from that time until payment, and ten percent on the same amount as damages.
The sheriff of each county shall remit to the board of education all moneys in his or her possession held on behalf of the county board of education, whether or not deposited in a bank or depository, unless the sheriff has been designated treasurer of the board of education as provided in this section. The transfer of funds shall be made as of the balances on hand on June 30 of the year in which the board of education appoints a treasurer other than the sheriff, and shall be completed no later than August 1 of that year. The transfer shall be adjudged complete and final upon the approval of the sheriff's official settlement for the fiscal year ending on June 30 of the year in which the board of education appoints a treasurer other than the sheriff, and any minor adjustment made necessary by the actually known figures shall also be made at that time. All balances in all county school funds at the end of each month after June 30 of the year in which the board of Education appoints a treasurer other than the sheriff shall be transferred by the sheriff to the county board of education not later than the tenth day of the following month.
On or before the first Monday in May each county board of education shall upon recommendation of the county superintendent appoint a treasurer for the board. The treasurer is the fiscal officer of the board, or an employee commonly designated as the person in charge of the financial affairs of the county board, or the county sheriff: Provided, That once a board of education has appointed a treasurer other than the sheriff, the sheriff may not be named treasurer of the board in a subsequent year. Upon appointment this person shall be titled and referred to as treasurer of the board of education. For the faithful performance of this duty, the treasurer shall execute a bond, to be approved by the board of education, in the penalty to be fixed by the board of education, not to exceed the amount of school funds which it is estimated the treasurer will handle within any period of two months. The premium on the bond shall be paid by the board of education.
The board of education may open a bank account, or accounts, as required to adequately and properly transact the business of the district in a depository, or banks, within the county. The depositories, or banks, shall provide bond to cover the maximum amount to be deposited at any one time. However, the county board of education may, in lieu of such bond, accept as security for money deposited letters of credit from a federal home loan bank, securities of the United States, or of a state, county, district or municipal corporation, or federal agency securities: Provided, That a banking institution is not required to provide a bond or security in lieu of bond if the deposits accepted are placed in certificates of deposit meeting the following requirements: (1) The funds are invested through a designated state depository selected by the county board of education; (2) the selected depository arranges for the deposit of the funds in certificates of deposit in one or more banks or savings and loan associations wherever located in the United States, for the account of the county board of education; (3) the full amount of principal and accrued interest of each certificate of deposit is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; (4) the selected depository acts as custodian for the county board of education with respect to such certificates of deposit issued for the county's account; and (5) at the same time that the county board of education's funds are deposited and the certificates of deposit are issued, the selected depository receives an amount of deposits from customers of other financial institutions wherever located in the United States equal to or greater than the amount of the funds invested by the county board of education through the selected depository: Provided, however, That a banking institution is not required to provide a bond or security in lieu of bond if the deposits accepted are placed in a designated state depository that is selected and authorized by the county board of education to arrange for the redeposit of the funds through a deposit placement program that meets the following conditions: (1) On or after the date that the county board of education funds are received the selected depository: (i) Arranges for the redeposit of the funds into deposit accounts in one or more federally insured banks or savings and loan associations that are located in the United States; and (ii) serves as custodian for the county with respect to the money redeposited into such accounts. (2) County board of education funds deposited in a selected depository in accordance with this section and held at the close of business in the selected depository in excess of the amount insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation shall be secured in accordance with the second and third sentences of this paragraph. (3) The full amount of the funds of the county board of education redeposited by the selected depository into deposit accounts in banks or savings and loan associations pursuant to this section (plus accrued interest, if any) shall be insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. (4) On the same date that the funds of the county board of education are redeposited pursuant to this section, the selected depository receives an amount of deposits from customers of other financial institutions through the deposit placement program that are equal to the amount of the county board of education funds redeposited by the selected depository.
One hundred ten percent of the face or par value of the securities may not be less than the sum hereinbefore specified as the amount to be named in the bond in lieu of which the securities are accepted, or the county board of education may accept the securities as partial security to the extent of their face value for the money so deposited and require bond for the remainder of the full amount hereinbefore specified, to be named in the bond, and, in the bond so required, the acceptance of securities as partial security and the extent thereof shall be set forth. The hypothecation of the securities shall be by proper legal transfer as collateral security to protect and indemnify by trust any and all loss in case of any default on the part of the banking institution in its capacity as depository as aforesaid. All such securities shall be delivered to or deposited for the account of the county board of education, and withdrawal or substitution thereof may be permitted from time to time upon approval by the county board of education by order of record, but the collateral security shall be released only by order of record of the county board of education when satisfied that full and faithful accounting and payment of all the moneys has been made under the provisions hereof. If actual possession of the hypothecated securities is delivered to the county board of education, it shall make ample provision for the safekeeping thereof, and the interest thereon when paid shall be turned over to the banking institution, so long as it is not in default as aforesaid. The county board of education may permit the deposit under proper receipt of such securities with one or more banking institutions within the State of West Virginia and may contract with any such institution for safekeeping and exchange of any such hypothecated securities, and may prescribe the rules for handling and protecting the same.
On and after July 1, 1973, all levies and any other school moneys received by the sheriff and paid to the treasurer of the county board of education shall be deposited in these accounts, and all proper payments from such funds shall be made by the designated depository or bank upon order or draft presented for payment and signed by the duly authorized signatories of the Board of Education: Provided, That in determining the depository for Board of Education funds a board member who has a pecuniary interest in a bank within the county shall not participate in the determination of the depository for such funds.
If it is considered that sufficient funds are on hand in any account at any one time which may be more than are normally required for the payment of incurred expenses, the funds in the amount so considered available may be invested by the treasurer of the county board with the West Virginia Municipal Bond Commission, or in guaranteed certificates of deposit issued by the depository or bank, or other guaranteed investments such as treasury bills, treasury notes or certificates of deposit issued by either the United States government or a banking institution in which federal or state guarantees are applicable. Interest earned in such investments is to be credited to the fund from which the moneys were originally available.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, when it appears to any of the various county boards of education that funds on deposit in its demand deposit account exceed the current requirements or demands, and it further be determined by the treasurer for such county board of education that the available interest rate offered by an acceptable depository in such treasurer's county be less than the interest rate, net of administrative fees referred to in article six, chapter twelve of this code, offered it through the state Board of Investments, the county board of education treasurer may, with the approval in writing of each county board of education whose funds are involved, make such funds available to the state Board of Investments for investment in accordance with the provisions of said article six, chapter twelve of the code. Any county board of education treasurer may enter into an agreement with any state agency from which they receive funds to allow such funds to be transferred to their investment account with the state Board of Investments.
Any income earned on such investment shall be allocated by such treasurer to the board of Education whose funds were made available, such allocation to be made in accordance with the accounting and allocation principles established by the board of Investments.

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