15.2-1243 - Governing body to receive, audit and approve claims; warrants.
§ 15.2-1243. Governing body to receive, audit and approve claims; warrants.
A. The governing body of every county shall receive and audit all claimsagainst the county, except those required to be received and audited by thecounty school board, and shall, by resolution or recorded vote, approve andorder warrants issued in settlement of those claims that are found to bevalid; provided that a county administrator, county executive or countymanager may sign and issue orders or warrants under such conditions as thegoverning body may prescribe. Every warrant issued pursuant to the provisionsof this section shall bear the date on which the governing body orders it tobe issued and shall be made payable on demand, signed by the clerk of thegoverning body or his deputy, countersigned by the chairman or actingchairman of the governing body, and recorded in the form and mannerprescribed by the Auditor of Public Accounts. Such warrant may be convertedto a negotiable check by the treasurer, or appropriately designated deputytreasurer, by affixing his signature thereto in conformity with theprovisions of § 58.1-3162 and by designating thereon the bank by which it isto be paid.
B. Notwithstanding the requirements of subsection A, the governing body ofany county may provide, by resolution, for the drawing of special warrants onthe county treasurer, payable out of county funds, in payment ofcompensation, when such compensation has been earned or is due for (i) allemployees and officers under written contract, and all officers elected orappointed for a term of office and their deputies and employees, (ii) uponreceipt of certified time sheets or other evidence of services performed, thepayment of all other employees whose rates of pay have been established bysuch governing body or its properly designated agent, or (iii) for payment oncontracts for construction projects according to the terms of such contracts.All such special warrants so authorized shall be signed by the clerk of suchgoverning body and countersigned by the chairman of such governing body. Anyspecial warrant may be converted into a negotiable check in the mannerprovided in subsection A. All such payrolls and contracts so paid shall bereviewed and approved by the governing body at its next regular meeting.
C. The governing body of any county may, in its discretion, destroy thepapers constituting any or all claims allowed and paid, upon the expirationof five years after audit in accordance with retention regulationsestablished pursuant to the Virginia Public Records Act (§ 42.1-76 et seq.).
(Code 1950, § 15-253; 1952, cc. 16, 304; 1954, c. 183; 1962, c. 623, §15.1-547; 1968, c. 269; 1979, c. 206; 1982, c. 493; 1997, c. 587.)