§8-13-22 Payment of money out of municipal treasury must be by order; signing of orders by mechanical or electrical devices; officers jointly and severally liable for neglect; forgery; penalty.
§8-13-22. Payment of money out of municipal treasury must be by order; signing of orders by mechanical or electrical devices; officers jointly and severally liable for neglect; forgery; penalty.
No money shall be paid out of any municipal treasury except upon an order duly signed by the municipal officers authorized to sign such order: Provided, That such signatures may be made by means of such mechanical or electrical device as the governing body may select. Such mechanical or electrical device for the making of such signatures shall be safely kept in the office of the treasurer or recorder so that no one shall have access thereto except the municipal officers authorized to sign such orders, the treasurer or recorder and such of their respective employees as may be authorized to have access thereto.
If the municipal officer or officers charged with the responsibility of keeping the aforementioned mechanical or electrical device wilfully or by neglect permit or make it possible for an unauthorized individual to sign the name of any municipal officer authorized to sign such order by the use of any such mechanical or electrical device upon any warrant, order or check, such municipal officer or officers shall be personally liable, jointly and severally, for the amount of any loss resulting to the municipality.
If any individual other than the individuals authorized so to do shall sign the name of any municipal officer authorized to sign such order by the use of any such mechanical or electrical device, or otherwise, upon any warrant, order or check, he shall be guilty of forgery; and if any individual shall utter or attempt to employ as true such forged warrant, order or check, knowing the same to be forged, he shall be guilty of a felony, and, upon conviction, shall be confined in the penitentiary not less than two nor more than ten years.