TCA § 7-60-208 — Deposit and payment of funds — Security — Accounting — Audit
AI-assisted research summary: A county must deposit chapter-related money in separate bank or trust company accounts as soon as practicable, keep the accounts separate and limited to chapter purposes, and have them audited annually; it may also contract with bondholders or noteholders about managing those funds.
All moneys of a county derived in furtherance of the purposes of this chapter, except as otherwise authorized or provided in this chapter, shall be deposited as soon as practicable in a separate account or accounts in banks or trust companies doing business in or out of the state. The moneys in such accounts shall be paid out on checks signed by such officer or employee of the county as the county shall authorize. All deposits of such moneys shall, if required by the county, be secured by obligations of the United States or of the state or of the county of a market value equal at all times to the amount of the deposit, and all banks and trust companies are authorized to give such security for such deposits. Notwithstanding this section, a county shall have power to contract with the holders of any of its bonds or notes as to the custody, collection, securing, investment and payment of any moneys of the county derived in furtherance of the purposes of this chapter, and of any moneys held in a trust or otherwise for the payment of bonds or notes, and to carry out such contract. Moneys held in trust or otherwise for the payment of bonds or notes or in any way to secure bonds or notes and deposits of such moneys may be secured in the same manner as moneys of the county, and all banks and trust companies are authorized to give such security for such deposits. Subject to any contract with bondholders and noteholders, a county issuing bonds or notes pursuant to this chapter shall prescribe a system of accounts. All such accounts shall be kept separate from other accounts of the county and shall be used for the purposes of this chapter and for no other purpose. All accounts of a county established in furtherance of the purposes of this chapter shall be annually audited by the comptroller of the treasury, an independent public accountant or independent certified public accountant, selected by the county and approved by the comptroller of the treasury, and a report of such audit and the books and records of the county kept with respect to any action taken or account established under this chapter, including books and records pertaining to its receipts, disbursements, contracts, reserve funds, sinking funds and investments, shall be open to public inspection.