Section § 9521

Explanation

This law section explains where a district's funds are kept. Normally, the county's treasury holds all district funds. However, a district can choose to manage its own funds instead. To do this, the district adopts a resolution that lets its board of directors handle the funds, following specific government code rules. Once this resolution is adopted, the county treasurer is no longer involved in managing these funds.

(a)CA Public Resources Code § 9521(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), the treasury of the principal county is the depository of all of the funds of the district.
(b)CA Public Resources Code § 9521(b) As an alternative to using the county treasury as depository, a district may adopt a resolution transferring responsibility for the district treasury to the board of directors of the district, which shall deposit district funds as provided in Article 2 (commencing with Section 53630) of Chapter 4 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code. Following adoption of the resolution, the provisions of this article relating to the county treasurer and county treasury shall not apply to the district.

Section § 9522

Explanation

The main county treasurer is in charge of handling all the district's money. They must keep the money safe and manage its distribution properly. They're held accountable by their official bond to ensure the money is kept and used as the rules state.

The treasurer of the principal county shall receive and receipt for all money of the district and place the same to the credit of the district. He is responsible on his official bond for the safekeeping and disbursement, in the manner provided in this article, of the money of the district held by him.

Section § 9523

Explanation

This law states that the treasurer can only release money from the district’s funds if there is a warrant approved by the county auditor. This warrant must come from an order by the board of directors and be signed by the president and the secretary.

If two or more districts join together or a district partners with other state agencies, then the agency overseeing the agreement will decide where to keep the funds and how they will be dispersed.

The treasurer shall pay out money of the district only upon warrants approved by the county auditor, drawn upon order of the board of directors signed by the president and attested by the secretary.
Whenever two or more districts enter into a joint powers agreement, or whenever a district enters into a joint powers agreement with other agencies of the state, the agency or entity administering the agreement shall determine where its funds shall be deposited and how such funds shall be paid out.

Section § 9524

Explanation

The treasurer must give a written report during every regular board meeting and any other time the board requests, detailing the current money available, money received, and money spent since the last report. This report needs to be confirmed as accurate and then filed with the secretary.

The treasurer shall report in writing at each regular meeting of the directors and as often at other times as the directors may request the amount of money on hand, and the receipts and disbursements since his last report. The report shall be verified and filed with the secretary.

Section § 9525

Explanation

The law states that district officers or employees can't create debt or obligations beyond what their budget allows. Any extra debt is considered invalid. However, they can borrow funds from public or private sources or sell bonds, as long as the loan or bond is secured entirely by the assets they acquire, and does not surpass the value of those assets.

The directors or other officers or employees of a district shall have no power to incur any indebtedness or liability in excess of the amount of money available under the provisions of this division. Any debt or liability incurred in excess of the express provisions of this division is void. Except, however, that nothing in this section shall prevent the directors from borrowing from such federal, state, county, public or private funds which are, or which may in the future become, available to the directors for the furthering of the work of the district in any manner or by the sale of bonds payable solely from any revenue of the district, if the assets acquired by such a loan or bond constitute the entire security for the loan or bond and if no indebtedness or liability is incurred by the directors in excess of the amount of the assets acquired.

Section § 9526

Explanation
Each July, directors must prepare and submit a verified financial report to the secretary. This report should detail the district's financial condition, including all money received and spent in the previous fiscal year, as well as where the funds came from and what they were used for.
The directors at their regular monthly meeting in July of each year shall make and file with the secretary a verified statement of the financial condition of the district showing particularly the receipts and disbursements of the preceding fiscal year together with the source of the receipts and the purposes of the disbursements.

Section § 9527

Explanation

This law requires that an annual financial statement for a district be either posted or published as decided by the directors. The process should start within 10 days after the statement is filed with the secretary. If the statement is posted, it must be displayed at the regular meeting location and copies must be available for landowners upon request. If published, it should follow specific legal publication requirements and be published in the main county and any other counties where the district is located.

The annual financial statement shall be posted or published as the directors may determine. Such posting or publication shall be commenced within 10 days after the financial statement is filed with the secretary. If it is posted it shall be posted at the place of regular meeting of the directors and copies thereof shall be made available for delivery to any landowner in the district upon his request to the secretary. If the statement is published, it shall be published pursuant to Section 6066 of the Government Code in the principal county and in each other county in which any part of the district lies.

Section § 9528

Explanation

This law requires an annual review of financial documents and assets, following rules set in another piece of legislation, Government Code Section 26909.

An annual audit of the books, accounts, records, papers, money, and securities shall be made as required by Section 26909 of the Government Code.

Section § 9529

Explanation

The directors of a district can decide if there's extra money in the county treasury that isn't needed right away. If they determine there is extra, they call it 'surplus money' and move it to a special account named the 'surplus money account'.

The directors of the district may, at such times as they deem necessary, determine whether any portion of the money on deposit in the treasury of the principal county is not necessary for immediate use; and if so, it shall determine the amount, which amount shall thereupon be designated as “surplus money” and transferred to a “surplus money account” in the treasury of the principal county.

Section § 9530

Explanation

This law section explains how surplus funds should be handled. It states that any extra money must be invested in secure bonds or notes backed by the U.S. government. Additionally, any interest or profit made from these investments should be returned to the surplus money account for further investments.

(a)CA Public Resources Code § 9530(a) “Surplus moneys,” as determined pursuant to Section 9529, shall be invested exclusively in bonds or interest-bearing notes or obligations of the United States, or those for which the faith and credit of the United States are pledged for the payment of principal and interest.
(b)CA Public Resources Code § 9530(b) Interest earned and other increment derived from any investment under this section shall be credited to the surplus money account for investment under this section.