40-40 Municipal Budget Law - North Dakota Statutes

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CHAPTER 40-40MUNICIPAL BUDGET LAW40-40-01. Short title. This chapter shall be known and cited as the municipal budgetlaw.40-40-02. Definitions. In this chapter, unless the context or subject matter otherwiserequires:1."Governing body" means the city council, board of city commissioners, park
commissioners, or city manager.2."Municipality" means any city or park district in this state.40-40-03.Fiscal year of municipality.The fiscal year of each municipality shallcommence on the first day of January of each year and shall terminate on the thirty-first day of
December of that same year.40-40-04.Municipality to prepare preliminary budget statement.The governingbody of each municipality, annually on or before September tenth, shall make an itemized
statement known as the preliminary budget statement showing the amounts of money which, in
the opinion of the governing body, will be required for the proper maintenance, expansion, or
improvement of the municipality during the year.40-40-05. Contents of preliminary budget statement. The preliminary budget mustinclude a detailed breakdown of the estimated revenues and appropriations requested for the
ensuing year for the general fund, each special revenue fund, and each debt service fund of the
municipality. The revenue and expenditure items for the preceding year and estimates of the
revenue and expenditures for the current year must be included for each fund to assist in
determining the estimated revenues and appropriation requested for the ensuing year.Thebudget must also include any transfers in or out and the beginning and ending fund balance for
each of the funds. The budget must be prepared on the same basis of accounting used by the
municipality for its annual financial reports.The amount paid for salaries may be shown as a single line item expenditure in eachfund. There must be on file with the governing body and open to public inspection a detailed
statement showing the names of all persons receiving salaries, the annual amount paid to each
person, and the fund charged.While preparing the budget, municipal officials may include an expenditure item forequipment replacement, the amount of which may not exceed the total of the anticipated
reasonable costs of depreciation for the ensuing year, based on current costs, of all equipment
owned by the municipality. The expenditure for equipment replacement must be placed in a
separate special revenue fund. No expenditure may be paid from the equipment replacement
fund except for equipment purchases to replace equipment that is worn out, damaged, or
obsolete. The term "equipment" does not include structures or building fixtures.While preparing the budget, municipal officials may include an expenditure item for abuilding reserve fund, the amount of which may not exceed the total of the anticipated
reasonable costs of depreciation for the ensuing year, based on the original costs of all buildings
and structures owned by the city. The expenditure for building reserve must be placed in a
separate capital projects fund. No expenditures may be paid from the building reserve fund
except for the purchase, construction, or remodeling of buildings or structures that are obsolete,
substandard, or generally unfit for public use.40-40-06. Notice of preliminary budget statement - Contents - How given. After thegoverning body has prepared the preliminary budget statement, the auditor of the municipality
shall give notice that:Page No. 11.The preliminary budget is on file in the office of the auditor and may be examined by
anyone upon request.2.The governing body shall meet no later than October seventh at the time and place
specified in the notice as prescribed by subsection 3 for the purpose of adopting the
final budget and making the annual tax levy.3.The governing body shall hold a public session at the time and place designated in
the notice of hearing at which any taxpayer may appear and discuss with the body
any item of proposed expenditures or may object to any item or amount.The notice must contain a statement of the total proposed expenditures for each fund in the
preliminary budget, but need not contain any detailed statement of the proposed expenditures.
The notice must be published at least once, not less than six days prior to the budget hearing, in
a newspaper published in the municipality, if there is one, and if no newspaper is published in the
municipality, the notice must be published not less than six days prior to the meeting in the
official city newspaper as provided by section 40-01-09.40-40-07. Copy of preliminary budget sent to county auditor - Open to inspection.Repealed by S.L. 1965, ch. 291,