Title 35A — Title 35A OPTIONAL MUNICIPAL CODE

Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following words as used in this chapter shall have the meaning herein prescribed:(1) "Chief administrative officer" as used in this chapter includes the mayor of cities having a mayor-council form of government, the commissioner…

The provisions of this chapter apply to all code cities except those which have adopted an ordinance under RCW 35A.34.040 providing for a biennial budget. In addition, this chapter shall not apply to any municipal utility or enterprise for which separate budgeting provisions are …

On or before the second Monday of the fourth month prior to the beginning of the city's next fiscal year, or at such other time as the city may provide by ordinance or charter, the clerk shall notify in writing the head of each department of a code city to file with the clerk wit…

All estimates of receipts and expenditures for the ensuing year shall be fully detailed in the annual budget and shall be classified and segregated according to a standard classification of accounts to be adopted and prescribed by the state auditor after consultation with the Was…

On or before the first business day in the third month prior to the beginning of the fiscal year of a code city or at such other time as the city may provide by ordinance or charter, the clerk or other person designated by the charter, by ordinances, or by the chief administrativ…

The chief administrative officer shall prepare the preliminary budget in detail, making any revisions or addition to the reports of the department heads deemed advisable by such chief administrative officer and at least sixty days before the beginning of the city's next fiscal ye…

In every code city a budget message prepared by or under the direction of the city's chief administrative officer shall be submitted as a part of the preliminary budget to the city's legislative body at least sixty days before the beginning of the city's next fiscal year and shal…

Immediately following the filing of the preliminary budget with the clerk, the clerk shall publish a notice once each week for two consecutive weeks stating that the preliminary budget for the ensuing fiscal year has been filed with the clerk, that a copy thereof will be furnishe…

The council shall meet on the day fixed by RCW 35A.33.060 for the purpose of fixing the final budget of the city at the time and place designated in the notice thereof. Any taxpayer may appear and be heard for or against any part of the budget. The hearing may be continued from d…

Following conclusion of the hearing, and prior to the beginning of the fiscal year, the legislative body shall make such adjustments and changes as it deems necessary or proper and after determining the allowance in each item, department, classification and fund, and shall by ord…

Upon the happening of any emergency caused by violence of nature, casualty, riot, insurrection, war, or other unanticipated occurrence requiring the immediate preservation of order or public health, or for the restoration to a condition of usefulness of any public property which …

If a public emergency which could not reasonably have been foreseen at the time of filing the preliminary budget requires the expenditure of money not provided for in the annual budget, and if it is not one of the emergencies specifically enumerated in RCW 35A.33.080, the city co…

All expenditures for emergency purposes as provided in this chapter shall be paid by warrants from any available money in the fund properly chargeable with such expenditures. If, at any time, there is insufficient money on hand in a fund with which to pay such warrants as present…

In adopting the final budget for any fiscal year, the council shall appropriate from estimated revenue sources available, a sufficient amount to pay the principal and interest on all outstanding registered warrants issued since the adoption of the last preceding budget except tho…

Notwithstanding the appropriations for any salary, or salary range of any employee or employees adopted in a final budget, the legislative body of any code city may, by ordinance, change the wages, hours, and conditions of employment of any or all of its appointive employees if s…

The state auditor is empowered to make and install the forms and classifications required by this chapter to define what expenditures are chargeable to each budget class and to establish the accounting and cost systems necessary to secure accurate budget information.[ 1995 c 301 …

The expenditures as classified and itemized in the final budget shall constitute the city's appropriations for the ensuing fiscal year. Unless otherwise ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction, and subject to further limitations imposed by ordinance of the code city, the exp…

Whenever any code city apportions a percentage of the city manager's, administrator's, or supervisor's time, or the time of other management or general government staff, for administration, oversight, or supervision of a utility operated by the city, or to provide services to the…

Liabilities incurred by any officer or employee of the city in excess of any budget appropriations shall not be a liability of the city. The clerk shall issue no warrant and the city council or other authorized person shall approve no claim for an expenditure in excess of the tot…

Moneys received from the sale of bonds or warrants must be used for no other purpose than that for which they were issued. If any unexpended fund balance remains from the proceeds realized from the bonds or warrants after the accomplishment of the purpose for which they were issu…

At a time fixed by the city's ordinance or charter, not later than the first Monday in October of each year, the chief administrative officer shall provide the city's legislative body with current information on estimates of revenues from all sources as adopted in the budget for …

At such intervals as may be required by city charter or ordinance, however, being not less than quarterly, the clerk shall submit to the city's legislative body and chief administrative officer a report showing the expenditures and liabilities against each separate budget appropr…

Every code city may create and maintain a contingency fund to provide moneys with which to meet any municipal expense, the necessity or extent of which could not have been foreseen or reasonably evaluated at the time of adopting the annual budget, or from which to provide moneys …

No money shall be withdrawn from the contingency fund except by transfer to the appropriate operating fund authorized by a resolution or ordinance of the council, adopted by a vote of the majority of the entire council, clearly stating the facts constituting the reason for the wi…

All appropriations in any current operating fund shall lapse at the end of each fiscal year: PROVIDED, That this shall not prevent payments in the following year upon uncompleted programs or improvements in progress or on orders subsequently filled or claims subsequently billed f…

Upon the conviction of any city official, department head or other city employee of knowingly failing, or refusing, without just cause, to perform any duty imposed upon such officer or employee by this chapter, or city ordinance or charter, in connection with the giving of notice…