HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1628

BYRepresentatives Nutley, Ferguson, Beck, Butterfield, Haugen, Peery and Cooper

Amending provisions for treasurers of water and sewer districts.

House Committe on Local Government

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (14)

      Signed by Representatives Haugen, Chair; Cooper, Vice Chair; Beck, Bumgarner, Butterfield, Dorn, Ferguson, Hine, Jones, Nealey, Nelson, Nutley, Rayburn and Zellinsky.

House Staff:Steve Lundin (786-7127)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT FEBRUARY 4, 1988

BACKGROUND:

The ex-officio treasurer of most special districts is the county treasurer of the county within which the special district is located.  The county treasurer provides a variety of services for such a special district, that include issuing warrants, investing surplus money, and collecting special assessments.

The county auditor of the county within which most special districts are located provides a variety of services for special districts.  These services include conducting elections for the district, as well as financial functions such as authorizing the county treasurer to issue warrants on behalf of the district.

A sewer district or water district with 2,500 or more customers can designate a person with experience in financial or fiscal matters to act as its treasurer if approved by the county treasurer.  A person who is so designated possesses all of the powers, responsibilities, and duties that the county treasurer and auditor possess for the district with regard to creating and maintaining funds, issuing warrants, and investing surplus district funds.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL:  The person who is designated by a sewer district or water district with 2,500 or more customers to act as its treasurer is authorized to possess all the powers, responsibilities, and duties that the county treasurer possesses for the district, and all the powers, responsibilities and duties that the county auditor possesses for the district concerning financial matters.  Such a treasurer is subject to the same restrictions as provided in law for the county treasurer and auditor concerning such functions.

Any action taken by a sewer district treasurer or water district treasurer prior to the effective date of this act is ratified and confirmed.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  The powers of the county auditor concerning elections for the district are retained by the county auditor.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    William J. Mudge, Washington State Association of Sewer Districts; and Joe Daniels, Washington State Association of Water/Wastewater Districts.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    Existing law grants only part of the financial responsibilities of the county treasurer to the district treasurer.  This grants all financial responsibilities.  At present, the district treasurer has to be appointed as a deputy county treasurer to collect LID special assessments.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.