(A) Definition. For the purpose of this section, the following definition shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
CREDIT CARD.
(a) Credit card;
(b) Debit card;
(c) Charge card; and/or
(d) Stored value card.
(B) Authorized financial instruments.
(1) Payments may be made to the municipality for any lawful purpose by any of the following financial instruments:
(a) Cash;
(b) Check;
(c) Bank draft;
(d) Money order;
(e) Bank card or credit card;
(f) Electronic funds transfer;
(g) Wire funds or Automated Clearing House (ACH); or
(h) Any other financial instrument authorized by the fiscal body.
(2) Payments may be made to the municipality and its utilities for any lawful purpose by any of the following financial instruments that the board of the municipally owned utility authorizes for use:
(a) Cash;
(b) Check;
(c) Bank draft;
(d) Money order;
(e) Bank card or credit card;
(f) Electronic funds transfer;
(g) Wire funds or Automated Clearing House (ACH); or
(h) Any other financial instrument authorized by the fiscal body.
(3) If there is a charge to the municipality, or the municipally owned utility for the use of a financial instrument, a fee may be collected equal to the amount of the charge from the person who uses the financial instrument.
(C) Procedures for payments to be uniform.
(1) In accepting payments under the provisions of this subchapter and I.C. 36-1-8-11, the procedure authorized for a particular type of payment shall be uniformly applied to all payments of the same type.
(2) The Clerk-Treasurer is authorized to administer and enforce this section and to promulgate written guidelines consistent with its purposes.
(D) Added authority related to acceptance of bank or credit cards.
(1) The municipality and its utilities may contract with any of the following:
(a) A bank card or credit card vendor for acceptance of bank cards or credit cards; and
(b) A third party on-line collection service for acceptance of bank cards or credit cards.
(2) The municipality, its executive departments and its utilities may pay any applicable bank card or credit card service charge associated with the use of a bank card or credit card under an approved contractual agreement.
(E) Authorized financial instruments.
(1) Payments may be made by the municipality for any lawful purpose by any of the following financial instruments:
(a) Cash;
(b) Check;
(c) Bank draft;
(d) Money order;
(e) Bank card or credit card;
(f) Electronic funds transfer;
(g) Wire funds or Automated Clearing House (ACH); or
(h) Any other financial instrument authorized by the fiscal body.
(2) Payments may be made by the municipality and its utilities for any lawful purpose by any of the following financial instruments that the board of the municipally owned utility authorizes for use:
(a) Cash;
(b) Check;
(c) Bank draft;
(d) Money order;
(e) Bank card or credit card;
(f) Electronic funds transfer;
(g) Wire funds or Automated Clearing House (ACH); or
(h) Any other financial instrument authorized by the fiscal body.
(F) Authorized financial instruments for payments by municipality.
(1) Payments may be made by Clerk-Treasurer for the municipality for any lawful purpose by any of the following financial instruments:
(a) Warrant or negotiable order of withdrawal pursuant to the provisions of I.C. 36-5-4 et seq., I.C. 5-11-10 et seq. and I.C. 5-13-5 et seq.; or
(b) Bank card or credit card, provided that it is expressly authorized by the Town Council, identifies the responsible officer for the card, and expressly sets forth the approved uses for it.
(2) Pursuant to I.C. 5-13-5-5, transactions or payments may be made by the Clerk-Treasurer for the municipality for any lawful purpose set forth in this section by any of the following financial instruments:
(a) Electronic funds transfer; or
(b) Wire funds or automated clearing house (ACH).
(3) In making payments under division (F)(2) above, the Clerk-Treasurer shall maintain adequate documentation of the transactions so that they may be audited as provided by law, and the use of the instruments set forth in division (F)(2) above shall be limited to the following purposes:
(a) Property or services purchased or leased from:
1. The United States government; or
2. An agency or a political subdivision of the United States government.
(b) Insurance premiums;
(c) Utility payments or utility connection charges;
(d) Federal grant programs if:
1. Advance funding is not prohibited; and
2. The contracting party provides sufficient security for the amount advanced.
(e) Grants of state funds authorized by statute;
(f) Lease agreements or rental agreement;
(g) Principal and interest payments on bonds;
(h) Payroll;
(i) State, federal or county taxes; and
(j) Lawful purposes that may be identified by the Clerk-Treasurer and authorized in writing and not inconsistent with this section.
(4) In addition to making payments under divisions (F)(2) and (F)(3) above, the Clerk- Treasurer shall maintain adequate documentation of the transactions and those in possession of any credit card issued to the town which documentation shall include, but not be limited to, the maintenance of a log by the Clerk-Treasurer reflecting the time, date, credit card issuer, last four digits of the credit card account for each credit card delivered into the possession of a department head, and each department head shall maintain a similar log of each individual whom he or she authorizes to possess and use the credit card, a copy of which log shall be provided by the department head to the Clerk-Treasurer on a monthly basis to enable the Clerk-Treasurer to be audited as provided by law.
(Ord. 081208, passed 8-12-2008; Ord. 081109, passed 8-11-2009)