Sec. 1. 30-A MRSA §922, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1993, c. 343, §1, is further amended to read:

2. Contingent fund. There is established a contingent account in each county in an amount not to exceed $50,000 annually, except in Sagadahoc County where the contingent account may not exceed the lesser of 4% of the annual budget or $1,000,000. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, a county, by unanimous action of the county commissioners, may increase the contingent account limit to an amount not exceeding $100,000. Any funds that are available to each county may be used for this purpose. This The contingent fund may be used at the discretion of the county commissioners for emergency purposes only, except that if a county increases the contingent account limit, expenditures from the account above $50,000 must be approved by a majority of the county budget or finance committee if the county's budget is not finally approved by the Legislature. At the end of each fiscal year there must be transferred from unencumbered county funds an amount sufficient to restore the established county contingent account.

SUMMARY

This bill permits counties to establish contingent accounts, not to exceed the lesser of 4% of the county budget or $1,000,000, which may be used for emergency purposes only.