Section 36-40-42. Certificate of eligibility for grant; submission; form; execution and attestation; penalty for signing false certificate

   (a) Each municipal corporation, as defined in Code Section 36-40-40, shall submit to the Office of the State Treasurer a certificate showing the number of regular meetings held within the preceding 12 months by the governing body of the municipal corporation and stating that taxes or fees were levied within the 12 months preceding the execution of such certificate for the operation of the municipal government.

(b) The certificate shall be substantially in the following form:
 
 
                                  CERTIFICATE                                  

      "The undersigned, Mayor (Chairman of the Commission) of (Official 
   Corporate Name), does hereby certify that                                  
   regular meetings of the governing body were held during the past 12 months 
   and that taxes or fees were levied during the past 12 months for the 
   operation of the government of (Official Corporate Name). The municipal 
   treasurer or other official or officials authorized to receive municipal 
   funds is (are)                                                             .
                                                                                                
   Date                         Mayor (Chairman of Commission)
 
 
 

   Attest:
                         
   Clerk"



(c) The certificate shall be executed by the highest elective official, whether designated as "mayor" or by some other term or as the "chairman of the commission" in those municipal corporations having a commission form of government, and shall be attested by the clerk. The name of the municipal corporation used in the certificate shall be its official corporate name. The name of the municipal treasurer or other official or officials authorized to receive municipal funds shall be listed in the certificate and the instrument transferring funds to the municipal corporation shall be payable to such treasurer or other official or officials as listed in the certificate.

(d) The information contained in the certificate shall constitute the basis upon which the Office of the State Treasurer shall make the distribution of funds under this article.

(e) Any person who willfully and knowingly signs a certificate containing false information shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

Ga. L. 1965, p. 458, § 4; Ga. L. 1993, p. 1402, § 18; Ga. L. 2010, p. 863, § 2/SB 296.