At the request of the county treasurer, a board of county commissioners may enter into a contract with any financial institution under which the financial institution, in accordance with the terms of the contract, receives at a post office box any type of payment or fee owed or payable to the county, opens the mail delivered to that box, processes the checks and other payments received in such mail and deposits them into the treasurer's account, and provides the county treasurer daily receipt information with respect to such payments. The contract may provide for the financial institution to receive at the post office box those payments and fees specifically named in the contract or all payments and fees payable to the county, including, but not limited to, utility, sewer, water, refuse collection, waste disposal, and airport fees, but in any case excluding taxes. The contract shall not be entered into unless:

(A) There is attached to the contract a certification by the auditor of state that the financial institution and the treasurer have given assurances satisfactory to the auditor of state that the records of the financial institution, to the extent that they relate to payments covered by the contract, shall be subject to examination by the auditor of state to the same extent as if the services that the financial institution has agreed to perform were being performed by the treasurer.

(B) The contract is awarded in accordance with sections 307.86 to 307.92 of the Revised Code.

(C) The treasurer's surety bond includes within its coverage any loss that might occur as the result of the contract.

(D) The provisions of the contract do not conflict with accounting and reporting requirements prescribed by the auditor of state.

Effective Date: 07-01-1985.