The following terms wherever used or referred to in this article shall have the following meanings, unless a different meaning plainly appears from the context.

The term "public body" means any city, town, county commission, building commission, Board of Education, public service district, political subdivision or any other public entity, whether created before, on or after the effective date of this article, and the State of West Virginia acting through any of its agencies, boards, commissions or departments, having power to issue public obligations.

The term "public obligation" means notes, bonds, certificates or other obligations of a public body issued and outstanding on and after July 1, 1986.

The term "registered" means, with respect to a public obligation, an obligation the ownership of which is noted on books of registration kept by a registrar and which is represented by certificates or other instruments to which no coupons for interest payments are attached.

The term "book-entry" means, with respect to a public obligation, an obligation the ownership of which is noted on books of registration kept by a registrar, but which ownership is not represented by any instrument.

The term "official registrar" means the official designated by the specific provisions of this code pursuant to which a public obligation is issued as the registrar of the public obligation and, in lieu of statutory designation, the person so designated by the act of the public body authorizing the issuance of the specific public obligation.