The necessity and the desirability of coordinating the administrative programs of all of the counties in this state is recognized by this chapter.

It shall be the duty of the assessor, auditor, clerk, coroner, sheriff, superintendent of schools, treasurer, and prosecuting attorney of each county in the state, including appointive officials in charter counties heading like departments, to take such action as they jointly deem necessary to effect the coordination of the administrative programs of each county.

The county officials enumerated in RCW 36.47.020 are empowered to designate the Washington state association of county officials as a coordinating agency through which the duties imposed by RCW 36.47.020 may be performed, harmonized, or correlated.

Each county which designates the Washington state association of county officials as the agency through which the duties imposed by RCW 36.47.020 may be executed is authorized to reimburse the association from the county current expense fund for the cost of any such services rendered: PROVIDED, That no reimbursement shall be made to the association for any expenses incurred under RCW 36.47.050 for travel, meals, or lodging of such county officials, or their representatives at such meetings, but such expenses may be paid by such official's respective county as other expenses are paid for county business. Such reimbursement shall be paid only on vouchers submitted to the county auditor and approved by the legislative authority of each county in the manner provided for the disbursement of other current expense funds. Each such voucher shall set forth the nature of the services rendered by the association, supported by affidavit that the services were actually performed.

Purpose—Captions not law—1991 c 363: See notes following RCW 2.32.180.

Severability—Effective dates—Construction—1973 1st ex.s. c 195: See notes following RCW 84.52.043.

The county officials enumerated in RCW 36.47.020 are authorized to take such further action as they deem necessary to comply with the intent of this chapter, including attendance at state and district meetings which may be required to formulate the reports provided for in *RCW 36.47.020.

*Reviser's note: RCW 36.47.020 was amended by 1998 c 245 § 28, removing the requirement to submit reports.

The financial records of the Washington state association of county officials shall be subject to audit by the state auditor.

It is the desire of the legislature that the Washington State Association of County Officials, as set forth in chapter 36.47 RCW and the Washington State Association of Counties, as set forth in RCW 36.32.350, shall merge into one association of elected county officers. Only one association shall carry out the duties imposed by RCW 36.32.335 through 36.32.360 and 36.47.020 through 36.47.060.