Montana Title 7. Local Government § 7-3-1315. Certification of certain obligations by finance director

(1) A contract, agreement, or other obligation, other than contracts pertaining to work or improvements to be paid for by special assessments, involving the expenditure of any funds may not be entered into nor may any order for expenditures be valid unless the director of finance first certifies to the commission that the object or purpose for which the expenditure is to be made and the amount of the expenditure are provided for by an appropriation in the annual budget or in a supplemental budget and that the appropriation has not been expended. The certificate of the director of finance must be filed and made a matter of record in the director's office, and the appropriation for that purpose must be considered as having been set aside and expended in the amount of the contract, agreement, or obligation.

(2) All contracts, agreements, or other obligations entered into, all ordinances and resolutions passed, and all orders adopted contrary to the provisions of subsection (1) are void, and a person may not have any claim or demand against the municipality, nor may the commission or any officer of the municipality waive or qualify the limitations fixed by subsection (1) or incur for the municipality any liability in excess of the limitations.