Where any county, city, town, or school district, dependent or independent, has accumulated a surplus in the sinking fund thereof, represented by actual cash on hand in excess of all outstanding bond or judgment indebtedness, both matured and unmatured, including coupon and/or other interest earnings thereon whether matured or unmatured, earned or unearned, or if there be no known bond, coupon, or judgment indebtedness outstanding against it, the county excise board on application of the proper officers thereof is hereby authorized to approve the transfer of said surplus in the sinking fund of said county, city, town, or school district to be used for general fund purposes of the same county, city, town, or school district; provided, that before the excise board shall have authority to consider or approve the application of the governing board for authority to make such transfer, there shall be attached to such application an affidavit and proof of publication of published notice by such governing board of its intention to apply for authority to make such transfer, which published notice shall set forth in detail the condition of the sinking fund thereof or as to the fact of there being no known bond, coupon or judgment indebtedness outstanding. Such notice shall be published in some newspaper of general circulation in such municipality, or in such county if there be no newspaper published in the city, town, or school district.