The Board of Commissioners is authorized to budget and the County Council is authorized to appropriate funds from the general fund or from other funds to provide membership for the County and for the elected and appointed officials and members of the County’s boards, councils, departments or agencies in local, regional, State and national associations of a civic, educational or governmental nature, which have as their purpose the betterment and improvement of County government operations. [Code 1988 § 19.201(A).]