Constantine republican. [volume] (Constantine, Mich.) 1836-1838, 1837-04-19
l. Avs OF MICHIGAN.
By AUrHoRIry.l
AN ACT for the regulation of internal improve
ment, and for tho appointment of board Of
commissioners,

AN ACT for the regulation OF internal improve
ment, and for tho appointment of u board Of
commissioners
Ssc. l. Be ID enacted By the Senate and
House Of Representatives of the State of
Michigan, That there be appointed board
commissioners on internal improvements,
which shall consist Of seven members. The
governor of the state being ex-officio ono
of that number and the president of tho
board.
Src. 2. The members of the board, ex:
cept the president thereof, shall be appoint:
ed by the governor, by and with the advice
and consent of both branches of the legis-
lature, and they shall severally hold their
Office until the thire Tuesday in January
next after their election, or until others are
appointed in their places, and in case Of
the death or resignation of any Of the
commissioners during the recess of said lie.
glslature, the governor shall fill such
vacancy until the meeting of the said legis-
latre.
SEC. 8. Said board of commissioners sd
elected as aforesaid, are hereby constituted
and appointed the supervisors and Oversee.
ers of public works; the general care and
superintendent of all canals, railroads and
other Improvements to be constructed
by the state, shall be vested in and una
der the direction and control of said board.
SEC. A. The governor shall as soon as
he may deem it expedient, call meeting
OF the members elect, at such time and place
as he may designate, and each member
shall before entering upon the duties Of his
office take and subscribe to the oath or aflir.
nation prescribed by the constitution of this
state.
Sec. 8. 1t shall he the duty of the board
thus organized to appoint secretary, who
may be removed at pleasure, and whose
compensation shall besuch as they may deem
sufficient and may allow, and which shall bo
paid out of the fund appropriated Cor inter.
nal Improvement.
Sec. 6. 1t shall be the duty Of the said
board to keep complete record of all their
proceedings to be perpetuated; and shall
at every annual session of the legislature,
report the proceedings and condition Of all
the public works ordered to be constructed
together with the surveys, plans and esti-
mates of the expense of such new works as
they may recommend to The patronage
and notice of the legislature, with such 9th.
er important information as they may have
it in their power to collect in relation to the
objects committed to their trust and super.
vision.
SEC. Z. The board shall at their first meet.
ing after being duly organized as aforesaid.
proceed TO elect or appoint one oftbeir NUM-.
Der who shall not be an acting commission
er, auditor of accounts and when such e.
lection or appointment shall have been
made as aforesaid, the treasurer of tho
state shall be notified thereof by certif.
cate under the hand of the president of the
board. The said auditor so first elected
shall hold his Office until the third Tuesday
in January, in the year eighteen hundred
and thirty eight, and an election or appoint
ment shall be made annually thereaf.
ter, and certified to the treasurer as afore.
said.
Sec. 8. 1t shall be the duty of the auditor
to examine and regulate all accounts pre-
scented TO him for adjustment, certified by
the acting commissioner on the particular
work, where the claim or claims shall &C.
crue, and shall certify the balance or a.
mounts found due thereon, and such balance
or amount found due as aforesaid, shall be
paid to the person or persons entitled to tho
same by the treasurer Of the state out Of the
fund for internal Improvement, on the
draft of said auditor, and the said auditor
shall whenever directed by the board, lay
before them a detailed statement of all &C.
counts by him audited.
SEC. 8. The board shall select or ap.
point from their number, whenever they
deem it expedient, and the service may re-
qure it, acting commissioners not exceed.
ing three, who shall by and under the au-
thority of the board take charge Of, and have
the care and supervision of such public
works as the board shall assign to them re.
spectively; they shall by and under the di-
rection of said board, lei out contracts; and
they are hereby authorized to enter into,
make and execute in behalf of said board,
any contracts, with any person or persons,
for excavation, embellishments, dams, aque.
ducts, culverts, bridges, grading and clear
inc. or for the construction of any work oil
internal improvement, which the board shall
be ordered TO construct by the legislature
and said commissioners shallno be interest.
ed directly or indirectly, in any contrac
made as aforesaid.
Sec. 10. The board shall order and de.
terminc the manner and the mode of let.
ting contracts, the form of the same, and the
number of sureties which shall be required
of any contractor for his or their perform
ance Provided, hoDeper. That no portio-
of any line of canal or railroad, or othel
public work which shall be let without Civ
, ing at least thirty days public notice o
the same, and of the time and place il
three or more Of the public journals publish
ed within the state of which the state paper
shall be one.
, SEC. IL. Every acting commissioner
who shall be hereafter appointed, before en-
tering upon the duties of his office, shall en-
! ter into bond to the people OF tins state
! with [atl least two sufficient sureIties, who
: shall be freeholders, in the penal sum Q
: fifiv thousand dollars, conditioned for tn
faithful discharge of the kuties enjoined up
It on him, or that may hereafter be enjoine
}, upon him by law,and for'the faithful account
I, ing for all moneys intrusted to him as sue
s acting commissioner, whenever and a
n often as he may be required so to d
s by law, or by resolution of the boart
), which said bond shall be approved of b
e the auditor general and filed in his Office.
v SEC. 10. The board Of commissioner
n whenever they shall deem it advisable