Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-05-11
COUNTY GOVERNMENT BILL.
CHANGES MADE BY THE LAST LEGIs-
LAgURE OUTLINED.
How the Local Legislature is to be Coz
stituted-Books to be Kept-sala-
miscellaneous Matters.

The county government bill passed by the
recent Legislature viii, when it goes into
operation, make some radical changes in
county governments, and especially in the
Board of Supervisors. Each county must
have a Board of Supervisors, consisting of
five members, which will reduce the men,
bership of the Board of this county by two
at the next election. The present Boards
are directed to district their respective coun-
ties into five Supervisor Districts, as nearly
equal in population as may be, before the first
Monday in September, 1884.
Section Is of the new law provides that at
the general election to be held in the year
1884 full Board of Supervisors must be
chosen in each county. They shall so classify
themselves by lot that three of them shall
hold office for four years. and two of them for
two years. The Supervisors elected at the
general election in 1886, and every two years
thereafter, shall hold Office for four years.
They shall take their office on the frat Mon.
day after the first day of January after their
| election. Three members of the Board will
constitute quorum for the transaction of
! busine IS, but no &C. of the Board shall be
valid or binding unless three members con-
cur therein.
The Board is prohibited from considering
any
! CLAIM OR DEMAND AGAINST THE COUNTY
That is not fled with the Clerk ct least one
| day prior to the session at which it is asked
to be heard. Section q requires the Chair
man and Clerk of the Beard, Immediately
after the adjournment of each meeting of the
| Board, to prepare and certify duplicate lists
of all claims allowed and orders made for the
payment of money, one of said lists to be left
| with the Auditor and another with the Treas-
urer. The demands which are now sent to
the Auditor, and from which he draws the
warrants, are required to be fled by the Clerk
of the Board.
The Treasurer is prohibited from paying
| or indorsing any warrant until he has re-
ceived the certified list from tie Board, and
the Auditor is prohibited from drawing any
warrant until he has received the said Ger.
titled list of the claims allowed.
In addition to the record books now kept
| by the Board they are required to keep a
| franchise book, containing ell franchises
| granted by them, for what purpose, the
length of time, and to whom granted, the
amount of bond and license tax required !;
and also an ordinance book, in which must be
entered all ordinances or laws duly passed by
the Board, and a road book, containing all
proceedings and adjudications relating to the
establishment, maintenance change and dis
continuance of roads and road districts
THE GENERAL POWERS
| Of the Board of Supervisors directs that thew
shall supervise the official conduct of all
county officers, of all districts and other sub.
divisions of the county charged with the as.
sessine, collecting, safe keeping, management
or disbursement of the public revenues, and
to examine and audit at least every six
months the accounts Of such officers main
tain. regulate and govern public pounds, fix
the limits within which animals shall not run
at large, and appoint Poundkeepers, who
shall be paid out of the fines imposed and col
lected of the owners of impounded animals,
and from no other source establish salary
| fund and such other county funds as they
may deem necessary for the proper trsnsac.
ton of the county's business provide for the
inspection, measurement or graduation of any
merchandise, manufacture or commodity, and
to appoint the necessary officers therefor.
Heretofore the contracts for
ADVERTISING AND STATIONERY
Supplies have been let to the lowest respon-
sible bidder. The new law provides that the
DOAIu VI JuD6ENleUEe Euhll aGluAllY Ile
price at which the county shall be supplied
with job printing, stationery and blank books,
and also the price of all county advertising,
and each county officer shall procure such
supplies and advertising at price no greater
! than is so fixed, and certify the bills therefor
to the Board of Supervisors; provided, that
said supplies and advertisements shall be pro.
cured within the county when practicable,
and provided that square of advertising
shall be 40 ems nonpsreil.
The Board is directed to cause to be pub
lished q semi annual statement of the fnan-
cial condition Of the county, showing in detail
the expenditures authorized during the pre-
ceeding six months, and after each session of
the Board fair statement of all their pro-
ceedings. The Board is authorized to regu-
late the storage of gunpowder and other ex-
plosives as the safety and protection of the
lives and property of individuals may re-
quire. The Board is authorized to provide
for the appointment Of an
ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY,
If in their judgment it may be necessary for
the proper discharge of the duties Of the
District Attorney, and to allow such Assist
ant District Attorney compensation for his
services as they may determine, not to exceed
the sum 81, 500 per snnum.
It has been customary for the Board to
pass ordinances to take effect Immediately
upof their passage, but under the new law
no ordinance shall take effect until at least
| fifteen days after its passage.
The trouble which the Board of this
county have experienced with regard to the
erection Of the
HALL OF RECORDS
Is intended to be obviated by Sections 3S and
| SO of the new law, which read as follows
Section 3S. Whenever the Board of Super
visors shall have adopted plans and specifca-
lions for the erection, alteration, construc-
ton or repair of any public building, bridge
or other public structure, such plans and
specifications shall not be altered or changed
| in any manner whereby the cost of such
building, bridge or structure shall be IL
creased, unless they shall first so order by a
vote of four-ffths of their number.
! Section 80. Whenever the Board of Super
visors shall have entered into q contract for
the erection construction, alteration or repair
of any public building bridge or other public
| structure, such contract shall not be altered
| OF changed in any manner unless they shall
by vote of four-ffths of their number and
with the consent OF the contractor, first go
order. And whenever any such change or ST.
| terstion shall be SO ordered, the particular
change or alteration shall be specified in
writing, and the cost thereof agreed upon be-
tween the Board and the contractor. In no
case shall the Board ever pay or become La
| bic TO pay for any extra work done on such
buildings or public structures.
The Board of Supervisors are required to
prescribe the amount in which county officers
must execute
OFFICIAL BONDS
Before entering upon the discharge Of the
duties of their respective offices, before the
| frat Monday of September, 1884, while the
| Judge or Judges of the Superior Court shall
prescribe the amount Of the bond of each
member Of the Board of Supervisors.
Supervisors are authorized to consolidate
the offiess OF Sheriff and Tax Collector /;
Auditor and Recorder; County Clerk, Audi
tor and Recorder; County Clerk and Re-
corder County Clerk and Auditor; Treas
urer and Tax Collector and Public Admin
istrator and Coroner, when the public service
requires it. In that event the holder of the
consolidated Office receives the salaries Of
both offices, as fixed by the late Legislature.
THE TINE OF HOLDING MEETINGS
OF the Board of Supervisors under the pres
ent law is for FIVE days, twice a month, be.
ginning on the first and third Mondays OF
each month. Section % of the new law pro-
vides that the Board of Supervisors must by
ordinance provide for the holding of regular
meetings of the Board at their respective
county seats.
The remaining powers OF the Board not
| af,o-ra go ,teka the sama