The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1883-10-05
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CORRESPONDENCE
Editor p1oNEEa.ExpREss: -,

! ooRREsPo NDENCE.
Editor PloNEER.ExPREss: .s,s,s H..
SIR. In your issue of Aug. the 18th
and oath, the following notice appeared:
"Notice is hereby given4that all town
officers for the year ending Alay LIST, 1883,
are hereby notified to appear before the
Board of Trustees, at their next regular
meeting, on Monday, August 9th, 1883,
and submit their reports to the Board of
Trustees" Pursuant to notice, the
members of the board met.
but notone ofthe officials put lin their ap-
pearance. not even the secretary, who is
apaid servant of the town., and should
have been there to take a minute of the
proceedings. There were also some PAR
ties who haye accounts for some time un-
paid against the trustees. The trustees
after waiting for over half an hour sepa-
rated, and so the farce ended.
40. DUTIES OF CLERK The clerk of
such-town shall have the custody of the
records, books and papers of the board of
trustees, and shall attend all meetings
and record the proceedings of said board.
and shall perform all other duties apper-
tanning to his Office, as required of him
by the bylaws.
Now Sir, the citizens and those persons
who have paid money to the town Off
Gals would like to have the following
questions answered:- BY whom and un-
der what authority are the different
licenses, for various purposes collected and
who Keeps the accounts and how are they
dispersed? Territorial Code, chapter 24,
section "a, 25 and &c reads as follows:
"a. APPROPRIATION OF MoNEys1 All
moneys however derived belonging to
such corporation shall only he appropriu-
ted for such objects, and defrayirg such
expences as accrue, or necessarily arise
i'll the exercise of powers granted by this
act. No appropriation slall be made
without an order to that effect entered
upon proper book to be kept for that
purpose by such board.
%. Or AUDITING AccouNTs.1 No ac-
count or claim against said town shall be
audited or allowed by the board of trus-
tees, unless it be made out fully and item
lied, and every such account audited
shall be numbered from one upwards, in
the order. they were presented and
memorandum of the same entered upon
IL book to be kept exclusively for that pur-
pose.
~. PAYMENT OF ACCOUNTS. No account
or claim shall be paid unless audited and
allowed by the board us aforesaid, and
no moneys shall he drawn from the
treasury except upon warrant from tue
treasurer signed by the president of said
town, and attested by the clerk thereof
Is a role and tax warrant issued to the
marshal for the collection of taxes; and
when collected is that warrant and tax
role returned to the treasurer with the
marshal's return? Chapter p, sec. 81 o.
the Code reads as follows:
81. WARRANT TO MARSHAL TO COLLECT
AND PAY OVER TAXES Such warran,
shall be under the seal Of the corporations
signed by the president and trustees, or a
majority of them and attested by the
clerk, and shall command the marshal
cate within ninety days, and pay over
the same, and make return of said war
rant, to the treasurer of said town. Such
trustees may renew such warrant, for any
period not exceeding thirty days.
Why has no statement of receipts and
expenses been published by the board
O. t'u :tees? Chapter "a, sec. 80 reads
as follows:
80. BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO PUBLISH RE
cElPTs AND ExrESDIruREs 1t shall be
the duty Of the board Of trustees, imne-
diately after the annual settlement with
the'treasurcr of said corporation, to pub
lish in a newspaper if one be printed
therein, or if there he no newspaper then
by posting in three or more public places
an exhibit of the receipts and cxpendi-
lures, specifying the sources Of such re-
ceipts, What appropriations were made
for what objects, and the specific amount
of each.
Is the board oftrustces conducting the
town matters, or are the officials running
the board? 1t seems to be the latter
from the way the officials act. The board
has surely the power to make its officials
discharge their duties and comply with
tliSSaW. 1t is said that we have had four
or five marshals, two or more secretaries,
two ohmore justices of the peace. two or
more treasurers; none of whom has ever
made a proper return of their respective
iSofticial duties. And one treasurer who
has been out of office for some years,
when asked for an account of the funds
refused to make any statement or give
4ny returns. Where are his bonds?
50. DUTIES OF TREASURER The treas
urer of every incorporated town shall 50
keep. accounts as to show where, and
fr6fR what sources all moneys paid him
have been derived, and to whom and
wheR. such moneys, or any part there
Of, have been paid The treasurer shall
grant all licenses authorized by this act,
upon the presentation of the receipt OF
the marshal, that the money therefor
has been paid to said marshal. His books
accounts, and vouchers, shall at all times
be subject to the examination of the
board of trustees, and it is hereby made
their duty to examine the same at reg.
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