Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1884-06-06
COUNTY OFFICERS.
Powers ana Duties OF tho Coumis-
sioners-What the Law Contcm-
plates and How ills Executed.

There ia nothing so unattractive ms uni
formity. In great ediiice nothing at
| tracts 30 little ntteutiun as the foundation;
yet solid foundation and uniformity OF
design and oneness OF purpose are the
great essentials whatever be object or end.
In the civil administration Of a County
by far the most important Office and duties
| are those OF the County Commissioners,
though in practice these duties and this
office are usually ceurled by and laid upon
very ordinary class of citizens. The
County Commissioners have more varied
and extensive responsibility than any other
of our County officers. The Board of
County Commissioners consist OF three
| men, elected for n term of three years each.
They are clothed with almost sovereign
power, in that they may sue and be sued
as an individual, may issue bonds, borrow
money and create obligations to AN extent
limited only by their own di.cr elton; and
levy taxes upon the citizens of the County
| tor the satisfaction of these obligations.
| 1t is their duty TO transact all the civil
business Of the County; to furnish suitable
buildings ana offices, to buy or sell lands
when needed, erect Court House, Jail,
bridges, or any other building needed by
the County, and to keep the same In re-
pair to build, open, vucate, close, repair
or change any aud all public ways of the
County. They have the care of the poor,
of children who are abandoned, neglected
or treated cruelty, and of their education.
| ,.,I
record the reports of the Clerk, Sheriff,
| Auditor, Treasurer and Prosecuting Attor
| ney. They must establish the true merid-
ian of the County seat, and note and pub.
lsh the variations of the magnetic from
the true meridian. They must compare,
adjust aud correct al instruments used by
Surveyors, according to the standard of
the true meridian. They must establish
Orphan Asylms, Children's Homes, Coun-
ty and District; transcribe, restore and care
for all plals and public records relating to
real estate. They must conduct all litiga'
ton; allow or reject all claims made by Or
against the County; and in general,e they
have charge Of the entire civil and 6nan.
cal affairs of the County.
They are required TO give bond in a sum
not less than So, 900, advertise expenditures
over 81 900, forbidden TO be interested in
any contract with the County under the
penalty of a fine OF 5000 to $4,000; and are
required to make AN annual report to the
Court of Common Pleas. This report
however the Court does not examine, but
appoints the Prosecuting Attorney and
two others for that purpose.
These Commissioners are required tc
hold four regular sessions each year, At whicl
all business is supposed to be transacted
but they are allowed to hold as many spec
ial sessions as they deem necessary. This
9 last provision is productive of most oil thu
evil that characterizes the administration
OF this office. They are allowed, as COM
pensation for their services, So per day
5 cts per mile and all expenses while Ell
gagged about their official business, fer al
regular sessions and called sessions, not Il
: exceed one each month.
BY the law they were at first supposed
e TO be able to attend TO all the public busi
y ness at four sessions. Later they procure
q themselves to be authorized to hold specia
u sessions whenever they could find an eS
cuse ter 70 doing. Still later they had tn
law relating to their compensation amend
ed, SO as TO allow them 5 cts. per mil
within, as well as without The Comnt,
when travelling upon official busines
whether in session or not
Ell The law is very weak in it's provision
for the protection of the people. 1t lie
. quires the Clerk, Auditor, Sheriff, Trea
D. urer and Prosecuting Attorney to repol
n the manner in which they have execute
re the duties of their offices 10 the Count
:. Commissioners. The latter must examine
= compare and correct such reports, an
: cause them 10 be recorded.
M The Commissioners are required to re
!. port to the Court of Common Pleas, BIT
:, that Court is not required to examine III
same, that duty devolving upon the Pros
Of cutting Attorney, whose report of his ou
,r duties having just been submitted TO an
a. passed by the Commissioners, he must fe,
y that gratitude and interest combine 10 ca
O. for a favorable report from the persons ar
e. pointed TO examine the Commissioner
k accounts. Whenever and SO long as all ,
ID said officers are OF one political party il
certain that the reports required TO
= made by each TO the other, will be foun
W correct and SO certified.
d The provision OF the statute for com
,r peHsation allows the Commissioners So pc
dny, mileage and expenses at all regula
and special sessions, not 10 e1ceed one ca,
month. If the law were strictly conslrue
n this would be poor pay, about mileage an
, expenses per year.
: Your patriotic citizen would never III
come County Commissioners under such
d construction of the law relating to compen
y sation. He, however, is u far too liber
N II constructionist to be embarrassed by III
IN plain language of the statute. The la
W says he shall draw his pay for, mt 10 ercee
. one session per month"; hut il does not sa
g hoo long that session will be. lie tller,
Is fore concludes that the public business r'
,e qnires all of his valuable time and dete
,e mines that the session shall contin,
v through the entire month. He allows hin
Of self mileage both going and returning an
a like the law, disregards fractions OF da
!. and charges for d whole day though he a
Of tended to the Couniy's business but for
n. few hours.
A. In this way the Office of Commission,
n becomes "soft thing" and yonr slee
,r oily, rious citizen anxious to sacrifc. hin
a self upon the altar for his County's GOO
e finds his unsel6sh efforts richly rewarde
p, Our own County Commissioners B
~ models of ingenuity and shiewdncss
n. making their sessions ''lnked sweelne
i long drawn ont" Ordinarily they cOul
of transact all the business devolving npt
i. them in the monthly sessions contempiat,
,d BY The lar; bat they nmuse and enterta
j. Themselves by riding here and there, nnd
he preiense OF inspecting bridges, make
te days work of approving one, two or thr
~ bills, fling petition or other lrllIng mi
| ter, hat could just as well be attended
il At n regular meeting or Il special sessi0
rel such HI the law contemplates.
id Their bills for compensation are allow
ne. by themselves, and Of course they are a
Id ways unanimous upon such question
to True these bills are first passed, that
m looked at, by the Prosecuting Attorn,
hs but we have already seen that ll,at oilicl
ng would not be likely To raise any quesli
IRE against such hills. And ns long ~, al
10 wherever, County is wholly in the pow
he OF one party as with us, the people c
he never know 10 what extent they have be
IRE wronged and cheated.
'oa The only sensible thing to do ia alwa
10 divide the County Offices among the :
he lilical parties so that partisan zeal may
lie come power for good instead OF an inf
ge ence Tor evil continually.
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HunkIqnss A raIcu Satye