The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-01-13
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lating to the duties Of the township Of
ficers, It should have been stated that
II any person elected or appointed to
any township ofice, unless unable
from disease or other innrmity to dis
charge the duties Of such Office, shall
refuse or neglect to serve therein, be
shall be liable to fiue Of $25. The
statute provides, however, that after
an officer has served enc term he may
be excused from serving . second by
giving notice in writing to the town.
ship clerk within ten days after the
election.
THE COUNTY.
The County is the largest municipal
division within State. According to
the Statutes of Kansas no county can
be organized until it has ct least 500
Inhabitants; and 1t must have an area
of not less than 4S2 square miles.
When these conditions are complied
with the Governor appoints three cit
liens Of the County to act ~ County
Commissioners and one to act a. Coun-
ty Clerk, After these officers have
qualified the County is said to be duly
organized. The location Of the Coun.
ty seat is determined by q vote of the
electors Of the county. The laws pro-
viding the manner in which the To-
cation of the county seat may be
changed after 1t Is once chosen, were
pretty thoroughly set forth In the
REGISTER about q year ago, and need
not be re-stated now.
Elections, for county officers occur
on the first Tuesday after the fret
Monday in November Of each year,
and are conducted in the manner al
ready described. County officers are
not all elected in the same year. On
each seven" year we elect members
of the Legislature, Probate Judge,
Clerk of the District Court, Superin.
tendent of Public instruction, one
Commissioner and q County Attorney.
On each Presidential year, in addition
to these we vote for State Senator.
On the "odd" years the remaining
officers are chosen, viz: Treasurer,
Sheriff, County Clerk, Register Of
Deeds, Surveyor, Coroner and one
Commissioner. The State Senator
holds office for four years; all other
county officers two years. The Coun-
| ty treasurer enters upon the discharge
of the duties of his Office the second
Tuesday Of October following his cleo
ton. The remaining county officers
take charge of their respective offices
on the second Monday Of January
succeeding their election. All the Of
ficers above named give bond except
Commissioners. Senators and Repre-
sentatives.
DUTIES OF COUNTY OFFICERS.
A great many of the duties and pow
ers Of the County Commissioners have
already been incidentallynoted. In gen.
eral they are the legislative, executive
and to some extent the judicial agents
of the county. They have charge OF
its property; they.levy its taxes; regu-
late its expenditures lay out alter or
vacate its roads; organize townships
or alter them; canvass the votes and
announce the result Of all township
and county elections constitute q
Court of Appeal for the settlement OF
road, school district and other minor
difierences;-in short they have full
authority to transact all the county
business that is not otherwise provided
for by law. Their term Of Office, as al
ready stated, is for three years and IL
so arranged that one Commissioner is
elected each year, thus always leaving
two members Of the Board who are IA
miliar with the county business. They
are required by law to meet the first
Monday in January the first Monday
after the first Tuesday Of April, and
the first Mondays Of July and October
of each year. They must also meet in
special session on the call of the chair
man, at the request Of two members
of the Board, as often as the interest to
of the county demand. They are al.
lowed three dollars each for every day
they are actually in attendance upon
the meetings; but the total sum thus
paid each member cannot exceed 500
in any one year. Their salary is paid
directly flom the county treasury.
The County Clerk is the secretary of
the Board of Commissioner land keeps
all their records and the seal OF the
county. He also keeps full set of ac-
counts of the receipts and expenditures
of the county, and Of the business OF
the county with all county, township,
district and other officers. He makes
out the tax rolls for the use of the
County Treasurer, in accordance with
the levy ordered by the Commission
ers, and keeps a complete record OF all
the proceedings connected with the
levy and collection Of taxes. He makes
complete and detailed report each
year to the State Auditor, Of the fnan-
cial condition of the county. The &C.
counts kept by the clerk are to large
extent q check on those kept by the
Treasurer. and test of their accuracy.
The Clerk gives q bond Of s., 600, to be