Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-05-13
THAT NEW COURT HOUSE.

THAT NEW COURT HOUSE.
The first meeting of the Court House
Building Commission was held in Bowl
ing Green last Monday, there being
present Messrs. Stahl, Knight, Gibson
commissioners and Bevcrstock, Bald
win and Merry (of the Building Com
mission; Ault being absent. The
meeting did not result in any very
large amount of business being done,
rs it seems there is difference OF Opin-
ion regarding the propriety of the
Commissioners action, in appointing
the supervising architects without con-
sulting the other members OF the
Board, and without giving other archt-
tects an opportunity to apply for the
position. The Commissioners claim they
had right to do as they did and that
the Building Commission must endorse
their action before they are willing to
proceed further with the building Of
the new court house. The Building
Commission do not think the Commits
sioners acted wisely in the expenditure
of $4,000 without giving an opportu-
nifty for competition, and they kick on
endorsing the action OF the Commits
sioners, and thus the thing hangs. The
Building Commission desired to consult
the Circuit Judges regarding the
proper construction of the law, but the
Commissioners refused. 1t was then
proposed to allow the Commissioners to
select IL lawyer and the Building Com
mission to do the same and have the
law examined, but this the Commits
siunCrS also refused.
The contract with the supervising
architects was already drawn up, and
when tho Auditor was out of town n
star chamber session was held by the
County Commissioners and the contract
signed, without any regard to the MEM
bers of the Commission, who were thus
utterly ignored.
The Commissioners may have the right
to do as they have, and they may, posi-
bly,, have the right to give the contract
for the erection of the new building to
anyone they chose without asking for
bids, but we hear many people say they
doubt it.
The same law that gave the right to
build now court house also authorized
the appointments of Building Commits
sion, and if the law is good In part it is
good in the whole.
The Commissioners differ in opinion
with the members of the Commission
in the construction of the law, buG are
satisfied they are correct, and claim to
be willing to shoulder the responsible
ity of their action; but, while this may
sound very well, it does not satisfy the
people.
With all due respect for the gentle
men composing the Board of Commits
sioners, it is generally believed that
the men composing the Commission
are fully as capable of Il proper con-
struction of the law as are the Com
missioners, and the fact that there is a
difference of opinion is evidence that
one or the other is wrong, and it would
seem that the only proper manner in
which to settle the matter would be tC
consult the best legal authority; but
this has not been done, and thus the su,
perYision of the erection of a 5000, ,00C
building is given to firm whose com
mission will amount to $4,000, without
competition, and without positive
knowledge of the right to do so.
The JOURNAL will but state the true
facts in the case by saying that IL vast
number of the citizens of the county
feel that they were wronged by moi
being given the right to vote on the
Court House project, and this contin
ued disregard for the rights of the peo
pie is only rubbing it in all the harder
The people must pay the bill, and the
people have no part in the ill feeling il
the Board of Commissioners that has
been engendered by the appointment
of Building Commission to assis
them ia the proper management of the
proposed erection of 5000, 900 build
ing. If the law is a sufficient authority
for the erection of q new court house
it is sufficient for the appointment of ;
Building Commission; and if that Com
mission is legally appointed under tina
law, they should be permitted to exer
else their rights as members of tina
Commission regardless of the persona
feeling of the County Commissioners
The people may yet take Il hand il
this business.
10 xra,.,, r,,.ok f,,;,,,. q, ~ F,..z