Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1895-12-05
ALDERMEN MEET.
AN INTERESTING QUESTION OF
LAW DEVELOPED.
DOES TIE BOARD OVERSIZE rs AT
TEoRTTY IN AUDITING BILLS FOB
SCHOOL SUPPLIES

IL uee;...s u he 5-5a1d a aide-lilt a
/ Monday evening was made interesting by
the discussion Of question involving
! the duties and powers Of the superin-
tendent Of schools, and the authority o.
the board OF aldermen IN demanding the
right to audit bills contracted and sp-
+ proved by him.
The meeting was called to order ny
Alderman Eppee, acting s. chairman in
the absence Of the mayor. Alderman
Carlisle was also absent.
Application OF Mrs. Michael Linnehsn
for Wet usller's license, ompanied By
bond Of 500. was received. and license
granted.
a petition was presented complaining
OF the condition OF Infant street. & eclar-
il to be almost impossible owing to lack
Of proper drainage, and also Of the condi-
tion OF the sidewalk on the same street.
On motion Of Aid Maddocks, the petition
was received. and placed on file.
Rolls OF accounts for highways, s1s5 50.
bridges, SIS 20 and sidewalks, sl32 Is.
total S+01.13, were approved.
QUESTION OF AUTHORITY INVOLVED.
4 bill OF Oscar II Morrison. S1350. for
three cords OF wood, Wa the nucleus
about which gat hered the only interest
ing features of the meeting
This bill was for wood supplied to one
OF the city schools. This wood vas bought
by Superintendent OF Schools t. w. Lord.
" no agreed to pay $50 a cord, and the
bill was approved BY him. The bill was
presented at the last city meeting. but
was not approved. the board claiming
that $50 was too much to pay for the
wood. While the wood is probably worth
what was paid for It, though on this point
member OF the board differ, the matter
OF price is not the principal question in
volyed. OF greater importance is the ques-
ton to which this action OF the board
gives rise. is the board overstepping
its authoity W hen it demands he rig ht to
audit bills contracted and approved by
the superintendent Of schools
II has been the custom in Ellsworth
for the superintendent of schools, after
board Of aldermen for approval. The
present is he first instance where the
bill has been disapproved by the board.
Superintendent Of Schools Lord, who
vas present al the meeting Monday even
ing, said that allowing such bills to pass
before the board has been mere form
atty, that he believed the bills should not
L.
the money Was appropriated for the
schools, he responsibility and authority
OF the board ended and the disburse-
ment Of the funds was left in the hands
of the school committee v hich it was
assumed would work for the interest of
the city.
He thought that in assuming the right
to audit these bills, the board over
stepped it, authority, and deprived the
school committee and the uperintendent
Of all power, and the right to make con-
tracts and cisburse funds. He argued
that If the board has his aut hority it
has much right to say, after the super
intendent has engaged a teacher at a
stipulated salary, that that teacher shall
not De allowed sucil "a ar a. IL mas right
to say Mr.. Morrison shall be allowed only
81 cord when the superintendent has
agreed to pay $50, and the wood had
been delivered.
Mr. Lord also said that he had the opin-
ion OF the State superindent of schools,
" no said he was right in the stand taken.
He further said that OF fourteen cities in
State to which he had written, with one
exception, Ellsworth was the only city
where the bills contracted by the super
iutendent 81 schools passed through the
hands of the board OF aldermen.
Aid. Whiting thought if there was any
such law as the superintendent claimed,
it was not right, but he q ID not believe
there was such q law.
THE ALDERMASIC DECKER.
Those present at the meeting were
next treated TO the novel spectacle Of the
austere body Of tile city government
dickering for reduction Of 20 cents on
cord OF wood Mr. Morrison. who sold
the wood to superintendent Lord was
called forward.
Aid. Brady >oa wiling to accept
our proposition to aIloA you 500 cord?
Mr.. Morrison-It ! putting me in