The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1903-03-05
TOWNSHIP ROAD LAWS
Points in the New Law that Are
Not Thoroughly Understood.

Points in the New Law that Are
Not Thoroughly Understood.
The new road law passed at the last
general assembly of Iowa is soon to 90
into effect, and there are many people
who do not understand the law and it's
application. Almost daily, Auditor j.
h. snedaker receives inquiries in person
and by letter asking him to explain diff.
ferent phases of the new law In order
to make the matter plain, Mr.. Snedaker
has gone to the trouble of taking down
the different questions that are most
frequently asked him, and below we
publish the answers to these questions
which Mr.. Snedaker has furnished the
Record. They are answered in the sim
plest form possible, and MIR. Snedaker
has gone to this trouble in the hope
that these answers may be an aid to
those who do not fully understand the
new law.
| DUTIES OF TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES.
The board of township trustees ef
each civil township in the state, at its
regular meeting in April, 1908, shall con-
solidate said township into one road.dis-
trict and all claims for work done or ma.
terial furnished for road purpose prior to
the change, and unsettled, shall be paid.
Then the trustees shall merge all the
balance OF township funds on hand or
that may be collected during the year
into one general fund to be expended
under the direction of the township
trustees. The trustees shall order and
direct the expenditure of the road funds
and labor belonging or owing to the
township; may let to the lowest respon-
sible competent bidder or employ road
superintendent. Trustees shall cause
both the property and road poll tax to be
equitably and judiciously expended for
road purposes IN the entire road district
If perintendent for roadsis employed
it shall fix the term of office which shall
not exceed one year; shall direct who
shall collect the township taxes for the
year 1908, the clerk or road superintend.
ent. 1 would recommend that the
township trustees direct the clerk to
collect the township road tax and pay
it out only on an order from the trus.
tees or road superintendent.
Trustees have no authority to collect
taxes.
Trustees shall not go on clerk or road
superintendent's bond.
The only tax that can be worked out
| is the road poll tax, All others must
be paid in cash to the clerk or road
superintendent.
| The trustees shall within ten days
after receiving the tax list, post up or
| cause 1T to be done in three conspicu-
GUS places within their district written
notices of the amount assessed to each
taxpayer in said district.
i The clerk on or before the second
Monday i'll November, shall make a
complete list of all taxes not paid and
certify the same to the county auditor
who shall enter them upon the tax list
to be collected as other taxes.
After the clerk has made his certified
list OF delinquent tax to the auditor in
November all road taxes for that year
and all subsequent years must be paid
4 to the county treasurer as other taxes,
| The county treasurer shall on the last
| Monday in April and October Of each
year pay to each township clerk all the
road tax belonging to his township.
| Road superintendents give bond.
! Township clerks shall give bond.
Trustees do not give bond.
Trustees shall not incur any indebt.
edness for any purpose unless the same
has been or shall at the time be pro.
vided for by the special levy.
| The trustees shall at the special meet
ing determine the rate of property tax
to be levied for the succeeding year
which shall not be less than one nor
more than four mills on the dollar.
They shall determine the amount that
shall be allowed for a days labor done
by man and by man and team. To
certify the desire for an additional road
tax of not to exceed one mill to the
board Of supervisors If such tax is need
ed.-Mt. Ayr Record.
Judge Towner, in charging an inebri.
ate at Osceola before sending him to Mt.
Pleasant last week, gave him the follow
ing good advice: sit is the duty of this
court to send you to the inebriate