Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-09-12
HIT AT OFFICIALS
Supervisors Demand an Account
ing for Supplies
Bought.
SOME BxTRAVAGANT PRACTICES
Decided That Sheriff Has Right to
Appoint Court House
Engineer.

The introduction in the meeting of
the county board this morning by SUI
| pervisor Kolloff of Il resolution in eff
feet that hereafter no supplies be
purchased for the county until the
approval of the proper committee of
the county board has been obtained,
started an interesting debate, in the
course of which it was shown that a
great deal of money could be saved if
Il damper were put on the county Off
cials and employees in this respect.
Here of late it has been so that
no one seemed to know who did the
ordering of the supplies" commented
Supervisor Kolloff. "The public ex-
penditures committees in passing OIL
certain bills yesterday asked for in
formation concerning them, and was
unable to find who contracted them.
| They were traced to the office for
which they were ordered, but there
was no one. there who would admit
that he knew anything about the bills.
That is very loose business, to say the
| least"
Supervisor Schneider joined in the
belief that there should be a check.
but he favored the appointment of a
purchasing committee.
Experience In Former Years.
Eve had, some years back, such a
committee" interpcsed Chairman W.
II. Carey, land it was in session near
| ly the whole time"
Il think it is right to give an ac-
counting for every article that is pur-
chased for my Office" said County
| Clerk IL. b. Hubbard, "and am agre
able to buying through Il committee,
as suggested, but an official should be
allowed some privilege. For instance,
thereeare occasions when an immedi-
ate order of stationery is necessary.
In such case is it to be understood
that he must call the committee to-
gether and find out whether he is t.
be allowed to make the purchaser"
Supervisor Eolloff replied that his
resolution was not intended to be
quite as severe as the county clerk
thought. But, even So" continued
the supervisor. "it would be the right
way to do business In the court
house in Davenport an official is not
permitted to buy a pen without an
order from the proper committee,
while over here it seems as though
everyone in the employ of the county
goes and gets what he pleases and has
the bills sent in to the board. / say
there should be a stop put to it
Action on the KoIloff resolution was
deferred till the next meeting Of the
board.
Sheriff Has AppoIntIye Power.
The question of who has the right
to appoint the court house engineer
the county board or the sheriff, was
settled in an opinion given by States
Attorney Weld. who quoted decisions
of the appellate court in two instanc-
es showing that such right reposed in
the sheriff. The decision was called
for on account of the candidacy of
| supervisor Ezra Wilcher for the posi-
ton He has been serving temporary
| ~ for several weeks. The statutes
hold that it shall be unlawful for any
supervisor during the term of Office
for which he is elected to be appoint
ed to, or accept or hold any Office by
appointment or election by a board of
which he may be member" Hence,
if Sheriff Heider sees fit to appoint
Mr.. Wilcher as engineer he can con-
tinue to hold both jobs.
The following was adopted as part
of the report of the finance commit
tee:
And your committee would further
report that the proposition for voting
bonds to cover the floating indebted
ness of Rock Island county be sub
mitted to a vote of the people at the
next general election. believing this
to be the best interest of the county
and great saving of interest money
now being paid under the present sys-
tenn of borrowing"
The September session of the board
adjourned at noon.