Evening star., 1903-07-21
School Beard Voucher Held
Upssby Auditor.
MATTER INVESTIGATED
SECRETARY RoDR1cK- CALLED
UPON FOR RExPLANATIoN.
Says the Auditing Office is Disposed
to "Higgle" Over Technicalitiss
Result Of Inquiry.


ton. amounting to 81 800. forwarded to the
District auditors office by Secretary w. F.
Rodrick of the school board. and pur-
porting to cover the cost of repairs to
school furniture during the present vaca-
ton period.
When the voucher came into the auditors
office and the amount of the proposed work
was noted the auditing officials looked for
a list of bids that the law IS understood
to require in all matters involving an cX-
penditure of over $1,000. The list of bids
could not be found. and there was nothing
to indicate that there had ever been ally
call for competitive proposals.
Upon discovery Of this state Of affairs
the voucher was returned to the school
board officials. Subsequently there appear
ed in the papers. of the auditors office
voucher and requisition from the school
board for $3.50. This came under the same
heading of repairs to school furniture"
The question arose as to whether or not
this was a part of the original amount of
$500. which had been requested. or
whether 1t was an additional expenditure.
In this instance there an evidence that
the school board secretary had profited by
the hint given in the former instance. and
had called for bids. although the auditing
officials were not sure The local firm of
furniture dealers who appeared in the
original voucher for $500 also appeared
dS tlie SUCCESSFUL DlOueTS III tne 31.O EcQul-
sition. Their proposal was formally type
written and in good form. The only other
proposal was pencled memorandum.
Secretary Asked to Explain.
The matter was then laid before Commis-
sioner West by the auditing office. and Sec
retary Rodrick was called upon for an ex-
PLANTATION. He was summoned before Com
missioner West. the latter having charge of
the auditors office in the assignment of
duties to the several members OF the Dis
tr.ct triumvirate. and was confronted there
by the acting District auditor, Mr.. Twee-
dale, according to statements now made in
connection with the case
Secretary ROdrick was asked first with
regard TO the first voucher and requisitOn
for $2.%o. He admitted that no proposal
had been called for in this instance
The ruling with regard to repair work in
VolV1ng an expenditure of more than 81 ,OfO
at the Treasury Department. is to the er-
iect that In all such cases proposals must
be duly advertised for and received the
contract for the work going to the lowest
responsible bidder.ts This ruling was rem
dered in regard tu,cOntracts for the repair
OF streets but has been generally held to
cover all repair work. as a matter of good
administration and.business principle
Admits the Cancellation.
Mr.. Rodrick was next asked if the second
requisition for $3.50 was intended as an ad-
"ilAoHdi CAi'eIuituTe, OF Wlelnef IL was IN
fact the first of series of installments on
the original proposition of s.. .3OO-in fact, an
attempt to evade the ruling of the auditors
office in turning down the original requis-
ition.
The school secretary declared the $3.50
voucher was not for additional work He
admitted that the first requisition and
voucher for an expenditure of $500 had
been Cancelled and that the $3.50 voucher
was issued in it's stead.
The question next propounded was as to
whether or not additional voucher for
another fraction of $1,000 for repairs
might not be forthcoming as soon as the
FIRST $3.50 had been approved and expended
Mr.. ROdrick is said to have admitted
that there was hardly any question of it,
lie was then asked if it did not mean
that In the end the original $500 would
be spent in the manner planned when the
first requSition was made.
The result of his answer to this and the
other questions propounded was a second
rejection of the requiSi tons for reDairS tn
school furniture.
Secretary Rodrick explained that the rea-
son no bids had been called for in the first
instance was because the time in which re-
pairs were to be made was too short TO
permit of the necessary advertising. the
preparation of proposals by the intending
bidders and the formal awarding of a con-
tract He declared the repairs should be
made during the school recess, and that in
order to do 50 the course originally out
lined had been settled upon.
Commissioners Hold a Meeting.
After his interview with Secretary Rod
rick In regard to the two vouchers Commits
sioner West asked his associates of the Dis
trict board Commissioners, Macfarland and
Biddle. to meet him in a board session The
matter was then presented to the Commits
siOneFs- formally r.>'"-
After being In session for quite a long
while and considering the matter in all it's
phases the Commissioners decided to return
all the papers TO the school board, with the
statement that the method of extending
$50 1T tine was not satisfactory as a
strict compliance with the law and rules of
the Treasury Department.
II was furt hernlOre stated that in view of
all the circumstances. the contract for re-
pairing school furniture would have to be
let only after proposals were duly called
for and considered. :
Secretary Rodrick was at the District
building this afternoon and was In confer
erce with Mr.. James T. Petty, who is still
auditor in fact, but no longer actively in
charge of the work of the Office Mr.. Rod
rick is understood to be quite bitter at GER
tain of the auditOr1al officials over what he
terms their higsing over technicalities.