The Saint Paul globe., 1904-06-25
CURTAILS POWER OF
THE COUNTY SOLONS
Kane Says County Roads Must
Be Repaired Under Super
vision of Town Boards

The board of county commissioners
will no longer have supervision over
road repairs in the country districts
outside of the city, according to an inn
portant ruling made by County Attor-
ney Kane yesterday. Mr.. Kane has de-
cided that all Of this work, even when
paid for by the county, shall be done
under the direct supervision of the
town boards in the townships in which
the repairs are being made and the
country members of the board will no
longer have the supervision of the
road and bridge fund as has been the
custom in past years.
The ruling made by County Attor-
ney Kane, after a thorough search of
all laws bearing upon the subject, is
considered a most important one and
is looked upon to solve the problem Of
extravagant expenditure of this fund
by members of the board who have
been in the habit of giving the work
out to favored ones in their respective
districts. The ruling was made at
yesterdays meeting of the board and
came as a blow to the commissioners,
especially those from the country dis
tricts, who were totally unprepared for
any such opinion.
The board was too surprised to take
any action on the matter yesterday,
but it was stated after the meeting
that a resolution would be passed on
Monday, providing for the work to be
done along the lines. as drawn by the
county attorney. Mr.. Kane says he
can back up his opinion with laws suf-
ficient to compel the board to follow
his instructions in this class of work.
Will Effect Radical Change
The new ruling made by Mr.. Kane is
expected to result in a radical change
in the system of road work in Ram
sey county. Its magnitude can be bet
ter appreciated when it is known that
for years past the entire expenditure
of the road and bridge fund, amount
ing to from $4,000 to $4,000 per year,
has been under the direct and prac-
tically personal supervision of the two
members of the board from the eoun-
try districts. The entire board makes
the appropriations, but the work, aside
from that let by contract, is perform
ed under the supervision of the coun-
try members, and 1t has long been
charged that this system has been an
expensive one to the county, since the
country members were in the habit Of
giving out the work to personal friends
and to those who had stood by them
in the campaign.
Under the new ruling there will be
nothing for the board to do but to vote
the appropriations and the town boards
will look after the work. The new
system is expected to result in fewer
appropriations and better work
County Attorney Kane's ruling pro-
vides that where it is found necessary
to make repairs on a piece Of country
road, and where the cost is less than
$500, it shall be the duty of the COM
missioners to make the appropriation,
after which the auditor will draw
warrant for the amount, payable to
the town treasurer of the township in
which the work is to be done, and the
money will be expended under the SUI
pervision of this town board
County Solons Can't Hire the Men
The township treasurer is required
to give bond to insure the work being
board will have nothing to say regard
ing the manner in which the work shall
be done, nor shall the members have
anything to say as to who shall do the
work
81 believe it will result in better
roads and an expenditure of much less
money" said Mr.. Kane yesterday "If
the commissioners are not permitted
to supervise the work and employ the
workmen, they will be more careful in
making appropriations, and the town
boards, working under a bond and on
roads in which they are personally in
terested, are sure to do better work."
County Attorney Kane says this sys-
tenn will be followed in every instance
where the cost of the repairs is less
than $500. and where the cost exceeds
this amount it will be necessary to let
contract and receive bids for the job.
1t will take the work out of the hands
of the county board almost entirely.