Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-11-09

With the near approach OF tne
session of the county
board members of that august body
are anxiously searching through
the statutes and new laws for
of the new law which
brings into existence the Office of
Commissioner, which Of
flee is to be filled for the first time
at the coming session. Opinion |
seems to differ and the law recently
passed by the legislature is consid.
cred faulty by many who have
it despite the Interpretation
of the attorney general on the sub
iect. The law in question is known
as a. provision for system OF per-
manent highways under county
supervision. It's number is chapter
4S7. laws of 1907, and provides for
the election of highway commits
sioner. 1t was published July 10
Two days later second law known
as chapter 552 was passed which IN
q wav modifies the former law.
1t is on these two laws that the
trouble hinges. The attorney
general explains the second law as
amending the former as follows
and members of the board who have
read the opinion which was pub
lished are of the opinion the
matter is a serious muddle. The
attorney generals opinion relative
to the second law IN relation to the
first is as follows:
Section 1911. Page S85. This
provides an optional town tax OF
not less than one-half mill nor more
than two and one-half mills. 1t Is
modified by section 1311-1, page
295, which provides a lower limit o.
one fourth mill instead of one-half
mill.
Section 1911 2. Under this sec
ton the county highway commls
sioner must approve the plans anc
grades of the road to be improved
but according to section 131ln 4
page 293, he must make the serveys
establish grades, and furnish specl
fications and estimates OF the cos
of any Improvement.
Section 1915. The provision o
this section that the highway com
missioner, shall be a "competen
! person" is modified by the state
, ment in section 1311n 1, page 292
that he must be a competent eng
neer or experienced road builder
and by section 1311s, page 295, whic
provides that he shall hold no othe
. town or county office.
Section 1911 8. The compenss
ton Of the highway commissions
as provided in this section,
changed by section 1311n 3, pag
1913. According to this he must
paid per diem of not less tina
e four $4,000 dollars per day for tin
; actually spent, in counties Of le
, than ten million dollars assesst
: valuation and an annual salary
. not less than $1,000, in counties ha
: ing a greater valuation.
Section BILL. This section dea
(: with the distribution of maps of Il
9 proposed county system of hig
t ways. 1t ie modified by sectic
/ 1311p 2, page 294, which prov1d
y also that one copy shall be fill
s with the State Geological Surve
d Section 1S11-12 This section pr
vides for the levy of a county tax
n mot over three quarters of mil
d which is to be kept in the ''highwf
v reserve fund" Section 1311m
page 292, changes this to mot le
: than one-fourth of mill nor mo-
than two mills" to be used for I'll
r maintenance of the county roa
{ and bridge fund"
Section 1311.15. This section pr,
T vIdes limit of $4,000 for the expel
t diture of county moneys in an
4 town, and states that In case th
1 maximum county tax is not larg
enough to grant all requests for al
} the towns shall share in proportio
TO the amount asked. Section 1911
1, page 295, modities this by provid
ing that should more than one tow
apply 1.-The county board shall
determine how many of those frs
applying shall receive aid"
Section 1S11-16 and 1311-17. The
provisions of these sectlons that the
highway commissioner and the
chairman of the town in which
work is to be done shall have
supervision OF the work and power
to let contracts jointly, are modified
by section Isle l, page 293, which
provides that the county board
shall have exclusive control of the
expenditure of the road and bridge
fund; and also modified by section