The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-12-27
BOARD
OF HEALTH
HELD UP
Auditor Refuses to Pay
Them and Committee Is
TO Investigate.

Because City Auditor George Forman
refuses to pay certain debts contracted
by the Board of Health, a committee
was named last night to make an in
vestigation. 1t is composed of the au-
ditor, City Counsel James Il. Nugent,
and Aldermen Patrick II. Ryan. Joseph
c. Troclich and William P Martin.
They will probably nave a report ready
for the Common Council tonight.
According to Mr.. Forman, the trouble
with the bills consists of the fact that
contracts were made for supplies of a
value above $500 without proper legal
advertisement being made for bids.
There was some criticism of the board
when the facts were brought out in a
meeting of the Common Council finance
committee, several aldermen being of
the apparent opinion that no emer-
gency had required q disregard of the
law making it necessary to advertise
for bids for all contracts over $500.
The bills relat to the repair work and
equipment of a city dispensary in Mar
ket street and the equipment of a
tuberculosis sanatorlum in the build
ing formerly used for a girls home at
Verona.
1t was necessary for the Board of
Health to appear before the commit
tee on nance early in the month in
search of money to pay bills already
contracted that exceeded the general
appropriation for 1907. The Aldermen
then set aside funds to meet those bills.
From that appropriation the board de-
sired to pay bills contracted and due
at Verona amounting to $2,077.63, and
bills due for the work. at Centre Market
amounting to $4,406.53.
Resolutions passed by the board stat
ing that the bills had been contracted
on u~nadvertised work because lack of
time had warranted it, were presented
to the committee last night for APP
proval by it's members and for final
approval by the Council tonight.
city Auditor Forman declared fatty
that he would not approve the pay
ment of any of the bills unless the
Council passed the resolutions to
the effect that there had been an
emergency that authorized going ahead
with the work.
DR.. Herman c.. II. Herold, president
of the Health Board, presented its case
before the Aldermen. He stated that
in the opinion of the officials whom he
represented it had been necessary to
rush the work on the ~dispensary with
out delay, and hat at h 10 sanatorium-
to-be there had been no idea that such
extensive repairs and reconstruction
would be necessary, as was afterward
shown to be the case.
An appropriation of IS 1000 was made
by the Council some time for the
equipment of the girls cottage for
the accommodation of the tubercular
patients. That money and somewhat
more viii be needed to pay for the re-
pairs, painting and other work which
has been completed or undertaken. DR..
Herold asked for an additional ppro-
priation of Sc, 200, which he said would
lac needed to put the building in con-
dition for occupancy and pay for its
equipment. 1t wasn't granted, but will
be considered.
The Board of Health has approved
bills for work amounting to $4.706 81 at
Verona and there is a bill yet to be
taken into consideration of 1885 for
painting, the roads are to be repaired
at a cost of approximately $500 and
other work is planned that will cost
much. IL the $4,000 asked for is
appropriated tonight, the sanatorium
will, it Is said, be ready for the accom-
mediation of thirty patients in another
month.
1T doesn't appear that there was IN
emergency" said Chairman Ryan IN
the course of an argument on their
failure to advertise. "Fhe work was
taken up in July and there must nave
been time TO advertise.
1t was noted by alderman f1oizner
that the law department had approves
the board OF heaitns proposeu ooun-
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