The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1908-10-22

TO THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS
OF STARK COUNTY:
| IN THE MATTER OF THE ExAMI<
NATION OF THE ANNUAL RE-
PORT OF THE COUNTY COM
MISSIONERS.
We the undersigned committee, APP
pointed by the Judges of the Common
| Pleas Court to examine the report of
the Stark County Commissioners for the
| year from September 1907 to September
1908, herewith beg to submit the fol-
lowing
! VOUCHERS. BOOKKEEPING AND
JOURNAL.
We have examined the voucher sys-
/ tenn in use between the commissioners
and the auditor, and find much reason
for conmendation and no reason, for
peuient to insist in some instances, that
the commissioners should require
more detailed statement of items conf
| prisinR bills presented for payment,
The checking of accounts Tor payment
Of the bookkeeping system upon the
part of the auditor, we commend with
out reserve.
The Journal of the commissioners is
| full and voluminous, and in only few
| instances have we found lack of at
tention to detail. and these in no wise
have affected the public interests. In
one matter involving a large expendi-
! ture of money. we found thet Journal
contained a memorandum of agreement
entered between the commissioners and
The Massllon Iron & Steel Company in
! dicating the prices at which iron pipe
for use in culverts and bridges would be
! furnished during a specified period
This memorandum being in no sense
| binding contract upon either party, II
could not be prejudicial to the public
| interest, and we found that all the pipe
| furnished the county, was used by the
commissioners in strict conformity 10
| law. We feel that we voice the sent1-
ments of all our people in commencing
the comnlissioRers in their use of these
| fnd, In MIA n nId cft
'N-' LEGAL ADVERTISEMENTS.
Previous committees have called at
| tenton to the discrepancies in the legal
advertisements required by law and we
4 find occasion to call attention to the
| discrepancies in the report under con-
sideration, notably " the advertisements
| for times of holding Common Pleas and
| Circuit Court. In this particular IN
stance it Is clear that the county he's
| lost no money, but some papers have
received more pay than others for the
same service and no satisfactory ex-
| planation has been offered for this. We
think a moro careful scrutiny OF the
several bills presented would lead 10
consistent uniformity in these matters
COURT HOUSE DECORATIONS.
Attention has already been called TO
| the expenditures for court house decor
/ ations and the want of legal authority
Ito pay for such decorations as has been
DONE and approving of such decorations
| upon proper occasions, we urge upon the
]
made to purchase these decorations out
right. so that no one will, find any
| cause for complaint. 13's
| COMMISSIONERS, CONTRACT BOOK.
We desire to commend the cemm's s.
sioners and auditor for the complete
and detailed information given In all
| contracts that are properly round ~
! the contract book. This book has beefl-
of great assistance to your committee
A large amount of county funds has
been expended in these contracts and
we find them to be regular In all re-
spects and we believe all these expendi-
lures have been in the best interests OF
ERECTION OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
We find that the county infirmary
! buildings comprise the most important
of single contract expenditures that
have been made during the past year:
We find in this item that the original
| bids upon the first advertisement for
/ bids were rejected because they were
| above the architects estimate and we
| find that the bids would have been, with
in the estimate If the specifications had
! white enamel brick. which we ma IL
| the correct price, rather upon ths er
rone0us price of forty dollars as SHOWN
upon the specifications. rms Is a
manifest error and in no way do We
| and that any Official, or party TO me
contract could have benettted lmpro-
neriv This same error appears further
along after the second advertisement
1 for bids was asked for upon the new
I estimate and possibly Is the real cause
/ OF much Of the apparent CONFUSION ahu
| subseauent expense as shown by the
record In our examination of the ar
chitect and commissioners. we found
them exceedingly frank and willing 10
| give us all the Information IN thelr
| bower covering this work. This com
| intttee reports that extras ana better
ments upon these plans and speelnca-
tions were made ec~d paid toE. Nisi,OeS l ~
authority OF law. and we recommend 10
| the commissioners that more care De
| exercised by them in such matters, put
| under the circumstances OF the whole
| case and after what we feel has been q
i easonabiy exhaustive investigation or
! ali the facts and results relating to tho
4 inermnry buildings, this committee Goes
not hesitate TO report that IN our p.heL I
| the commissioners have acted as they
! thought for the best Interests OF the
county; that they did what men or1l-
| narily would have done under the same
! circumstances and that the nnai result
| shnws that the county infirmary repre-
sents in dollars all that IL mas cost, II
| this connection we also recommends
that closer relations be estspnshsu pe-
| tween the commissioners ana the prose-
| cutting attorney. their legal ADVISER. anu
| that they seek this legal aid in All sueh
problems as confronted them IN the
! matter of the infirmafy we cannot eh-
nact nerfection in every public act but
we can ask for reasonable ana careiul
observance of the legal requirements
when pubic money is TO pe expehueu'
1
| honest or eurrupt intentions or results,
| vel we must commend TO tbs commls-
| sioners a closer observance OF the laws
] N for no other reason than TO intercept
| criticism from those citizens whn nave
a right and are inclined TO criticism
| Tven thodgh the a Il complained OF ba
| clearly for the b,nefit OF the entro
| neople Of Stark county.
i Honest intention upon the nart OF tho
o9icials in conjunction with the opserv-
| ance OF statutory requirements are poth
| drmanded by our people.
| sThia COMMITTEES has been In session Tor
eight days and have possibly given
! NOR time to this work ihsn seems To
4 have been customary heretofore. but we
teeI that less attention to the repore
/ could not have been given In justice ana
| fairness te, all parties concerned.
! we have examined officers and recr
| ords 10 considerable detail and yet ~ ia
| clear that we could not possibly nave
| exanined each voucher issued ey the
| commissioners during the year, as bnl1
alone would be q phs1sical lmpossiplllty
Suring the time Indicated, but We have
heen as expeditious aa posslhle IN a{
| ieast Averaging all tTansaetlenf ana
hsos sstisfied ourselves ar 20 the corr
! rectness in general " all the eiAssihe0
items comprising the report
! The committee has not desired 20 inttecy
/ any innovations IN this WORK out theS
sre inclined to the belief that sdDse-
/ c,,cnf committees night be elven 20 Ms
1 dsrstand that a careful ana ceteileq