The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-01-09
OF
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BOARD
Nj. S, BROWNING ELECTED PRESl.
DENT OF NEW BOARD.
Matter Of Clerk and Treasurer to Be
Submitted to Legal Adviser OF
Board OF Education.

a clear cut division was marked in
the city board of education at the
meeting of that body last night.
Whether 1t was political division or
one between the new members OF tae
board and the old membeIs-those' 4
reelected at the recent elcction-Is
hot definitely known. The three old
members, Browning. Farr and VIII
hams, arc Democrats, and the two
new ones DR.. Coulter and Pingree,
are Republicans. and in the division
demonstrated during the proceedings
Of last night the old members voted
one way and the new members the
other.
On motion of Mr.. Browning. Dr.
Coulter was made chairman OF the
meeting, The temporary organization
proceeded Immediately to the perma-
nent organization. Mr. Farr nomi-
mated M. S. Browning for the presi-
dehcy of the board. no other non.ina-
tions being made. Mr.. Pingree moved
that when the board voted on the
presidency that the roll be called AMI
each member cast his vote when mis-
rame was called. The result OF the
vote was: For Browning, Farr, VII
Hams, Browning. the vote against
him being cast by Coulter and PIN
gree.
Williams nominated DR.. Coulter for
Yice-president. the vote resulting III
Williams, Pingree and Coulter voting
for the nominee and Bro ~ning ard
Farr voting for Mr. Farr, whom Mr.
browning placed in nomination
against the doctor Mr.. Iarr placed
la nomination for clerk OF The board
Miss Ivie Williams. the Incumbent,
whereupon Mr.. Browning ruled
that the nomination of clerk and lrea-
surer of the board was out OF order,
on the grounds that both had been
elected to the positions a year a,,o,
and that their term of Office was for
two years, hence there was no va
oancy. Coulter and Pingree disagreed
from the chair on this point, and
claimed that the clerk and treasurer
should be elected at the first meeting
of the newly elected board, citing The
statutory provisions on that point
DR.. Coulter claimed that he had been
advised by legal authority that the
clerk and treasurer must be elecJcd at
the time of the organization of TIE
board. President Browning, in an
swer to DR.. Coulter, stated that he
had been advised by lawyers Of re-
pute that the law did not contemplate
any such thing. An appeal was taken
from the ruling of President Brown
ing. which on strictly party
or personal vote, resulted in sustain
ing the presiding officer, and the elec-
ton of clerk and treasurer was
deferred. The board finally decide /,
however, TO submit the matter 20 the
legal adviser of the board of oduca-
ton and abide by his decision, the
Jar session of the board.
Mr.. Pingree made motion that the
accounts of the board of education for
the last four years be audited and that
the auditors be persons not connected
in anyway WITH the board, either as
teachers Of the Ogden schools or other
employees of the board. DR.. Coulter
seconded the motion, the other mem
bers, Browning, Farr and Williams
taking exceptions to 1t on the ground
that the accounts had been completely
audited up to the month of August.
1907, and that whatever auditing that
is done at this time should be from
that date. On motion the question for
four years auditing OF the books
was lost, on a strictly party vote.
At this point Pingree created a SEN
sation when he asked to be SHOWN
how much money the board had on
hand particularly money that had been
raised by the recent bonding of the
city, where 1t is deposited and how
mucn interest 1t is drawing and when
it was placed on deposit
President Browning took exceptions
to the "imputation." as he expressed
1t, uttered by Pingree, that the funds
had not been properly handled by the
Old board. and, by way of explanation
stated that the bond money had been
placed on deposit at the time Of It's
drawing interest at the rate of 1-2
per cent with the view In the minds of
the old board of ultimately placing 1t In
some bank as savings deposit where
1t would draw A per cent interest. He
said, I'VE left the money received from
the bonds issued in the condition now
existing because when we received II.
It was near election time and the board
did not care to make a final disposi
tlon Of it until after the election of the
new board We did not care to en-
barrass the new board by making dis
position OF the funds and, further. we
did not want our action at that time TO
be such as to give an opportunity to
make political capital of it"
Mr.. Browning stated that he thought
1t was little bit early TO spring polit
ical disturbances. The matter was
finally, settled when, upon the sugges-
tion OF the presiding officer. DR.. Coul-
ter moved that the treasurer be re-
Quired to report at the next meeting
of the board the amount of the bond
deposits, where deposited. when de-
posted, and the interest II Is draw
Ing. This motion was carried by a
unanimous vote.
When Mr.. Browning accepted the
presidency of the board he stated that
"In all my experience la the school
affairs of Ogden, this is the first polit-
cal board meeting / have ever attend
ed.' He further enforced this idea at
the closing OF the session. when he
said: IF there are no other political
rakes TO be presented. a motion for
adjournment Is In order The motion