Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-12
Commissioner West Wants
Supervision of Board.
MAKES A RECOMMENDATION
System Would Revolunize Present
District Methods.
MENTIONS THE PERSONNEL
Operation to Be as a Subdivision of
the Corporation Counsel's Office.
The Details.

A new system for handling contracts
with the District. which it is expected
would revoutionize the present methods.
has been suggested by Commissioner
West. 1t proposes that all contracts be
handled by a special board. which would
be a part of the corporation counsers
office, thus enabling the responsibility to
be definitely fixed.
The plan suggested by Commissioner
West is the creation of a contract
board" to be composed Of the chief clerk
of the engineer department. d. E. Garages.
and two of his assistants, to be designated
by him. the board to be under the super
vision and direction of the corporation
counsel. so that the contract board will,
In so far as its relation to contracts is
concerned. be a part Of the corporation
counsel's Office.
Handled in Several Ohdces.
Under the system which has obtained in
the District government for many years
the contracts have been subject to con-
siderable delay by reason of the fact that
they are handled in several Offices and
responsibility for their execution was not
definitely located. Under the new ar
will be furnished to the contract board
and after the document has been prepared
so far as it relates to the furnishing of
work or material or supplies it will go to
the corporation counsel and from his
Office to the Commissioners.
Hitherto all contracts have been ap-
proved by the auditor and the corpora
ton counsel and no one ONCE or official
was intrusted with the prompt execution
OF the work.
The problem of installing a new system
sioner West for some time and the final
details were perfected yesterday at
conference in Commissioner Vests Office.
which was attended by Corporation Coun-
sci Thomas. Auditor Tweedale and Chief
Clerk Garges.
The latter has had a wide experience in
the preparation OF contracts and Is re-
garded as particularly well qualified tor
carrying the new system into effect. 1t
is expected that the execution of con-
tracts will be not only expedited. but that
by concentrating the work and by definite
ly fixing responsibility better administra-
ton will be secured.
Commissioner West Explains.
Every large corporation Commission
er West said today. has its contract de-
partment. and yet the District government,
although 1t spends a very large amount
Of money for work and considerably over
100000 for supplies. has meyer had its
contracts placed under the supervision of
any official or board Of officials so as to
secure expeditions execution and the
definite location of responsibility.
1.-THE contract board, which l have sug-
gested, will be in effect a subdivision of
the corporation counsers Office. because
contract Is legal document and in
case of litigation would have to be de-
Tended or upheld by the legal department
of the District government. The main
benefit to be derived from the change.
however, is in the line of prompt execu-
ton Of contracts. and We hope in the fu-
ture to avoid the delays which have been