The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-10-11
President Swendson Says He
Saved School Board.
Liable to Arrest Had He sngned
the Warrants.
BUILDING FUND GONE.
No Right to Draw Warrants
With No Cash on Hand.
Individual Members Liable to
Fine and Damages.

| Has President S. A. Swendson, of the
school board. saved the members Of the
| august body from the liability of ar
rest by refusing to sign the warrants
for the payment of the Spencer &
Keesee. Gillette & Nicholson, and NJ
Council bills amounting to several
thousand dollars?
| There is a law which makes the in
| dividual members of the school board
liable If outstanding obligations are
created by the erection of school build
| lngs or the making of repairs.
i Two old members of the board of ed
ucation who were opposed to the erec-
| ton of the Van Buren, school building
| at this time on account of a lack Of
funds, came forward with the assertion
that the board Of education was doing
rash thing in allowing the bills in
question on account of the fact that
| when the regular meeting of the board
was held a week ago yesterday there
was but $42S.17 in the building
| fund.
IF we are liable to arrest for issu-
| ing warrants said President Swend-
son, II think we had better find it out
| now If the court will allow us 1 am
sure that 1 will willingly sign warrants
| for the payment of bills.
| IT don't want to make trouble for
| anyone. I want to give everybody what
| belongs to them under the laws. 1 be-
| lieve that it is a good thing these ques-
| lions are being aired, for they never
| would be settled without a court decis-
| ion.
| IF it is legal to issue warrants
against the tax levy and to be collect
ed, L think we should go ahead with
the construction Of the $4,000 Van
! Buren, building, provided the personal
interest proposition with members of
| the board will not interfere.
1T was right and proper that we
| build the Van Buren, building without
| the voting of bonds, but with the short
age in the building fund that now ex-
lists the question is, will the courts
permit us to issue the warrants to
| enable us to carry out the contract
| with Mr.. Spencer and further provided
! on account Of Mr.. Cuthbert's subcon-
| tract or personal interest?
| THE story in regard to the finances
| of the school board published in a To-
| cal paper gives an erroneous impress
sion. AS a matter of fact the boards
deficit is less than it has been for sew
eral years, and we hope by the end OF
| the year to be able to wipe it out.
Il want to give the old board due
credit for their efforts towards wiping
off the debt. I believe that by con-
tinuing the work of the old board, and
] by rigid economy we will be able TO
| clean up
Believes Board Is Within Law.
| Il feel that we have SO far acted
| within the province of the law" said
| George Smith, member of the school
| board 1T is true that we may have a
| few warrants which will be marked
| unpaid for want of funds before the
| taxes begin to come in next month,
| but I don't believe we would be held
| liable for that.
| what has shortened US was the pay
| ing of warrants this year. We are in
good shape financially for this time of
the year. 1t will be our policy in the
| future to pay off warrants to save the
| people per cent interest.
| Il believe that eventually the COM
mission form of government will pre-
vail in the handling of the school board
| but 1 don't think that Mayor Billiards.
suggestion would be practical.
MY idea would be to have a board
| of commissioners consisting of three
men who would have charge of the af-
| fairs of the schools, namely. a commits
| sioners of finance who would assume
| the duties of clerk, a commissioner Of
buildings and grounds, and a commits
sioner who would attend to all matters
pertaining to teachers, and the pur-
| chase of school supplies.
1.-The commissioner of buildings and
grounds could do the work of the pres
ent engineer or head janitor, and as
| the services of a clerk would be dis
pensed with, the extra salary expenses
\ would not be great
The Financial Situation.
The report of the city treasurer
| made out the first of the month show
| ed the state of the finances of the
| board of education was as follows:
On hand in the general fund, $751;
in the building fund, $42S.17 and in the
| interest and sinking fund.- $3,743.33.
| Expenses last month amounted to
| Sic, 2S5.S7, which was supposed to be
| paid out of the general fund which con-
sisted of 1857. 40. There the warrants
were marked unpaid for want IF
| funds
Following is the section of the stat
utes in the book Laws Relating to
the Common Schools of Kansas" re-
lating to a boards making outstand-
ing obligations:
| The Law in The Case.
"Sec. 1854. Bonds. [6263.1 When
! ever it shall be necessary to raise
| funds to purchase a school site or
sites, to furnish, to repair, to make ad-
ditions, or to build a school building,
| 1t shall be the duty of the board to
prepare an estimate of the costs of
such site or sites. repairs, additions,
or buildings, together with the cost
of furnishing the same, with estimates,
shall be spread upon the records of
the board, when adopted by a recorded
yea-and-naY vote of two-third of all