Tombstone epitaph., 1910-01-16
Report of the
Grand Jury
GRAND JURY REPORT.

of the office of the board Of super
 visors has de veloped the fact that tn,
 system now in vogue relative to thu
 purchase of supplies is not well cal
 culsted to subserve the best interest,
 of the county,
 We find that the practice of draw
 ing on the county each quarter for {
 lump sum to be used in the purchase
 of sundry supplies is loose, and n,
 proper check is kept upon the amount:
 so expended.
 No money should be drawn from the
 treasury except upon the sworn de
 insnd of some person or officer en-
 titled to receive the same, and nc
 amounts should be turned over to the clerk tor such purposes, except upon an itemized statement of the expend.
 itures made during the last quarter
 sworn to by the clerk and regular y entered upon the books.
 No supplies should be furnished to any office or department except upon written requisition, signed by tbe head of such office or of such depart. ment, which said requisition should be kept on file, and in every instance where office furniture or equipment of any kind is furnished any office he regular invoice for such supplies or equipment should be sent to such office to be checked, and the receipt of such equipment or supplies noted | upon such invoice before listsd and l filed for payment.
 l All record books aud special sta tionery should be purchased by con- tract after competitive bidding, and careful estimates of the needs of the county for the year should be made and specifications sent to various supply houses for bids. This plan would put the county on the same footing with other business corpora tions and result in saving to the taxpayers.
 That it appears to your grand jury ,hs. the supervisors act in great haste upon the numerous demands pre- scented to them and do not give them sufficient time; care and examination to fully understand their pur pose and extent; that in auditing these demspds they rely largely upon the representa- tion of the clerk of the board, and ths this is carried to such an extent that the warrant books have frequentlyt been signed up in blank and the clerk given power to thereafter fill in the name Of the psyee, the amounts and the purposes for which the warrants are drawn; that this system opens the door to gross extravaganza and would easily permit fraud and the unlawful expenditure of the county funds.
 The large amount of money paid annually for bounties upon wild animals is e constant drain upon the county treasury, and this without a corresponding benefit We recom- mend that the provisions of para graph 42ll of the Revised Statutes of Arizona be strictly enforced by the board in reference to the proofs &C., companying the presentation Of the hides of such animals, and that the board adopt stringent methods, which is permitted under said law to make the proof of such animals killed abso. lute and beyond question whatsoever as to the genuineness of the claims of the party presenting hides for boun- tics.
 Our examination into the conduct oi the office of the probate judge has developed the fact that estates are al- lowed to run for many years without any reports being made showing re oeipts and expenditures; that many estates are allowed to remain open, which should be closed; that many estates without inventories and sp- prai ements provided by law to be filed have not been prepared and filed, and lax system has prevailed in the speedy administration as we'll ss in the personnel of those appointed to sd- | minister an estate, that is, 1t appears from examination of this office that frequently persons who are entitled under the law to administer have been denied the privilege and others sp- pointed m their stead.
 Our examination in the conduct of the office of the county examiner dis closes the fact that he has confined his lsbors to ascertsining and report in: upon the conditions of the books of the various officers of the county, which examination be has apparently interpreted to mean the taking of | trial balances of of such books; that the county examiner has not ex- amined into the legality of the