Charlevoix county herald., 1910-12-31
Good Roads.
What the Law Provides For
a Synopsis by Clerk Payton.


the people of this county are agitating
the question of good roads. and in
some cases are asking the board of
supervisors TO submit TO the question
of County Roads System, to the peo-
pie. We all understand the working
Of the present system, we know we
have fifteen townships in the county
fifteen highway commi isSiOners, build
ing fifteen different roads, under
fifteen different systems, with fifteen
different kinds Of material with fif-
teen different results. We all want
good roads, we know good roads will
enhanse the valne of our farms, the
merchant knows that good roats lead
ing to his village is of pecuniary
interest TO him. The question is,
how are we to derive the greatest ben
eft for money expended. The synUp-
sis OF the County Road Law of 1909
may be OF some interest. The county
road system may be submitted to the
county, to be voted on at a special or
general election, II submitted, the
county clerk shall give notice of said
election, and the question shall be
stated on the ballots as follows. viz
Shall the County Road System be a.
dopted oy the said county of ----
Yes No
If upon the canvass Of the votes. il
shall appear that majority is in ia
vor Of the adoption. then the county
road system shall be considered as
adopted ia the county. In any coun-
Jy where the county road, system shall
be adopted, a board Of county roads
commissioners, not exceeding tive in
mum Der, shall be elected by the peo-
pie Of the county. In the first in
stance; such commissioners shall be
appointed by the board Of supervisors,
or the supervisors may Call d speciai
election for that purpose. If appointed
their successors shall be elected at the
Apftt eleetion following tile date of
their appointment, If the commiss-
on shall consist of three members, one
a period of two years, one for four and
one six years. Any person SO elected
or appointed shall, within ten days af-
ter being noJItied Of an election or
appointment, subscribe the Consttu-
tiunal Oath of Office and file bond in
such am un5, as the board of super
visors may determine. Thereafter,
one commissioner shall be biennially
elected for the full term Of six years.
The board Of supervisors shall fix the
compensation OF such missiOners,
an supervisor shall not be eligible
to the office. A majority of u mem
berS OF the commission shall cOnsti-
tule quorum for the transaction Of
bus ness, such board shall be known
as the Board of County Road Com
missiOners of the County Of - and
by that name may sue or be sued.
The clerk of the county snail be The
clerk Of the board, and shall keep the
records and accounts and preserve
the files in the manner directed by
the board. Neither the clerk or any
member of the board, shall directly
or indirectly be pecuniarly interested
in any contract entered into, or work
carried on by, or for such a board,
or in the property purchased or sold
by, or for such board,
Such said board OF commissioners
may employ such superibtendents,
engineers and laborOrs, and purchase
such machines. tools and material as
shall in their Judgment be necessary
for the proper carrying on of their
work
Any road heretofore laid out, or any
part thereof, shall become county
road, If the Board OF County Road
Commissioners shall at any time de-
termine, and in passing through. or
In the line between townships and i'll
cOrporated villages, any street or part
OF street of such village may be adopt
ed as county road. with the consent
of the proper authorities Of such viii
lage. When such road has been SO
adopted the commissioner shall have
sole and exclusive jurisdiction and
control Of such road and the township
or municipality within which the
same is situated shall be relieved from
all responsibility therefor. The Board
OF County Road Commissioners are
empowered to, at any time abandon
and discontinue any county road. or
any part thereof by majority vote.
After the proceedings ito discontinue
have been had, the jurisdiction and
control of such road shall revert to
the township or municipality with in
which the same is situated. Said