The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1910-07-19
FREEHOLDERS
AND THE ROADS
Lively Discussion Results In
Wiping Out Famous
Neighbour Resolution.
COUNTY WILL BORROW $4,000

A lively debate between Freeholder
Edward Neighbour and other mem
bers of the board of freeholders and
Counsel George G.. Runyon marked
the July session Of the board held on
Wednesday morning.
The freeholders, after prolonged
caucus by the majority members,
elected Thomas J. Reynolds as road
supervisor without opposition. Mr..
Reynolds has been street commission
er of Dover for many years.
A resolution offered by Freeholder
Johnson of the road committee, turn
ing over to his care all the county
roads. built. under the act Of 1883
brought on discussion which revived
!, the debate on the resolution offered
by Mr.. Neighbour and passed last year
turning over TO the municipalities OF
the county the roads within their
bordersand which resulted in the re-
scinding Of that res olution.
Mr. Neighbour asserted that Mr..
Johnson's resolution should except
the roads turned over tosthe munich
palities by the board by his resolution
passed last year. Counsel Runyon re-
torted thatlhe gave as his opinion last
year that Mr.. Neighbours resolution
was Illegal, he still held TO that opin-
ion and that further the attorney
general had rendered an opinion back
ing him up in his stand. Mr.. Neigh.
bour insisted that no such opinion
had been received from the attorney
general and that even if it had that
the state attorneys opinion was nc
better than any other mans and fur
ther that he thought the resolution
was all right and was backed in his
opinion by prominent lawyers of the
county. Mr.. Runyon asked him tc
cite his authority but Mr.. Neighbour
did not do SO.
Director Becker took hand in the
debate by saying that such an opinion
from the attorney general had beer
received by him and he was corrobor.
ated by Freeholders Johnson and
Wills, but Mr.. Neighbour insisted that
the other members of the board were
mistaken.
Freeholder Fancher thought that
the resolution offered by Mr.. johnson
gave the supervisor increased powers
This Mr.. Runyon denied, explaining
that under sthe law Of 1889 the late
John D. Smith was appointed as roac
Inspector and he could spend ar
amount up to $50 on the roads:at any
one place without consulting the
board. BY law tf 1907 this was
changed, making the Office that of su
pervisor and makingS1t necessary fol
the official to get authority from the
freeholders before he could expenS
money for repairs.
Mr.. Neighbour made the assertion
that Dover was paying taxes to repair
roads in Morristown and other mum
cipalities while repairing its own roads
and Mr.. Runyon retorted by saying il
was no ones fault but Dovers, anC
asserted that under the law the roadl
could be thrown back on the townships
as well as the towns and boroughs il
the Neighbour resolution was legal.
On roll call, demanded by Mr.
Neighbour, the resolution offered bJ
Mr.. johnson was carried by a vote O
thirteen to seven.
Freeholder Johnson then offered Z
resolution empowering the conASittet
to borrow s35 600 to continue the re
pair work on the roads. He said thai
contracts for S55, 900 as passed upon by
the committee had used up all it,
funds. Freeholder Fancher demanded
TO know why the committee did mol
wait for The money from the state
from automobile licenses but DR.
Becker asserted that this money
would not come until too late and fur
ther the state road commissioner hac
the right to designate just what roads
ii should be used upon.
After the road Committee had beer
empowered to borrow the money neces
.sary Freeholder Garabrant offered a
resolution formally resembling the
Neighbour resolution Of last year and
it was passed by the following vote -
Ayes F'reeholders Hopler, Johnson
Grimes, Davenport, Carle, Prudden,
Burchell, DeCoster, Becker, Norris,
Garrabrant, Wills, Milledge, s. e.
Estler, DeHart- fifteen. Mays Free
holders George Estler, Budd, Neigh
bour Cook, Fancher, Coleman six,
Freeholders Guerin and Kitchens ex-
cnsed from voting.