The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1910-11-25
PROTEST
WILL AVAIL
NOTHING

Although a howl of protest has gone |
up from the unpaid members of one of |
the Gary city departments because |
Aldermen Bowser. Baukus and Szyman- |
ski last Monday night voted against
an emergency ordinance to appropriate |
moneys for a $500 expense account"
it was we'll that the aldermen voted
against the measure or else they could
from Office and other members of the
city administration could have faced a
more drastice penalty.
Expense Accounts, Cause Racket.
| Last Monday night there was intro
duced an emergency ordinance for the
| appropriation of money for the lex
pense accounts of three city depart
ments. Of the amount wanted 800
was for the street department. 5000 for
the police department and $3.50 for the
city attorneys office. The fact that a
| city department should have a $500
| expense account aroused suspicion
| and when one OF the aldermen pro-
pounded questions to the city
| clerk 1t developed that the street de-
| partment expense account was a
! measure to secure money for debts al
ready incurred and that if it was not
passed the forthcoming payroll could
not be met. Thereupon the emergency
ordinance was submitted to a vote but
the ayes were unanimous so it failed
Of passage.
The Indiana statutes are very specific
on the subject of debts and some sur
prise is expressed that City Attorney
Curtis did not advise the county that
the passage of such an ordinance would
impern the Office of every member Of
the council.
Il statutes Are Specific.
The statutes specify:
No city officer has power to bind the
city to any contract agreement be-
yond the money already appropriated
for such purpose anu all obligations
beyond such appropriations are void.
Hence the none due the employees of
the street cleaning department cannot
legally be paid to them as the obliga-
/ ton is void.
Further:
should any city official issue any
warrant for the payment of any obIisa-
4 ton beyond the authorized appropria-
/ ton such official is liable on his official
! bond, ma be fined not more than one
thousand dollars, and may be imprison-
! ed in the county jail for tenn of six
months.
And further:
Unauthorized claims allowed by a
city council may result In those who
violate the statute to be removed from
I office and subjected to stated fine.
A Stf Penalty Provided.
1858 (Warrants, excess of appro-
priation S6) Any city official who
shall issue any bond certificate or
warrant for the payment of money,
which shall purport to be an oblf-
cation in such city, and be beyond
the unexpended balance of any ap-
preparation made for such purpose,
or who shall attempt to bind such
city by any contract or agreement,
or in any other way, to any extent
beyond the amount of money at the
: time already appropriated by ordi-
nance for such purpose, and re-
naming at the time unexpended
Except as in the last preceding
q section provided) shall be liable on
a his official bond to any person in
jured thereby, and shall be fined
not more than one thousand dol
lars, and imprisoned in the county
Jail not more than six months,
either or both.
When obligations Are Void.
s6S7 Contracts and agreements,
when void, $50. No executive de-
LII partment officers employee there
of shall have power to bind such
8 city to any contract or agreement,
"a or in any other way, to any extent
n beyond the amount of none at the
a time already appropriated by ordi-
nance for the purpose of such de-
partment: and all contracts and
agreements, express or implied. and
n all obligation of any and every
sort. beyond such existing appro
4 priations, are declared to be abso-
Il lutely void.
All made in violation of this sec
ton are invalid and a subsequence
of appropriation shall not invali
date the same. (See IA Ind 1850
III Penalty for Concilmen.
(sse1 Oflcial ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
tv 237.. 1t shall be unlawful for
the common council of any city
the board of trustees of any town,
or any officer or board of either of
such corporations, to allow any
claim against such city or town,
or to order the issue of any war
p rant for the payment of money by
any such corporation, except at
session of such common council
or board, unless expressly au-
thorized by law to do; and no
clerk or other officer of any city
or town shall draw any warrant in
Il favor of any person until so order
and allowed. unless authority so to
n do is given in this act. @s@
ANY city city or town officer who
shall vioalte any of the provisions
of this section and any clerk, city
or town attorney. or other officer
II of any city or town who shall
n directly, aid or assist in seeking to
recover any claim, or in the prose-
cution of any action against such
city or town, shall on claim, in
the prosecution of any action
against such city town, shall, on
n conviction, be fined not more than
Il fifty dollars, and SHAH be removed
81 from office.
Sympathy For Laborers.
While the sentiment is EXPRESS
that the street laborers. who thu
~ the unfortunate victims of off,