Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1911-03-30
COUNTY ROAD SYSTEM
To Be Voted On in April Whether Gra.
tlOt County Adopts County
System or Not.

The time is fast disappearing when
it is necessary TO urge the majority Of
people to build good roads. The pro-
blem fast coming to the front is how
to build permanent roads at mini
mum cost, and after they are built,
how to supervise them and maintain
them. Both the building and main
tenance of roads might be success
fully managed by the township high
way commissioners If the incumbents
of that office were not constantly
changing No sooner is a commiss-
ioncr educated in the manner of build
ing and caring for improved roads
than his term of office has expired and
his successor must learn the work at
the expense of the township when if
the old commissioner had been re-
elected, much of this extra expense
would be avoided and mistakes once
made would not be repeated so often
as they now are under the township
system
In order to improve this system, it
!
of control must be obtained. Hence,
the district was advised but this sys-
tenn is a small, if any Improvement
over the already existing township
system and has met with little favor
From the experience OF the various
counties already under the county sys-
tenn in Michigan and those under the
county system in other states it
seems that the control and supervi-
sion of road construction is best when
administered by county officials.
Under the present law in any coun-
I ty adopting the county system for
uilding permanent roads, a board of
rec commissioners is in the first
rance appointed by the board Of SUI
Wilson's or elected at a special or a
lera election called for that pur-
sc, but, if appointed, they shall
Id office only until the first day Of
ay next following their appoint
lent, but all commissioners must be
egularly elected in the spring follow
lg the regular sessions of the legis-
lature and shall be elected for a term
OF two, four and six years respective
! ly, and at the spring election one COM
missioner shall be elected every two
years for the full term OF six years.
Each year these commissioners
must make their report on the work
already accomplished to the board of
supervisors and make the estimates of
the amount of money necessary TO
complete proposed work on the new
roads and the amount Of money ne
cessary for the care and maintenance
OF roads already built The amount
OF tax to be raised for these purpo-
ses is allowed by the board of super
visors, which in any county cannot be
larger than a three mill tax and in
most counties only two mill tax, and
is collected in the same manner as
other taxes The county commiss-
Toner cannot contract Indebtedness in
excess Of taxes levied for county road
purposes.
The Board OF County Road Com
missioners take over certain roads
which are to be improved under the
! county system. These roads are, as
long as they are county roads, inn
proved and maintained by the county
thus relieving the township OF the
care OF their trunk line roads, fol
this is the great object Of the county
system. to build trunk line roads be-
tween market towns and between the
principal cities and villages; that is
to permanently improve the main
thoroughfares of travel, gradually ex-
tending the system from these main
lines to those of lesser importance I'M
til the whole country rs covered with
a network of improved highways.
Townships, in counties under the
county system, may still build impro-
we'd roads the same as now. The coun-
ty system in no ways interferes with
that which an individual may do.
Good roads are cheaper than bad
ones. Last year $3,756, 32I57 was
spent on the wagon roads of this state
and it is a safe estimate that seventy
five per cent were spent in repairs
upon our common earth roads. Com
pare this with the work done by the
thirty-two counties now under the
c, unity system $746,039.ss was rails
ed in 1909. and it is estimated that
ninety-hve per cent of it was used fol
permanent improvement and only five
system is the better, the one in which
nearly all the money is used for re-
pairs. or the county system, by which
nearly all the money raised by take:
is spent for permanent roads by com
petent men and the whole people o.
county benefited. From which
class of road will the average farmer
the city man. everybody receive the
greatest benefit, the permanently i'm
proved good road all the year round
under the county system, or the patch
work road as the average dirt road
that now exists?-
TAXPAYER.