The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1915-09-02
COUNTY UNIT IS BIG FEATURE
Counties Must Provide for Making Sur
veys But State Will Do Work at Act
nual Cost-$7s5, 900 Appropriated An
nually for State Aid


Highway law changes enacted by
the legislature which just closed are
relatively few but important. The
solons deemed it necessary to decrease
the appropriation for the support of
the state highway commission from
100000 to $6500O per year The new
amendment to the state highway law
provides that surveys and plans shall
hereafter be made by the counties at
county expense, but also provides
specifically that in case county board,
or the committee Of the board dealing
with state aid matters, requests the
state highway commission to do so it
may make the surveys and plans as
previously, and charge the actual cost
of the work to the county. Plans for
surveys already made by the state
commission will be furnished free of
cost as formerly but no further sur
veys will be made in any county until
the commission is authorized by it's
committee to make them in accordance
with the terms of a letter recently
committees.
Taken in connection with portions
of the old law left unchanged and the
provisions of it modified by the new
law, a system of state aid with state
supervision, much as in the past, re-
~ L.
commission is given power to approve
plans and contracts and generally to
control construction about as former
ly; the county highway commissioner
has charge of the actual construction,
but both the state highway commission
and county highway commissioner
must act with and cooperate with
state aid road and bridge committee
elected by each county board, which
committee has supervisory control as
to the general policy and conduct Of
the work in each county.
The new law is not considered
revolutionary or destructive. The
principal change is in the inclusion Of
county committee to control the
work jointly. In statement issued
by the commission this view of it
is TAKEN
eff all concerned are sincerely de-
fsirous of cooperating with each other,
mo friction should develop, but on the
contrary good should ensue. Under
the new conditions, county and state
officials will be jointly responsible for
results, and the town chairman is given
some authority as to work in his own
town. With good feeling and the APP
preciation by the state, county and
town officials of the respective limits
of their authority, things should go
even more smoothly than before. If
either of these seek to assume what
is not his, the possibilities Of trouble
are numerous but it is hoped and
believed that there will be little
friction after little experience under
the new plan
The bill provides $7S5,000 annually
for state aid to highways, instead of
$1,200,000 as before.
The percentage of state aid paid on
bridges over six feet span was in
creased from twenty to thirty-three and
one-third, the same as for roads, State
and county aid for roads and bridge
construction in cities of the fourth
class is discontinued. The power Of a
village board to vote taxes is discon-
tinued, and placed upon the electors
of villages. Towns and villages under
100000 valuation may vote two mills;
between 100000 and 100000 valu-
alton, one and one-half mills; more
than $1,000,000, one mill. Twice those
amounts may be voted by a three
fourths vote. Towns and villages may
vote taxes this year up to November
10, instead of September l. The pow
sers Of counties to make road improve
,ments by county board action disre-
tgarding the towns, are made more
specific. If done in amounts of $4,000
or over, the state will pay forty per
cent and the county sixty per cent.
Specific power is given the county
boards to do county and state CON
struction and to make friendly ar
rangements with towns, subscribers,
individuals and abutting property
owners to help pay the cost. County
boards are given power to reduce the
application for state and county aid
from any town or village, regardless
of any valuation, to $4,000, if the
board shall so vote. County tax limit
Cor all state aid purposes is reduced
from three to two mills. A county
state aid road and bridge committee
Is created to be elected by the county
board to have general administrative
control Of state read and bridge con
stnction in each county The limit of
their per diem and expenses is set at
800 each per year.
Examination Of candidates for
county highway commissioner is done