The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1916-05-19
County Commissioner
. Asked to Refund Money

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From Yellowstone Monitor, Glendive
In order to determine the status o
members of the board of county com
missioners in relation to county roat
matters and whether or not members
of the board are entitled to any re
mpneration for looking after" tht
building of county highways and at
tending to similar matters, petition
was filed with the board last week al
theif regular monthly meeting by
County Clerk and Recorder r. L. wy
man.
| From information CLEANED from var.
ions sources it appears that a large
number of taxpayers have, from time
to time, expressed dissatisfaction
around the court house with the man
ner in which county money has been
paid out of the treasury by the county
commissioners to themselves for work
which they are not supposed to do and
which is not authorized by law. 1t is
understood that the present action is
more or less in the nature of a test
case to ascertain for the benefit of the
taxpayers of Dawson county just how
fAr the county commissioners can go
In the expenditure Of county money
on road matters.
NO action was taken on the matter
by the board, and it is known that the
county clerk has refused to pay GER
tain recent county warrants amount
ing to about $4,000, until the matter is
cleared up by process of law.
It is understood that the next step
IN the recovery of the amount men
toned in the petition has been the
placing of the case in the hands of the
county attorney for immediate action.
I The petition is a voluminous docu-
ment and covers II sheets of type
written copy. 1t sets out that during
the years 1918, 1914, 1915 and during
the months of January, February and
March of this year, Commissioner Lar
500 has obtained about $4,000 for. ex-
penses and services which are al
legged to be contrary to law. The
amount is made up of expenses in
connection with the attendance at
fees for viewing roads
and for looking after" county high
ways; mileage and expenses for es-
tablishing registration districts, for
expenses in trying to hire cook for
q road crew; for helping to unload ma
chinery and for time spent in watch
ing the work, and various other claims,
all of which claims were, according to
The petition, paid by the treasurer of
The county through forms of law, most |
Of them having been audited by Mr.. |
Larson and not all of them verified by |
Mr.. Larson as required by law.
In the petition it is claimed that the |
Attorney General of the state has
'uled that a member of the board of |
SOunly SdihOI dSt elo q
'oad viewer in any event and if he
loes so act, he is not entitled to any
therefor, and that this
work must be done by the road view
rs who are appointed for that pur-
,ose The petition also sets forth
hat no provision is made in the
aw for looking after" roads or
ridges, although the commissioners,
n regular session, may appoint a
member of the board to act with the
ounty surveyor in inspecting the con-
ition of any highway or bridge. In
My two instances, it is stated, have
he claims which Mr.. Larson has made
gainst the county for inspecting
Dads and bridges been so ordered by
he board.
The claims which the petition sets
3rth have been illegally obtained,
ange all the way from STATS to
!, ,409.25. One of the claims for
62425 for viewing roads and auto
ire at 25 cents per mile, like nearly
II the others had not been verified
nd is it claimed that no provision is
lade in law for county commission
: to act, as Mr.. Larson has done, as
road viewer. Furthermore, the bill N
as not itemized, was not authorized
= the board and Mr.. Larson had not
cen appointed viewer. lM
The largest claim, one for $1,409.25,
as for mileage and per diem, exclus-
e of $120 which was rightly due.
he claim called for pay on four Sun
lys. upon which days. being legal m
,lidays, no such work can be author MI
ed by law. MI
On July rs, 1918, there is charge VI
$3.50 for viewing roads, while the
cords of the board show that the MI
were In session all of M
at day and that Mr.. Larson was Nh
esent. A claim of the same nature, R
1t for different amount, is said to MI
we been submitted for work done on NH
,vust 9th tho same vpar Hi