The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1917-05-17
COMMISSIONERS TO
HAVE FULL CONTROL
Of ROAD BOND FUND

w. A. Dodson, county commission
er is taking no chances on the road
money proposition. When he don't
know how TO pass upon certain prop
osition he writes to headquarters to
be sure he is right before he goes
ahead.
At recent meeting of the County
commissioners they allowed the dis
tricts along the state road from Endee
to Montoya, $4,000 for immediate use
and the State gave an additional sum
to be used on this road. This was not
done however until the commissioners
had been given permission to apply
all the money derived from the road
bond election to be held June 9 in
this county, on roads in other parts of
the county, not putting any money
not even one cent to be spent of said
sum on the road commonly konwn as
the Ozark Trail.
II then dawned upon the commits
sioners that perhaps they would not
have the authority to put or expend
the money as they see fit. The follow
ing communication (or extract) from
Mr.. Atkinson, member of the State
Road Board, is plain on the subject
and the voters can rest assured that
II they want better roads in their dis
tricts now is the time to get them.
II you vote down the bonds the loss
will be yours. The money for the
Ozark Trail has already been provided
and now the citizens Of Quay county
may secure the additional money for
county roads If they will work and
vote for the bonds. Here is what Mr..
Atkinson says:
"ln regard TO your County Bond Is
sue and the funds derived therefrom,
that is wholly and entirely within the
jurisdiction Of your County Commits
sioners, where no cooperation is had
with the State or Federal Govern
ment. II you ask for and secure any
aid from either the state or your bond
issue funds, then SO much as is set
aside Of your Bond Issue to be met by
like sum appropriated by the State,
the work for that part in which the
State puts up part of the money had
to be done under the supervision of
the State Engineer.
"Where your County puts up say 4
Of the money, and the Federal Gov
ernment so per cent and the State
one-fourth of the money for the con-
struction Of any piece of road in your
county, that, of course, has to be done
under the supervision or by and with
the approval of representatives of the
Federal Government. But where nell
ther State nor Federal Government
money is put up to cooperate with
your County money, the distribution
and expenditure of funds derived from
your Bond Issue are entirely in the
hands of the Board of County Com
missioners and should be expended
by you County Highway Superintend-
ent under approval Of your Board of
County Commissioners.
In this latter case, the only thing
that this State Highway Commission,
or the State Engineer has TO do with
your Bond issue funds is the State
Highway Commission, through the
State Engineer, can demand and re-
quire of your County Highway Su-
perintendent a report of how your
funds coming from any source, Bond
issue, regular taxes, or any other
source, are expended on your County
Highways; and IL the State Commits
sion finds that you have been extrav-
agant, careless, or otherwise your
money has not been as judiciously ex.
pended as 1t should have been, the
State Highway Commission car then
require you to show cause why you
have not gotten more for your money.
81 hardly think the State Highway
Commission would like to change the
location Of a designated State High
way, that is, where it has been def
nitely located on section lines or other
certain designated lines, The State
Highway Commission, however, can
designate any and other highways as
State Highways"
The commissioners have promised
70 expend the bond money on country
roads throughout the county other
than the Ozark Trail, and they intend
TO keep their promise so no arrange
ments are being made to enter into
any agreement with the State or Fed
eral boards. The commissioners ex-
pect to build roads throughout the en-
tire county where they will do the
most good for the greatest number.