The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1917-02-16
Highway Information

law, pOllIlcdl unit IOr Cne sole
purpose of improving and maintain
ing the roads already in the district
and to secure the construction of
permanent. hard surfaced roads
properly graded and convenient for
travel thereon throughout the year,
as rapidly as the public revenues
will permit, and such districts shall
have the exclusive general super
vision and jurisdiction over all high
ways within the district. In addi-
tion to those powers and duties
conferred by this act, it shall have
the powers and duties heretofore
lodged in the County Commissioners
and Road Overseers, relative to
highways.
Bonds cannot be issued except by
two-thirds vote Of the qualified
voters of the district, but when so
voted will be for a period of twen-
ty years with the privilege of COM
mencing payment at ten years after
date at the rate of one-tenth each
year, the rate not to exceed six per
cent per annum.
How proposed:
A. By a petition signed by adult
residents to the number of one-fifth
of the votes cast for governor in
the proposed district, or
B. Bv petition signed by adult
residents Of the district owning one
tenth of the land included in the
district.
When filed with the Clerk of the
Board of County Commissioners,
he shall give notice Of an election
to determine whether the district
shall be formed or not. All resi-
dents of the proposed district who
possess the qualifications of voters
are eligible to vote and if more
than one-half of the votes so cast
are favorable the County Commits
sioners must declare the district
duly organized.
1t becomes the duty of the Gov
ernor Of the state to appoint three
Highway Commissioners-each COM
missioner holding Office four years
from the first day of January after
his appointment, after which time
they will be elected by the voters
of the district. These officers re-
ceive no salary.
The Board of Highway Commits
sioners shall elect one of their num-
ber as President and shall appoint
Secretary and Treasurer and shall
designate some place within the
district as the office where said
Board shall meet at least once a
month or oftener if proper transac.
tion of business requires. Treas.
urer shall furnish bond sufficient tc
cover probable amounts of money
in his hands.
Compensation of all officers ap.
pointed by Highway Commissioners
to be fixed by said Commission anC
all funds and accounts to be strictly
accounted for.
Of funds raised road purposes by
taxation 95 percent remains at the
disposal of the highway Commission
except that 25 percent of such
taxes raised in Incorporated towns
within the highway district is paic
} to the Town Treasurer for use or
the streets of the town where it i.
collected, thus insuring the benefit
to roads near towns of PRACTICAL!
all money collected by taxation il
; such towns.
Attention is called to the fac
that under our present systen
County Commissioners may and d.
make levies on towns and turn bacl
Is percent of funds so collected t,
the town but may spend the re
mainder in a remote part of tn
county in which the town has bu
little interest. Thus on Ii mil
levy, which has already been mad
~ the Commissioners, the town O
Kendrick, on its assessed valuation
: of 5000, 900 will pay into the Coun
2 ty Treasurer 100000 and will re
ceive back about $500 the bal
: ance or about $225.0O might b
Z. expended in sanding some road nea
a Moscow or cutting road in tn
p Northern part of the county in
stead of adjacent to the town il
d the territory from which it get
e it's trade.
This is not a criticism of tn
e County Commissioners as they hav
I to be responsible for the roads Q
the entire County mot in Higl wa
q distrlcts) and are only using money
q when so used. where it is mo:
: needed, but the highway district
along the lines of "home rule" an
: is therefore more responsive to tn
II wishes Of localities than where tn
county remains the ruling author