Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-02-21
sALkEMA MEASURE PROVIDING
FOR ACCEPTANCE or FUNDS
INTRODUCED IN SENATE.
MEETS REQUIREMENTS
OF Y. s. GOVERNMENT
Places Highway Commission in Charge
Of Work Of improving Post Roads
State Treasurer to Handle and Pay
Out Funds - Failure TO Adopt Bill
Would Eliminate state From Benefits

Special to Tinles-Repubiican
Des MONIES, Feb. Ex-senator Bal
kema's bill providing for acceptance OF
federal aid in road building was intro
duced in the.senate Of the Iowa legis-
lature yesterday and is now in the
hands Of the senate highways commit
tee AS is required by the federal en-
actment 1t places the state highway
commission in charge Of the work of
improving post roads provided for in
the federal law.
The Balkema bill provides in the
main the following: That the state
formally accept federal aid for rural
post roads. That the state make avail
able funds sufficient to equal the sum
appropriated by the government during
the Ave years this act is to operate.
The automobile license money would
be used for this purpose.
The state highway commission is au-
thorized to enter into and complete me-
gotiations with the secretary Of agri-
culture to secure the appropriations
and to make contracts with the gov
eminent relative to surveys, construc-
ton and maintenance of roads under
the act
Il The highway commission is further
authorized to supervise and direct the
work OF construction on behalf of the
state of Iowa and its counties, to SUI
pervises the expenditures Of all funds
paid out on account Of such work by
the counties Of the state, and do az
other things necessary fully to carry
out the cooperation contemplated and
provided by the said federal aid road
act"
Supervisors Must Act First.
The board of supervisors Of each
county is authorized to make ipplica-
ton to the state highway commission
for the apportionment to such county
of its share of the federal aid fund and
to designate its plan as to what roads
should be included. This is in turn
submitted by the highway commission
to the secretary Of agriculture.
The highway commission Is directed
to designate and select from the roads
which now constitute the county road
system comprehensive system cover
ing part Of each Of the ninety-nine
counties Of the state and including not
less than 1000 miles nor moro than 81
00ON miles. Before, designating the
roads Of such system the highway
commission shall request the co-opera-
ton and assistance ofethe board of su-
pervisors Of the counties as to such
designations. .,.s.ss.
( The hoard Of supervisors mustpentef
into a contract with the state highway
commission to carry out the work OF
it's county as agreed upon.
. The highway commission is author
lied to apportion the federal aid among
the several counties Of the state "in
the same ratio that the area Of each
county in the state bears to the area Of
the state" t
The state treasurer shall handle and
pay out the funds under this act.
II any county fails to make applica-
ton to the state highway commission
for it's allotment Of federal aid funds
before July 1. 1920. or neglects to enter
into a contract to carry out the i'm
provements specified under the act. ~
shall be deemed to have waived its
right to participate in such federal aid
fund.