Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1918-08-23
THAT ROAD RESOLUTION.

The resolution adopted by the
citizens tf the county last Saturday
wce.s in regard to roads, whici,
resolution was published in last
issue of this paper, expresses in
plain language the conviction, that
the road authorities are not moas,.r-
ing up, and that money is being
wasted on the roads. The resolution
said: Resolved that - is tho sense
of this meeting: /. That the main
tenancc of the roads of the county
is being overlooked and not properly
attended to, and the county is not
getting value received for the money
expended on the county roads, for
the maintenance and repairs or con
struction thereof, and that it is the
duty of tho county authorities to
remedy this situation"
The charges made in this reso-
lutlons are serious, and of interest
10 every tax payer of the county,
and II true and well founded call
for action on the part of the Board
OF Supervisors. The county, by bond
issues, has raised and expended or
'eNpending, nearly three quarter mil
lion dollars in road onst-uction-a
large sum of money. How muck of
this sum, if any, hes been wasted.
and to what extent tho county has
failed TO get "vnlue received fer tho
money expended on the county
roads," certainly this writer does not
know. Capable men have had thd
matter i'll charge. Detailed state
ments are kept by good bookkecpers
and supposedly regular reports
inadc TO the Board of Supervisors,
or to proper authorities.
III there was waste it could have
hen. and should have hqon, detected
and stopped. The question is, what
ground did t.is committee have for
making this broad charge that
money is being wasted? The COM
mittce made no specific charges of
how or where money is being wasted
This writer knows that complaints
are made, have been made frequently
by many citizonS of the county,
That the county was moi "ge,t;nr
value received. for ;hY monoy ex-
pended"
None of these complaints SC far
have been based upon particular,
definite instances or acts.only in
definite complaints, similar to those
made i'll the resolutions. The com
mittce would have rendered distinct
and valuable service to the county
II they had drawn up a "bill OF
pariiculars" in support of their
charges. This writer does not urdor
take 10 pass upon the question He
doesn't know. He cannot judge from
passing over the roads just what it
cost to build them, or whether or
where improvements could have been
made. 1t can be safely said, how
ever, that if mistakes and wasteage
nave occurred or extravagmccs in
any department have occurred, none
OF 1T was Intentional, or in the shape
OF graft. No such charge hns been
made OF. even thought OF. Engineer
Martin is careful, capable book
Keeper. His Office is open and reports
open for inspection.
AS to road maintenance, il is n
clearer proposition. Any one can
see who travels the roads, that they
are not maintained as they should
be-. Has the Board maintenance
fund If the road people haven't the
money to maintain the roads how
can the roads be maintained?
'"The mill never grinds with the
water that is past"
No use grieving over split milk.
If mistakes have ben made, if there
is lack of funds, or if there has been
in the past, let all
this be remcdied. When we criticise
or complain of existing conditions
the proper, Just thing to do is to
suggest remedies.