Ashland weekly tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1919-1924, 1921-06-08
EXONERATES COUNTY COURT
BUT FINDS GOVERNMENT Is
FAULTY; BLANlES FORMER
TREASURER.
GRAND JURY MAKES REPORT ON
ALL DEPARTMENTS OF JACK
son COUNTY GOVERNMENT.

honorable +. NJ. Calkins, judge of
,he circuit court:
The grand jury for the May term
bees TO submit the following report
TO you. in addition to the indict-
ments, which have heretofore been
presented:
In view of the disturbed state of
mind of the public, and the pressure
of public opinion, together with
charges and evidence that have
come before this grand jury, We
have felt in duty bound TO inyesti-
gate carefully the affairs of the
county. The jury has labored hard
to this end and the findings in the
following report are fully substan-
tlated by the law and the evidence.
Sheriff's Office.
We find that the sheriff is regu-
larly turning over to the treasurer,
funds collected by his office, and
complying with the law in this re-
spect.
The collection of delinquent, un-
secured personal taexs shows every
evidence of neglect in past years, for
which there seems to be no good ex-
cuse. The 1913 list shows $l1,2O6.-
33 outlawed by limitation, after coz
Letting S966.67 by special effort.
The lists for 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917,
1918 and 1919 amount to $36,484.O3
without penalties and interest which
will increase the amount by an esti-
mated so per cent. The county
court has issued an order to the
sheriff to proceed with the collec-
ton Of all lists at once, and has
agreed to furnish the necessary help
to this end. The sheriff has as
nred the jury that delinquent per-
sonal taxes have been placed against
real property In all cases where real
property exists.
Treasurer's Office.
The treasurer is conducting his af.
fairs in accordance with the law and
Is to be commended for his firm
stand IN that regard. He is keep
ing deposits with the banks of the
county well protected by security.
He is within his rights in declining
to accept turn overs OF tax monies
from the sheriff without accompany
Ing distribution. sheets which show
the accounts to which the monies
belong. But as the preparation of
these distribution sheets is mat
ter of considerable work the sheriff
Is compelled to accumulate large
sums in his tax collectors bank ac-i
count during the two tax paying
periods, awaiting the preparation of
the sheets. As result, the county
loses its 2 per cent interest on the
treasurer's daily balances and the
monies have not the protection of
the treasurer's security bonds, and
the securities required of the banks,
upon county treasurer's deposits. |
While the interest on daily balances
lost In this way will amount to only
$500 to $1,000 annually, the lack of
security TO protect the large sums of
money in the tax collectors bank |
accounts is a matter of much impor-
tance. We have carefully gone over
this matter with the treasurer, the
sheriff, the county court and be.
lieve that an arrangement agree
able to all has been made, which |
will permit the sheriff to remit daily
W lHc NItdhuItIs
Assessors Office.
The assessor appears to have his
affairs in excellent shape.
The matter of valuation of tim
Der was discussed thoroughly with
the assessor, and the jury finds de-
clded opportunity for improvement
here. We find that the assessor
crulsed small area of timber at
cost of $500 and increased the as
sessed valuation 100000 which
mnans an annual increase of income
Of $4,000 at a twenty mill tax rate.
The assessor estimates that a
cruise OF all the timber in the coun-
ty, with the usual maps, would cost
$4,000 to 100000, and that the
resulting reclassification and valua-
tlon would increase the assessed
valuation $4,000, 900. This would
mean an annual income OF $4,000
at twenty mill rate after paying for
tRe cruise. This is good business
and the grand jury recommends this
move very emphatically. Some let
ters from other counties in the state
which have had their timber cruised
will be published later. II should be
stated that a cruise once made be-
comes a permanent record. which
can be corrected yearly as the tim
Der is removed or destroyed by fire.
County Clerks Office.
This office appears to be III good
condition. The jury has Investigated
complaints OF the clerks absence
from his office beyond a reasonable
amount. and accepts his statement
that outside matters unexpectedly
compelled him to be away last sum
mer during part OF business hours.
which he made up In part by working
out OF hours with no loss OF efficiency