The Raymer enterprise., 1921-04-14
HIGHWAY BILL
AGREED UPON
sEvEN.MAN ADVISORY BOARD
PLAN ACCEPTED sY BOTH
HOUSES.
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The Twenty-third General Assembly
Of Colorado adjourned sine die last
Thursday afternoon at the end Of the
longest Legislative day." fifty.six
hours, on the state's record. Only nine
senator's were present when Senator
Francis J. Knauss made the motion at
b:45 o'clock which ended the session
for the Senate.
Governor Shoup addressed both
houses briefly In the afternoon, and
virtually declared to the representa-
tives that there will be no special ses-
sion, as he had threatened there would
be il action on the highway bill, which
delayed adjournment, was not satisfac-
tory.
"You have done your work SO well
that I believe the next time you will
be called together here will not be un-
Ill there is Twenty-fourth General
Assembly," the governor said in the
House.
Following hours Of conference and
argument, the General Assembly ac-
cetted report Of Its joint conference
committee providing for a highway
law to be administered by highway
advisory board Of seven members act
Ing In the capacity Of advisers and a
one.man executive branch supervised
by the governor.
The provisions of the bill as finally
agreed upon by both houses are as fol-
lows:
The highway advisory board is COM
posed Of seven members to be appoint
ed by the governor at once, one mem.
ber from each of the seven districts
set out In the bill as originally intro
duced in the House as a one-man bill
at the opening Of the session. Denver
constitutes the first district.
This board meets In regular session
twice each year and has full advisory
powers over the work to be done BY
the board. It also has the naming Of
all employees of the board except the
engineer, who is appointed and remov-
able by the governor alone.
The board meets and prepares an
outline Of the work 1t desires done
and transmits this recommendation to
the highway engineer who at once pre-
pares a complete budget and working
plans for such program, which he re-
turns to the board for Its information.
Upon this budget the board In turn
prepares It's report to the governor and
transmits the budget therefor. The
governor is given full authority to ap-
prove, disapprove, alter and amend, in
whole or in part, any budget or plan
submitted by the board.
Once completed, the highways and
roads themselves then come under the
control and direction Of the board.
The members Of the board receive
no salaries. They are appointed for
terms Of three years. Five members
Of the board constitute a quorum for
the transaction Of business, but four
must concur In order to act.
The bill is practically the same a.
planned by the Good Roads Associa.
ton with the exception that the advis-
ory board consists Of seven members
instead Of the authority being vested
In one man. To all practical intents
and purposes 1t Is such q one-man law
as has been advocated ever since the
old highway commission proved un-
wieldy and wasteful In its manage
ment.
The agreement on the bill was only
reached after one Of the longest and
most bitter fights ever waged In q
General Assembly In this state over
anything but a purely political ques.
ton or the election Of some United
States senator before the direct cleo.
tons came into vogue.
It represented the battle Of the coun.
ty commissioners all over the state for
the retention Of the powers they pos-
sessed over the roads and highways Of
the state and counties.
The enabling act, or bond issue for
highways, finally passed the House a.
amended by the Senate Immediately
following the solution Of the highway
law itself, 80 that all that is nsces.
sary to start the highway machine has
been accomplished. All danger Of an
extra session vanished with the agree
ment on these two measures.
Besides winning reputation for e.
termination on the highway Issue,
Speaker Davis closed the session with
the record Of having made no decision
which was appealed from, or for which
appeal was sought. Veteran members
said this record is unique for Colo
rado. Customarily, they declared, the
final days Of any session are marked
BY three to dozen appeals day from
the speakers rulings.
The Twenty-flrst district Of Rotary
at it, seventh annual conference In
Pueblo launched boom for the hold.
Ing Of the international convention Of
Rotary In this district At Estes Park
In 1923.
Governor Shoup has signed thu bill