The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1922-04-29
GRAND JURY COMPLETES
WORK OF PRESENT SESSION

Severely Condemns Methods In Inc
Office Of County Commissioners.
Says commissioners Have Been
Very Indiscreet And Used Elk
tremely Poor Judgment. Re-
commends That Office OF President
Be Made Full Time Position With
salary sufficient TC Attract Broad
Minded Capable Man.
The report OF the Grand Jury for
the April term states that its in
yn.tiZation shows that the deficit in
the Office of the County Commiss-
toner's April 80, 1921 was S121, 900
and this was increased during the
fiscal year ending April 30th, this
wear by $40 900, making total OF
5000, 600.
The report follows:
The Grand Inquest of the State of
Maryland for the body of Dorchester
county in session assembled this Gath
day of April. 1922, submit to your
Honorable body the Glowing re
port:
We have been in session five days.
considered 81 cases, examined 143
witnesses and found % true bills.
Inspection Las been made of the
Court House and the offices therein;
of the Jail and the county barns anG
all seem to be in good condition with
these few exceptions:
We feel that the County Commits
siOners should have a private office,
similar to the one i'll the Register OF
Wills Office, vrith outside door en-
trance and we recommend that one
be supplied at once.
Inspection of the Treasurer's office
shows things in good shape and we
have no recommendation to make,
the same applies to the Register of
Wills and the County Clerks Offices
Inspection of the Jail shows thai
the flashing and the valleys of the
roof need painting very badly. The
steps to the front porch and the
kitchen are badly in need Of repairs.
We also suggest that the side
porch be removed and garage built
for the use of the Sheriff's autOmo-
bile.
We have had before us those who
had Jurisdiction over the finances OF
our county during the period cover
ed by the audit of Black & Company
Certified Public Accountants, placed
in our hands by the Court. This
audit discloses a deficit of approx
mately $121,000 for the year end
ing April 80, 1921 and we have as
certained that this deficit has been
growing gradually until April 2Sth,
1922, it has reached the enormous
sum OF 100000. After careful
Investigation we have come to the
conclusion that those in authority
have been very indiscrete and used
extremely poor judgment to say III"
ieast. When they allowed this
deficit TO accumulate, which nO
doubt is very obnoxious to the tax,
payers OF Dorchester County.
And were it not for the abnormal
onditions and unusual demands
during The wal, which doubtless
were contributing factors to the
above conditions and to the further
fact that we feel that the taxpayers
themselves are more or less re
sponsible for this condition by reason
of the fact that they have too often.
through delegations or otherwise
importuned the County Commission
ers who are the peoples servants
to spend money from time to time
more than the financial conditions
would warrant. We would feel 1t
our bounden duty to invoke the law
for the County's financial protection,
but after all are not the people the
law?
We feel that the system is as
much or more at fault than thosE
" ~
Office, and we suggest as remedy
that the law governing our County
Commissioners be amended so as to
create Chairman of President OF
our Commissioners of three, VINO
shall be paid sufficient salary to
justify his giving his entire time to
the Office of County Commissioner
and be compelled by law to do so.
And we believe the saving in taxes
to the taxpayers will fully demon
strate the wisdom Of our suggestion,
provided always that this Chairman
is a man big enough and broadmind-
ed enough to know when and how
to say mo" when he is asked to
spend more than the financial con-
ditions of the county will permit.
In our investigation we have dis
covered that the County Commiss-
toner's have been buying commodo-
ties such as oyster shells for the i'm
provement and upkeep of our county
roads, provided the vendors accept
promise of payment out of the
next levy. This we think is un-
businesslike and very bad practice
and only another method of creating
a deficit and should be discontinued.
Resnectfullv Submitted