Imperial Valley press., 1925-04-30
Many Measurers
For Benefit of
! District Urged
xContinned from nnra u

1Continued from page u
district and of tho statements Of
operation prepared thcrefrom. por-
tons of the Baskerville report
follow:
Quote from Report
Under the act which governs
the district, the board of dirceto ors,
composed of five men elected by
popular vote, has no direct respon-
slbllity 10 any other governing bo-
df, and is subject only to the gen
crai laws affecting the fidelit,- and
behavior of public officials it is
apparent that there is no uniform
understanding as to the exact line
of administration of control and
authority. Methods of employment
are not standardized as related to
executive and technical positions.
The technical heads Of departments
appear to be we'll qualified as re
CARDS technical requirements. Suf-
flcient executive authority in dheir
departments, has not always been
given to department heads. \ spir-
il of unrest and uncertainty exists
among the employees. The board
of directors makes decisions rs to
matters of detail involving Judge
ment that requires technical i,nowl-
edges and should be left to ttained
technicians. The extent of opera
1ions and distances involved pre-
sent tremendous administrative diff
ficulties
The source of water supply,
the meanderings of the river
below the border, as well as the
fact that it must be brought
in through a foreign country,
present additional difficulties,
injecting considerable element
of uncertainty into problems.
large quantities of stores are
purchased each wear, large amount
is shown to be on hand at the end
Of each fiscal period. The method
of handling and caring for stores is
not uniform especially with respect
10 the physical arrangement and
methods used in the storehouses. y
new purchasing agent, recently ap-
pointed, advised the investigators
that ne has an elaborate plan OF |
procedure with respect TO obtaining /
bids, ordering materials, their re-
ceipt, storage and issue. The ad
mipistration and control of the
commissary department has also
been placed in his charge.
Much Old Equipment
SsThe equipment of tNe district
is Unfairly good condition but much
Of it is obsolete and there Is no.
ticeable lack of balance in shop
equipment. Many of the aftomo-
biles, used by the district are fords.
some of which date back TO 1916.
Maintenance methods in portions of
the shop are criticized and Il very
large stock of small tools Is ear
Tied. The deprecated value of old
equipment is at present. too high. The
choice, purchase AMI original in
stallation % physical equipment /.
does not in all eases reveal a prop
er consideration for the peculiar p
lneeds and requirements for which
it was acquired
"The accounting system is sound
in principle and cares for the needs
of the district as now operated
lThe. books have been well kept and
Iln accordance with the system of
accounts used. A study of the bal
ancs sheets reveals that there is
difficult problem growing oat of
the .eost of financing, due to the
maturing of bond issues ami the
necessary replacement of equip
mens."
Comments and suggestions made
in tile Baskerville report are hand
led ,nnder various sub-headings
Administration: Conditions now
existing regarding administration
of thetdistrict IS affairs are far from
satisfactory and unless they are
given thought and attention, may
lead to difficulties that win at
least be expensive. as from an ad-