The Coconino sun., 1927-03-11
Is q Public Office
a Private Snap!

Few statutes are more definite o1
specific than that relating to the let
4 ting Of contracts for public supplies
/ In fact, so specific is the law that the
! county board of supervisors has little
! to do but follow the directions and
guide the machinery provided by the
4 statute.
This provision applies to every item
of supply which has a value Of one
hundred dollars or over.
| The purpose of the statute is plain.
being to insure free and open compe-
tition for contracts, to the end that
/ the taxpayers may receive the benefit
of the lowest possible price.
The law (Section 2421, Revised Sta
tutes, 1879 orders that all supplies
for county institutions which exceed
one hundred dollars in value, shall be
let by contract; and it specifies how
such contrilct shall be made, and lit
leaves the board bet one alternative
to the awarding of a contract, which
is to refuse all bids, and repeat the
definite procedure over again. This
includes a second period Of advertis-
ing.
The provisions of the law are man
datofy, and moreover a penalty is
provided for neglect or refusal to COM
ply with the terms of the competitive
bidding statute, the penalty being
both penal and civil The supervisor
is liable under his bond to the pub
lie, to forfeiture proceedings on the
basis of five hundred dollars for.
every act committed in violation of
the law, and he is further liable on
his official bond to any person dam
aged, as bidder, in the sum of five
hundred dollars.
The penal code makes any wilfullH
omission to perform any duty enjoined
by law, misdemeanor.
The law on the subjects is as fol-
lows:
2421.-All books, stationery, and
supplies for county institutions for
the ensuing year, and all erections of,
repairs to and alterations in any
county building exceeding in value the
sum of one hundred dollars, shall be
let by contract, after advertisement
made for bids therefor for not less
than ten days nor more than four
weeks in the official paper Of the
county. Such advertisements shall
state that sealed bids win be received
at the office of the board of super
yisors until date therein named, and
shall state generally the nature of
the bids, and that specifications
therefor may be seen at the office of
said board; or, it may call for speci-
fications and bids. The board shall
let the contract to the lowest bidder,
or may reject all bids and re-adver-
tise.
2480.-Any supervisor who neglects
or refuses to perform any duty i'm
posed on him without just cause
therefor, or who wilfully violates any
law provided for his government as
such officer, or fraudulently or cor
ruptly performs any duty imposed
upon him, or wilfully, fraudulently, or
corruptly attempts to perform an act
as supervisor, unauthorized by law.
in addition to the penalty provided In
the penal code shall forfeit to the
county five hundred dollars for every
such act, to be recovered on his Of |
ficial bond, and is further liable on
his official bond to any person injured /
thereby for all damages sustained.
166 (Penal Code)--Every wilfuH |
omission to perform any duty en-
Joined by law upon any public officer
or person holding any public trust or
where no special provi- /
sion shall have been made for the
punishment of such delinquency, is /
punishable as misdemeanor.
n.