The producers news., 1927-03-04
OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
By HANS RASMUSSEN

If any of you taxpayers think our County Com
missiOners fired me in order to save money for
the county, you might as we'll get that out of your
head.
In another article l have told you how it now
costs over $4,000 less per year to run the Sur
veyors office than it did before l had anything to
do with it.
If the Commissioners are not firing me for the
sake of saving money, then there must be other
reasons for doing it. 1 am going to explain to
you what that reason might be.
You might not believe it, but there can be lot
Ct graft gotten out of County Commissioners
job, if person will take advantage of it.
Just how it is handled is hard to lay down any
rules for, sometimes it is handled one way, some
times another always in some slick way so it is
hard to get at
Let me give you example. Last winter we
overhaued the county trucks, put in one new mot
or and lot of other repairs. If we had ordered
the repairs direct from the factory the price
would have been about $12OOOO | had got in
connection with firm handling the same repairs
who willing to sell to US at 4O96 discount, so
ordered the repairs from them
When the firm sent in their bill it was for the
full factory price-about $12OOOO They had not
deducted the 40@6. l took the BILL deducted S474.-
81 from the amount and presented it to the Com
missiOners; the bill was paid that way After
wards the firm wrote me letter and thanked me
for the business had been doing with them.
Suppose | had wanted to be crooked no doubt
could have made $47484 out of that one deal bv
o. king the bill for the full amount, the Commits
siOners would not have known the difference and
the firm would have kicked through with the dis
count to me afterwards.
This winter l am supposed to be fired, the
commissioners are handling all the buying them
I selves. In other articles l will show YOU what
effect it has on you taxpayers pocketbook
If the County Commissioners want to graft
they can do it so much easier if there is no Coun-
ty Surveyor. What do you think would have
happened to the $47484 if the deal had beer
handled by the Commissioners all bv themselves
Of course, man like Ed Iverson would never
be let in on a deal Of that kind, he would simply
be sitting there like bump on a log not know.
ing what was going on, at the very best he might
get few innocent drinks and good cigar out
Of the deal. Not that I mean to say that he
would be too honest, no. county commission
er who will beat the county out of taxes is apt
to do anything when it comes to county funds
ne IS simply too ignorant to get in on it.
What do you think Frank French would do /
P1'fOt, VI any OCIl6f amount, was spread out be
fore him? Do you think he would turn his baoI
to them
The Commissioners are repairing the truck
again this winter l have a letter showing tha
repairs can be bought this year at 500 discount
The Commissioners do not believe in dealing witt
Cheap concerns-they are paying $1OO for wha
could be bought for 4Oc It is your money the
are spending and if you like it that way, then
should worry
1t Is cOmical to see how some people can swel
up just because they get to be County Commits
sIoner Some time ago l made out an order fo
repairs. 1t against the rules. Ed Iverso
had given strict orders that l was not to max
out or sign any orders. l made it out anvwa
and left it in my office unsigned Next day e
came IN roaring, he going to sign it ''him
self" The funny part was, he wanted the worl
to know that it was less a person than tn
Chairman of the Board of County Commissioner
himself" who had signed this order, but he wa
up against it, it too much for him, so he ha
to call In one of his slaves working in the ma
chine shop and ordered him: "You write: CHAIR
MAN OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMNIIs
SIONERS, and l will sign it."
Before Ed was elected, the Mainstreeters caIe
him fool, now they call him "OUR" Count
Commissioner.
1t is lots of fun being a county official withol
pay l just enjoy making you acquainted wit
your County Commissioners and have a lot mo,
to tell you about them, but you will have to wal