The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-07-22
Transfers Approved
 To Pay Truck Hire
Fir ance Commissioners Differ With Controller Row. land on Procedure; Delay in Sending Bills Puzzles

Transfer of almost 5000 for pay ment of past truck rental bills, eni- ploymcnt of three trucks by the street department for the rest of the year. once again was recommended by the board of finance to the board of aldermen yesterday at the meet Ing of the former commission. Dis credited were ideas of Controller Sherwood L. Rowland and his office employe Republican Alderman Thomas F. Bane that the $S,000 "be used to purchase trucks"
 Matter Delayed
 Although the transfer of appro- priations within the street depart ment was outlined on the suggestion O7 James P. Purcell, another em- ploye of the controllers office, to Superintendent of Streets Thomas J. Fleming several weeks ago, the matter has been held up while the controller and the aldermen have attempted to persuade the city to buy three trucks" with the 5000. The controller and Alderman Bane failed to confer with MT. Purcell who might have informed them that the s3,000 does not, as Controller Rowland and his alderman assumed represent future payment for truck hire; that only $3,737 of the amount is so intended, by the Purcell sug- gestion.
 Controller Rowland also was in- formed yesterday that he must pay bills amounting to more than 5000 to Antonio Lambo, contractor rent ing a steam shovel to the engineer ing department for the North Main street sewer job, which he has re- fused to do although they are cum tllative from February. The control lers contention has been that one of the bills amounted to more than S1.000" and thus, he should know about the contract for such work.
 The finance board received copy of the contract from City Engineer Charles A. Root which showed that the employment of MT. Lambo could be terminated at any time and that the rate of payment was on the basis of s per hour for the shovel, plus oil gasoline, driver mainte- nance, repairs, and liability insur- ance. Mayor Frank Hayes had signed waiver as the charter pro- vides, in the matter of the payment of the bills for more than $l000" but the controller and MT. Purcell claimed that the waiver had not been obtained by the City Engineer before the work was contracted"
 Board Puzzled
 Commissioner John H. Goss wanted to know why the controller had not brought the matter to the boards attention before and Mir Purcell pat sed the blame to the city en- ginecr. The commissioners could not understand how the work could have been underway since February without the payment of bills com ing before the finance board until June.
 What are you, so flooded with work in the office that these matters have piled up?" Commissioner Goss asked the controller.
 Simply bringing the matter to the boards attention" muttered the controller, looking askance at his aide, Purcell. The latter responded with the comment that the city en- gineer was responsible for the delay.
 Corporation Counsel Charles s. O'Connor, principal spokesman at yesterdays meeting on many mat tcrs pertaining to the controllers complaints, some of which con- cerned the corporation counse's payments of claims and all of which were decided against Controller Rowland when they were found to have no merit in terms of construc- tive aid to city affairs told the board that the city would have to pay MT. Lambo's bill. This. the con- troller was ordered to do and nota- ton Was made that the city engi- neer be cautioned to watch the amounts Of bills in the future 50 that they should not accumulate to sums in excess of the $1 ,000 made the reason for delay" in payment of the Lambo bills by the controller.
 The Grifenhagcn company will report particularly on truck rental rates. Mayor Hayes informed the board, after it had been shown that the city pays far legs than the fed eral agencies such as the WPA for such rentals.
 Commissioner Major w. Judge presented q resolution for the pay ment of the Lambo bills with the notation that 1t was clearly mad vertence" on the part of the city en-