Evening star., 1948-06-29
Alexandra Council
Rebukes School Board
On Building Contract

Inc AleXdIQTld SCIlOOl 6OdIu last
night received a scolding from the
City Council because it contracted
for construction of the new Ficklin
School without first obtaining Coun-
Gil approval.
The School Board requested last
nights meeting with the Council to
/ find out when the school site would
be vacated so construction could be-
gin, and when the first bill received
! from the contractor would be paid.
A bill of $500 has been received
from the contractor. A tool shed has
been built on the site and some ma
terials have been purchased. The
School Boards contract with the
builder calls for monthly payments
as work progresses.
City Attorney Joseph M. Pancoast
said he felt the School Board, or
superintendent of schools had been
"a bit premature" in entering into a
contract. He said State law re-
quires that before school board or
superintendent can contract for ex-
penditures above the operating
budget the tax-levying body must
give consent.
Sees Grounds for Removal.
'If they eXpend any sum above
the budget it can be considered NAL
Efeasance in Office and possible
grounds for removal" Mr.. Pancoast
declared. :Isv@1 @
When School Board Chairman
Edward Reed asked when the bill
would be paid, Mayor William T.
wilkins said it would be necessary
for the School Board first to comply
with the law and obtain Council ape
proval of the school plans. aAss A
Supt. of Schools T. C. Willian11s
said he felt the School Board had
gone ahead on the presumption it
had the Councils approval after a
Joint meeting in April to discuss the
Ficklin School. At that time, he de-
clared, the School Board told the
Council it had received bids for
construction of the school.
Bond Issue Expected to Pass.
! Mr.. williams said since no ques-
ton was raised then by the council
as to the contract price, the School
Board in good faith signed the con-
| tract.
The School Board was reminded
by the Council that it had signed
the contract before a bond issue to
finance the school-building program
had been passed Although the
Council approved the school l-build-
| ing program of nearly $3,OOO,0 900
last March, an ordinance authorlz-
| ing issuance of the bonds to finance
the program was not drawn up until
this month. 1t has been approved
on first two readings and Is ex-
pected to be approved on the final
reading next month.
! Mr.. Reed suggested the bill could
! be paid out of the general fund,
which could be repaid when the
bonds are issued. He said the delay
was costing money, and read a
! letter from the contractor notifying
him of an accumulated cost growing
out of the delay He asked when
the SCIlOOl bOdI u COuiu chPOSt iS'A
dents on the school site to be evieted
so construction could begin.
Word on Rent Control Awaited.
Mr.. Pancoast gave detailed ac-
count of the long process involved
in condemning the land. He said the
city now had title to the land but he
was awaiting word from the Federal
Government to find out how the city
was affected by rent-control regu-
lations in evicting tenants.
The Council decided to appoint a
committee to survey the site and see
il construction could go ahead before
residents are evicted. The Council
recessed until next Tuesday to hear
the committee report. The school
board is expected to ask for formal
approval of the building contract at
that time so the first bills can
| ho raQjn