Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 July 1899 — TOWNSHIP BILL. [ARTICLE]

TOWNSHIP BILL.

Senate Bill No. 31—New: An Act Concerning Township Business. [Section I. Provides for the creation of • tdwnsirip advisory board of three members; provides for filling vacancies, and requires annual meetings, and says: "At such meeting the board shall consider the various estimates of township expenditures proposed by the township trustee, and. shall have power to concur in such estimates, or in any part thereof, or to reject any proposed Item, in whole or tn part. Any existing indebtedness need not be paid until due. And the advisory board at the first annual meeting ■tay apportion the payment of any existing indebtedness other than to the county or for current expenses for a named term not exceeding five years. When they shall have determined upon the estissates and amounts for which taxes should be levied upon the property and polls within said township for the ensuing- year, they shall then determine and fix the rates of taxation upon such property and polls as to the estimated purposes severally. The rates Bo determined by such board they shall then certify to the r—-nty auditor, who shall place the same opos the tax duplicate and the same shall be collected and enfolded as prescribed by law. The rates so prescribed shall be fer—rit a levy and Men upon the property •* «»eh township from and after the first feg in April of such year, and such levy ■han be deemed an appropriation for the purposes for which such mU-

mates are fixed. Said board shall ke>ep a record of their proceedings In a separate book to be furnished by such trustee, and kept as a part of the records of the township, to be known a« the record of the advisory board of such township, and to remain In the custody of the chairman of such board. Said board shall elect one of its members secretary for said board, who shall record the proceedings thereof at any meeting, in full, under the direction of the board, which shall be signed before the b&ard adjourns. Any meeting may adjourn from day to day till the business is completed.] [Sec. 2. Provides that taxpayers may attend meetings of the board.] Sec. 3. Annual meetings, expenditures, and tax levy.—The trustee shall at least thirty (30) days, and not more than forty (40) days, before the annual meeting of the advisory board, in each year, post at or near the door of all postofftces in the township a statement of the several estimates and amounts of the proposed annua! expenditures and the rates of taxation proposed for levy against the property within such township, for the several funds to be expended for his township during the calendar year, and also copies of such notice shall be pufJilshed one time in the issue printed in the first week of August of each year in the two leading newspapers published in the county, representing the two political parties casting the highest number of votes in such county at the last preceding general election, and one publication in a newspaper published in the township interested, if there be a paper published therein. The cost of such publication shall not exceed two dollars in any one year to any one paper, and the cost of necessary copies for posting and delivery to the board shall not exceed $1.50 in any one year. And he shall furnish within like periods to each of the members of the advisory board a statement of such estimates and amounts. [Here follows blank form.] The trustee shall procure and lay before the advisory board at the annual meeting thereof, the assessed valuation of the tameable property of the township for such year, and also the number of taxable polls in such township. [Sec 4. Requirs trustees to attend meetings of advisory roard and furnish an itemized estimate for all expenditures of any nature whatever, and specify number of teachers employed; estimates of bridge and road work and supplies furnished justices of the peace ] [Sec. 5. Provides for compensation of board not to exceed $5 per annum.] [Sec. 6. Provides for called meetings of the board, the call to stipulate what business is to be transacted.] [Sec. 7. Requires township trustees to keep in a financial record an itemized account of the financial affairs of the township in a form of books adopted by the auditor of state.] Sec. 8. Annual settlement with the board.—The trustee shall present to the advisory board at the annual meetings thereof, complete reports of all of the receipts and expenditures of his office slnc'e the last annual meeting, With the balances to the credit of each fund under his charge; and if he has any money from any source in his hands, or under his control, which is not Included in any particular fund as shown In such report, then he must state all the facts oonef ruing such moneys in his report. E h item of expenditure shall be accompai. d by the verified receipt of the person .o whom the sum evidenced thereby xs been paid, stating particularly for w, at article or service the payment has been made; that the sum receipted for Is the exact sum received and that no part thereof has been retained by or returned to or has been agreed, directly or indirectly to be returned to the Trustee, or to any other person, and the trustee is empowered to administer oaths to the persons giving such receipts. The reiKirt so presented shall be verified by the oath of the trustee, showing that the sums with which he is charged in said report are all of the sums received by him. and that the various items of expenditure credited have been fully paid in the sums stated, and without express or implied agreement that any portion thereof shall be retained by or repaid to him or to any other person. And the trustee shall subscribe and take oath that he has received no money nor article of value in consideration of any contract made by him as such trustee. Tlie board shall consider and approve, In whole or in part, the report of the trustee so made, and any sum appropriated and remaining in the hands of the trustee, unexpended, and for which no liability exists against the township, shall be deemed and credited in favor of the fund for which it was appropriated, and shall be considerered in the ensuing lew. The expenditure of any fund, in whole or in part, to anj- account for which it was not appropriated by said boa.rd, shall be deemed by the board a balance of such fund unexpended and in the hands of the trustee, for which he shall be liable upon his bond. Any member of the board may administer oaths, and said board may send for persons, books and papers if necessary in such examination of said report, and when the examination is closed they shall enter of record their action thereon, specifically stating such parts and items as may be altered or disallowed. Such annual reports shall remain under the control of such board, the custody thereof to be held by the chairman, anil at any time shall be subject to inspection by any taxpayer of the township. On the annual final settlement beinv made, the trustee shall, within ter. <*X) days thereafter, file a copy of such report as adopted by the board, with the accompanying vouchers in the office of the county auditor to be preserved; and upon failure the trustee shall forfeit five (.$;>.W) dollars per day for each day until so tiled, to be collected by suit of the board for the benefit of the township. In case the term of the trustee shall expire, or he shall resign or die, then he. or his administrator. shall at once make final settlement with the board. Sec. 9. If a trustee finds it necessary to erect a new school house, lie shall procure suitable specifications therefor, to be used by the bidders in bidding ana in the construction of said house. If ne desires to purchase any school furniture, fixtures, maps, charts or other school supplies, excepting fuel, and literary periodicals in such amounts as may be year, he shall make an estimate of the authorized by the advisory board, in any kinds and amounts, itemized particularly to be used by binders therefor. If it is necessary to make repairs on or about the school houses other than current or incidental repairs, he shall likewise make an itemized statement of the nature and character of the work to be made for the use of bidders. He jsliall in like manner, make a schedule of such work as may be necessary ,ln the repair or construction of bridges in his township for any one year. Ail contracts shall be let, after notice given, by posting for three (3) weeks in five (a) of the most public places in the township, and also at or near the door of each postoffice therein, stating briefly the buildings, repairs or supplies sought to be let, and when and where bids will be received and opened therefor; and if the contemplated expenditures in any one class shall be five hundred ($500) dollars or more, he shall post notices as aforesaid, and also publish notice thereof for one (1) time in two leading newspapers published in the county representing the two political parties casting the highest number of votes in such county at the last preceding genera! election: Provided, That one of such publications shall be made in a newspaper published in the townshij) interested, if there be a newspaper published therein. The advisory board shall attend the letting. At the letting all the work or supplies in any one class shall be included and let in a single contract. All bids shall he in writing and be opened and read publicly at the time and place fixed in the notice. The trustee may take time to examine and satisfy himself as to which is the lowest and best bid, and shall advise with the advisory board thereon; and said board is hereby empowered to reject any and all bids. 'J’he trustee shall endorse on the bids whether rejected or accepted and preserve the same. When a bid is accepted, a proper contract shall then be reduced to writing for such -building, repairs or supplies, as the case may be. and be signed by the successful bidder and the trustee, who shall require the bidder to give bond with security, to be approved by him, for the faithful execution of such contract. [Sec, 10. Provides township trustee* shall receive for their services the compensation now or hereafter fitted by law.) Sec. 11. All contracts made in violation of this act shall be null and void. [Sec. 12. Provides for appointment of advisory board to serve until successors are elected and qualified.] This township reform bill does not repeal the law of 1895 requiring township trustees to publish their annual reports.