| Show I I U U. U Expert Advises Caution In Road R ad Reorganization Specialist Tells Telis Pitfalls of Man 7 Board oar By Will Jarvis Dr G. G Homer Durham director of the institute of government University of Utah Saturday advised advised advised ad ad- caution in making a proposed change of Utah highway admin He lIe referred to proposals to re replace replace re- re place the present three man highway highway high high- way commission with a seven seven- member board paid per diem witha with wiUf a single salaried high-salaried engineer- engineer director His recommendation wa was i ione ione one of ot several contained in a a memorandum on state administrative tive organization to the Utah legislative council Prepared on invitation of Lewis Lewis' LewisH H. H Lloyd council director of re research research research re re- re search the report reflects personal per 4 y views based on investigations investigations a Dr Durham conducted conduct d for forthe forthe forthe the tax study committee created by the 1945 legislature The report states the proposed propose change to a board and director has precedent and is sound b but t expresses doubt about the selection selection selection tion of one board member from each of the seven judicial districts district having an equally sound basis Highway Problems J The state highway systems today present problems of adequate engineering foresight planning skill tact in coordinating ing federal aid not aid not the formalization formalization formalization formal- formal of local demands the report points out rolling Log or sectionalism should be avoided in the board boar Dr Durham says and he implies that board members should be chosen for their qualifications r re regardless regardless re- re of the judicial district In which they live Remedy for purely local roads lies in the county states the report author and it would be better for forthe forthe forthe the to authorize the highway executive to enter into lend lease or other contractual relations than to place him at the center of a seven man tug of I Iwar war Importance of responsibility of ott the director to the board in such an administrative setup was em em- In no case should the governor appoint the chief executive executive executive tive of highways if a seven seven- member per diem board is to be utilized for policy polley the memorandum dum continues It states that the governor a governors governor's appointee and a seven seven man man board with policy powers but no responsibility for appointment and removal should be avoided This would be bea a poor organization Dr Durham concludes Advocates Ad Audit He also advocated creation of ot otan an effective post-audit post of all aU fi financial financial financial fi- fi records of the state by the state auditors auditor's office If It such a is not set up he said the state purchasing agent should be transferred to the board of examiners examiners exam exam- iners so the purchasing agency would receive an audit other than that of the appointing agency At present the purchasing agent is appointed by the finance commission commission commis commis- sion with the approval of the governor governor governor-an an anomalous situation situation situa situa- tion Dr Durham comments Should the three-man three commission commission commis commis- sion slon in the finance department be changed to a single director ad administration administration administration ad- ad ministration of state lands should be placed cl elsewhere he says Elsewhere would likely be anew anew a anew new department of conservation built around th the water and power board He adds that the fish and game boards together with the state board of forestry and fire control and their function could be abolished abolished abol abol- and assigned to the board of conservation Budget Transfer Other recommendations include of th the state te budget officer from the finance department department department depart depart- ment to the governors governor's office with the officer appointed b by the governor and approved by the senate sen fen fena senate a ate c creation of single agents appointed appointed appointed ap ap- ap- ap pointed by five or seven-man seven boards chosen by th the governor with senate approval for the public public pub pub- lic lie welfare and liquor control contro commissions commissions com com- missions and transfer of activities activities ties by the publicity and industrial i deve development commission to another another an an- I other agency or to the governors governor's I office ottice directly I |
