Opinion

Wells v. Board of Commissioners

  • 152 N.C. 663
  • 68 S.E. 212
  • 1910 N.C. LEXIS 342
Court
Supreme Court of North Carolina
Filed
May 27, 1910
Status
Published
Author
Brown
On the bench
Brown
Cited by
0 cases

The opinion

Brown, J.

As we construe the act to improve the public roads in Yalleytown Township in Cherokee County, ch. 210, Laws 1905, this proceeding cannot be maintained.

We agree with his Honor that the

mandamus

is sought to enforce a money demand, but in our opinion it is not a money demand payable from the general funds of Cherokee County, and a

mandamus

will not lie against its board of commissioners to compel payment.

The aforesaid act created a body corporate under the name of the Highway Commission of Yalleytown Township and gave to such commission complete jurisdiction' over the roads of that township, including the laying out of new roads as well as the repair and maintenance of all roads. The act provides for the election of commissioners by the justices of the peace of the township and also for the appointment of a secretary and treasurer.

*665

It also provides that all road taxes for Yalleytown Township in the hands of the sheriff be paid over to such treasurer, and that all moneys arising from taxes in that township levied for road purposes be kept separate, to be expended upon the roads of the township. Section 4 of the act provides: “The treasurer of said highway commission shall make payments out of the road funds belonging to said township only upon the written order signed by the president and secretary of the commission.”

It is contended that by section 2685 of the Revisal of 1905 the damages assessed on account of laying out public roads are deemed and made a county charge. That is true under the general road law, but Yalleytown Township has a road law of its own, which exempts it from the general road law of the State.

Under that law the remedy of petitioners is to be had by proceedings against that corporate body and treasurer thereof.

Petition dismissed.

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

A word about cookies

We need a few to keep you signed in and the library working. The rest help us see which pages people use and where they get stuck. They stay off unless you say yes.