866

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

districts in any election district, and shall levy upon the

assessable property of said county to pay the expenditures

for such repairs, provided, the expenditures for repairs of

public roads and bridges except over navigable streams

shall not exceed the sum of twenty thousand dollars per year.

191 A. The county commissioners shall at their first meet-

ing in the mouth of May in each year appoint for each of

To apoint
trustees.

said road districts three competent persons who be taxpayers

on real estate assessed at not less than one thousand dollars

to be designated as trustees of public roads either or all of

whom shall be eligible to appointment for more than one

road district whose duty it shall be to exercise a general

supervision over the repairs and improvements to be made

by the supervisors, contractors or other persons authorized

to repair or improve the roads in their respective road dis-

tricts with full power and authority to designate, direct and

determine the character and manner of repairs and improve-

ments to be made ; the times and seasons in which the work

on public roads shall be done, and to forbid the repairing

or working on the public roads during such seasons as they

may deem proper, and they shall report from time to time,

whenever they see fit, to the county commissioners the

incompetence, neglect or refusal of the supervisors or other

persons having charge of such repairs and improvements, to

properly perform their duty, and no account for work done

on the public roads by the supervisors, contractors or other

persons sliall be allowed by the county commissioners unless

certified by a majority of said trustees of the respective road

districts that such work has been properly done.

191 B. The county commissioners may advertise in the

Sealed

newspapers published in said county for at least three

proposals

weeks before their first meeting in May in each year for

sealed proposals for the repairs of the public roads, includ-

ing bridges and culverts, in each road district not already

let by contract, which proposals are hereby authorized to

be made for any number of years not exceeding five years,

at a stated sum per year, and to be made by any person or

persons, companies or corporations, and for any one or more

road districts, which proposals shall be publicly opened at

the said meeting of the county commissioners by the presi-

dent of the board, and if any such proposals are made for

the repairs of the public roads at a sum per year less than

the average cost per year for the repairs of such roads men-

tioned in such proposals for the five years last prior to the

year eighteen hundred and ninety-two, such person, per-

sons, companies or corporations who are the lowest bidders

therefor shall be entitled to be awarded the contract for