HERBERT R. O'CONOR, GOVERNOR. 295

same time he submits the above statement he shall also submit
a proposed budget for the approval of the County Commission-
ers for the succeeding calendar year; for the purpose of giving
the Commissioners the necessary information to enable them to
estimate the County levy for roads and bridges for the succeed-
ing calendar year. The County Commissioners shall publish
this statement and budget, or as much thereof as may be neces-
sary to apprise the residents of the County of the contents
thereof, in one or more County papers published in Harford
County. He shall in no calendar year expend a greater amount
of money than has been appropriated for the construction, re-
construction or repair of roads or for the purchase of materials
or machinery without first obtaining a written order from the
said Commissioners so to do.

The said Roads Engineer shall examine and certify to the
correctness of all bills and accounts for work and materials fur-
nished for any of the roads and bridges, or for any other con-
struction or repair work done by the County under his super-
vision; also all expenditures for or in connection with the
purchase, repair, maintenance or operation of any of the afore-
mentioned machinery or equipment; also for all supplies pur-
chased for any of the above mentioned purposes. He shall have
the power to purchase materials necessary for the proper per-
formance of his duties where the amount of such purchase does
not exceed Two Hundred and Fifty ($250. 00) Dollars, but he
must submit the vouchers for the same to the County Commis-
sioners for their approval before the said bills are paid. If the
amount or estimated amount of said purchase is in excess of
Two Hundred and Fifty ($250. 00) Dollars he must first secure
the approval of the said County Commissioners, and if it is in
excess of Five Hundred (f500. 00) Dollars the same must be
submitted to competitive bidding under specifications pre-
pared by said Engineer, approved by said County Commission-
ers, and the contract awarded to the lowest responsible bidder.

Whenever, in the judgment of the County Commissioners and
the Roads Engineer, it shall be deemed advantageous to award
a contract to an independent contractor for the construction,
reconstruction or repair of any road or bridge in Harford
County, the labor and materials of which are estimated to cost
One Thousand ($1, 000. 00) Dollars or less, the plans and specifi-
cations therefor shall be prepared by the said Engineer, ap-
proved by the County Commissioners, and advertised in one or
more of the County newspapers for at least two successive
weeks and such contract awarded to the lowest responsible
bidder, unless in the opinion of the County Commissioners and
the Roads Engineer the interests of the County will be better
served by the Commissioners doing the work under the super-
vision and direction of the said Engineer.