County of McKean v. Young

Citations

• 11 Pa. Super. 481
• 1899 Pa. Super. LEXIS 158

Syllabus

<p>County commissioners — Compensation—Allowance for expenses — Hotel bills — Railroad fare — Attendance on state convention of county commissioners.</p> <p>The obligation of a county to compensate its officers is wholly statutory. The compensation of county commissioners is fixed by the Acts of May 7, 1889, P. L. 109, and May 13, 1889, P. L. 200, at a per diem compensation for the time actually and necessarily employed in the discharge of the duties of their office, allowance being made for traveling expenses necessarily incurred in the discharge of official duties. Hence it follows that commissioners were properly surcharged with hotel bills and railroad fares on attendance on a state convention of county commissioners. Attendance on such convention may be of marked public advantage but is not involved in the cause of business growing out of the management of county affairs, and is not directly provided for by statute. No allowance is made by law for hotel bills of commissioners even when engaged on strictly county business, only the bare cost of transportation is contemplated and this not as between the commissioner’s home and his office.</p>