John Mueller Co. v. Massachusetts Bonding & Insurance

32 Ohio N.P. (n.s.) 305, 1933 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 1808
CourtCourt of Common Pleas of Ohio, Hamilton County
DecidedFebruary 17, 1933
StatusPublished

This text of 32 Ohio N.P. (n.s.) 305 (John Mueller Co. v. Massachusetts Bonding & Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Common Pleas of Ohio, Hamilton County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
John Mueller Co. v. Massachusetts Bonding & Insurance, 32 Ohio N.P. (n.s.) 305, 1933 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 1808 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1933).

Opinion

Darby, J.

The plaintiff by its amended petition, alleges that the city of Cincinnati entered into a contract with The United Construction Company, for the extending of Vista avenue in Cincinnati; that the plaintiff furnished to the contractor, material used in said construction; that the defendant executed a bond under Section 2365-1 to 2365-4, General Code, for the faithful carrying out of said contract [306]*306by the contractor. Plaintiff further avers that on or about October 22, 1929, having furnished all the material as aforesaid, it gave notice of its claim, amounting to $6,970.38 to the defendant, and later, December 19, 1929, furnished said defendant an itemized statement of its claim. Plaintiff further avers that on February 17, 1930, the city accepted the work provided .for in the contract.

The answer consists of an admission of the giving of the bond''by the defendant, and denial of all other allegations.

The second defense is that the improvement referred to was accepted by the city manager of Cincinnati in accordance with his duty, on October 29, 1929; that plaintiff did not furnish to the defendant statements as provided for in the Code, “nor did it file its actiton within one year of the date of acceptance of the work.”

The cause was heard by the court, a jury having been waived.

No evidence was offered by the defendant.

Two contentions by the defendant are made:

First: That the action was not filed within the time in which such actions may be filed under Section 2365-3.

Second: That the evidence was insufficient as to the material furnished, to support the plaintiff’s claim.

The evidence in the case shows that on October 25, 1929, the engineer of highways of the city transmitted to the city manager the following letter:

“The improvement of extending Vista avenue to Dana avenue, under contract with The United Construction Company, has been completed in a satisfactory manner, and in accordance with the requirements of the specifications. The pavement is of reinforced concrete; the cost of the improvement as shown by the attached total cost statement, is $59,147.98.

“I recommend the acceptance of this work by you on behalf of the city.”

Endorsed upon that communication, which is Exhibit 8-A, is the following:

“Work accepted, total cost statement approved and for[307]*307warded to Honorable Council of Cincinnati. C. 0. Sherrill, City Manager..”

Exhibit 8 is a final statement of the cost • of extending Vista avenue and is signed by the assistant construction engineer, the engineer of highways, the senior assistant construction engineer and the city manager. Endorsed on the back of said exhibit is the following:

“Total cost statement for the improvement of Vista avenue extension to Dana avenue, United Constr. Co., contractor, transmit to Council.

C. 0. Sherrill,- City Manager.

' Public Works Section.

“Oct. 29, 1929 In Council.

“Oct. 30, 1929 Referred to Committee of Finance.

“In Council of Cincinnati, Nov. 13, 1929, ordered filed.

“Nov. 13, 1929. Honorable Council, city of Cincinnati.

“Gentlemen:

Reporting on the within total cost, it is recommended that the same be placed in the files, the entire cost and expense having been paid by the city.”

Signed by the Finance Committee.

It is in evidence that there was some question as to penalty against The United Construction Company for delay in completion of the -contract, and on February 17, 1930, a communication was transmitted to council (Exhibit 9-A) referring to this question of penalty as between The United Construction Company and the city, and this matter was referred to the city solicitor and was the subject of further action by way of adjusting that matter of penalty.

The plaintiff avers that the work was not accepted until February 17, 1930. If that statement is correct, this action was filed within the year allowed by statute. If the work was accepted October 29, 1929, as claimed by the defendant, this action was not filed within time.

A determination of this question involved in this case* depends upon the authority of the city manager to accept, the work. '

In Surety Co. v. Schmidt, 117 O. S., 28, the court had [308]*308under consideration the section involved, to-wit, Section 2365-3, and in which it is held that under such statute:

“ * * * the statement therein referred to, to be effective must be furnished after the acceptance of the improvement by a duly authorized board or officer.”

The clause of such section pertaining to the limitation of actions in such cases is as follows:

“ * * * If said indebtedness shall not be paid in full at the expiration of said sixty days, said person, firm or corporation may bring an action in his own name upon such bond, as provided in Sections 11242 and 11243, General Code, said action to be commenced not later than one year from the date of acceptance of said building, work or improvement.”

The question therefore is, was this work accepted October 29, 1929 “by the duly authorized board or officer”?

The charter of Cincinnati was offered in evidence. Article II, Section 1 provides:

“All legislative powers of the city shall be vested, subject to the terms of this charter and of the Constitution of Ohio, in the council. The laws of the state of Ohio not inconsistent with this charter, except those declared inoperative by ordinance of the council, shall have the force and effect of ordinances of the city of Cincinnati; but in the event of conflict between any such law and any municipal ordinance or resolution, the provision of the ordinance or resolution shall prevail and control.”

Section 4211, General Code, entitled “Powers of council shall be legislative” provides:

“The powers of council shall be legislative only, and it shall perform no administrative duties whatever, and it shall neither appoint nor confirm any officer or employee in the city government except those of its own body, except as is otherwise provided in this title. All contracts requiring the authority of council for their execution shall be entered into and conducted to performance by the board or officers having charge of the matters to which they relate, and after authority to make such contracts has been given and the necessary appropriation made, council shall take no further action thereon.”

[309]*309So far as this court is advised, there is nothing in the charter which is inconsistent with said Section 4211, General Code. In fact, they are in strict harmony with the exception that the code provides that the powers of council shall be legislative only, and that it shall perform no administrative duties.

The last sentence of code Section 4211 places a direct limitation upon the action of council, and forbids it to take any action on contracts requiring its authority, after authority to make the contracts has been given and the necessary appropriation made.

The charter further provides:

“Art. IV, Sec. 1.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
32 Ohio N.P. (n.s.) 305, 1933 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 1808, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/john-mueller-co-v-massachusetts-bonding-insurance-ohctcomplhamilt-1933.