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B-134616, MAR. 21, 1958

B-134616 Mar 21, 1958
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THE SUM OF $303 NOW IS RECLAIMED BY MR. MEREDITH WILL REQUEST PAYMENT OF PER DIEM FOR THE PERIOD JANUARY 1 THROUGH FEBRUARY 9. MEREDITH'S OFFICIAL STATION FOR PER DIEM PURPOSES ORIGINALLY WAS JUSTIFIED IN VIEW OF THE UNCERTAINTY AT THE TIME CONCERNING THE AMOUNT OF TRAVEL HE WOULD PERFORM AND THE AREA WITHIN WHICH HE WOULD BE REQUIRED TO PERFORM THE PREPONDERANCE OF HIS DUTIES. MEREDITH'S OFFICIAL STATION WAS MADE BY APPROPRIATE ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY IN LIGHT OF THE ATTENDANT CIRCUMSTANCES. WERE MADE WITH DUE REGARD TO THE EXIGENCIES OF THE SERVICE. OUR VIEW IS THAT THE ATTACHED RECLAIM VOUCHER. YOUR LETTER INDICATES THAT A VOUCHER COVERING THAT PERIOD IS NOT PRESENTLY BEFORE YOU FOR CERTIFICATION.

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B-134616, MAR. 21, 1958

TO MR. LESTER H. THOMPSON, AUTHORIZED CERTIFYING OFFICER, FEDERAL HOUSING ADMINISTRATION:

YOUR LETTER OF FEBRUARY 25, 1958, REQUESTS DECISION WHETHER YOU MAY CERTIFY FOR PAYMENT THE ENCLOSED BUREAU VOUCHER NO. 40977 (BUREAU SCHEDULE NO. 2725) IN THE AMOUNT OF $303. THAT SUM REPRESENTS THE PER DIEM IN LIEU OF SUBSISTENCE ADMINISTRATIVELY SUSPENDED FROM THE OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, AND DECEMBER 1957 TRAVEL VOUCHERS OF J. A. MEREDITH IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR DECISION OF JANUARY 28, 1958, IN HIS CASE. THE SUM OF $303 NOW IS RECLAIMED BY MR. MEREDITH IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES RELATED IN THE ENCLOSURES WITH YOUR LETTER, AS SUMMARIZED BELOW.

THE ENCLOSURES WITH YOUR LETTER (EXHIBITS D AND E) EVIDENCE THAT MR. MEREDITH'S OFFICIAL STATION HAS BEEN CHANGED FROM KNOXVILLE TO HIS PLACE OF ABODE ON OAK GROVE ROAD, JOHNSON CITY, TENNESSEE, EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 10, 1958. HENCE YOU REQUEST OUR ADVICE, ALSO IN LIGHT OF THE RELATED CIRCUMSTANCES, WHETHER YOU MAY CERTIFY FOR PAYMENT A SUBSEQUENT CLAIM BY MR. MEREDITH, UPON THE SAME BASIS AS THE RECLAIM AT HAND--- ASSUMING THAT MR. MEREDITH WILL REQUEST PAYMENT OF PER DIEM FOR THE PERIOD JANUARY 1 THROUGH FEBRUARY 9, 1958.

THE RECORD REVEALS THAT THE PRIOR DESIGNATION OF KNOXVILLE AS MR. MEREDITH'S OFFICIAL STATION FOR PER DIEM PURPOSES ORIGINALLY WAS JUSTIFIED IN VIEW OF THE UNCERTAINTY AT THE TIME CONCERNING THE AMOUNT OF TRAVEL HE WOULD PERFORM AND THE AREA WITHIN WHICH HE WOULD BE REQUIRED TO PERFORM THE PREPONDERANCE OF HIS DUTIES; THAT A GRADUAL DECLINE IN THE VOLUME OF MR. MEREDITH'S WORK IN THE KNOXVILLE AREA, WITH CORRESPONDING INCREASE OF HIS WORK IN THE JOHNSON CITY AREA, CULMINATED IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW OF THE SITUATION PURSUANT TO OUR DECISION OF JANUARY 28, 1958, B-134616, TO YOU. THUS, IT NOW APPEARS THAT THE ORIGINAL DESIGNATION OF MR. MEREDITH'S OFFICIAL STATION WAS MADE BY APPROPRIATE ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY IN LIGHT OF THE ATTENDANT CIRCUMSTANCES, AS EVIDENT AT THE TIME, AND THAT SUCH ORIGINAL DETERMINATION AND THE REDETERMINATION EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 10, 1958, WERE MADE WITH DUE REGARD TO THE EXIGENCIES OF THE SERVICE, AND WITH NO INTENT PRIMARILY TO SERVE THE PERSONAL CONVENIENCE OR DESIRES OF MR. MEREDITH. FURTHER, IT APPEARS THAT MR. MEREDITH PERFORMED THE REQUIRED TRAVEL AND TEMPORARY DUTY IN GOOD FAITH AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH HIS PRE-EXISTING TRAVEL ORDERS AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN HIM IN THE MATTER.

IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES, OUR VIEW IS THAT THE ATTACHED RECLAIM VOUCHER, RETURNED HEREWITH, MAY BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT IF OTHERWISE CORRECT.

REGARDING THE PERIOD JANUARY 1 THROUGH FEBRUARY 9, 1958, YOUR LETTER INDICATES THAT A VOUCHER COVERING THAT PERIOD IS NOT PRESENTLY BEFORE YOU FOR CERTIFICATION. THUS, WE MAY NOT UNDERTAKE TO FURNISH A FINAL DECISION SUCH AS YOU REQUEST. HOWEVER, IF MR. MEREDITH SHOULD SUBMIT TO YOU A CLAIM FOR PER DIEM FOR THE PERIOD JANUARY 1 THROUGH FEBRUARY 9, 1958, COMPUTED UPON THE SAME BASIS AS THE ATTACHED RECLAIM VOUCHER, WE MAY SAY THAT IF NO OTHER MATERIAL QUESTION IS INVOLVED FAVORABLE CONSIDERATION WOULD SEEM TO BE APPROPRIATE.

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