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B-148912, AUG. 13, 1962

B-148912 Aug 13, 1962
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FOLTS WHICH WAS CONSIDERED IN OUR DECISION OF JUNE 7. FOLTZ INCURRED WHILE EMPLOYED BY THE WEATHER BUREAU AND IN ANTICIPATION OF WRITTEN AUTHORITY TO HAVE HIS HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS SHIPPED FROM ST. FOLTZ WAS INFORMED BY THE REGIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER. THAT HE WAS ELIGIBLE FOR TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES TO DES MOINES. THAT HE HAD REASON TO BELIEVE THAT FORMAL AUTHORITY FOR SHIPMENT WAS IN PROCESS. THAT SUCH ACTION WOULD HAVE BEEN INCIDENT TO HIS APPOINTMENT BY TRANSFER DATED FEBRUARY 9. THAT THE ONLY REASON THE AMENDMENT WAS NOT ISSUED AND THE EFFECTS WERE NOT SHIPPED WAS BECAUSE OF HIS PROPOSED SEPARATION. BY VIRTUE OF SUCH TRANSFER HE WAS EMPLOYED BY THE WEATHER BUREAU AIRPORT STATION AT DES MOINES.

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B-148912, AUG. 13, 1962

TO MR. ERNEST W. VOGT, AUTHORIZED CERTIFYING OFFICER, WEATHER BUREAU:

WITH YOUR LETTER OF JUNE 21, 1962, RO 3-3.2, YOU TRANSMIT MEMORANDUM DATED JUNE 20, 1962, AND ATTACHMENTS, FILE RO3-3.1, FROM THE WEATHER BUREAU'S REGIONAL PERSONNEL OFFICER AT KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, PERTAINING TO THE VOUCHER FOR $270.25 IN FAVOR OF KENNETH D. FOLTS WHICH WAS CONSIDERED IN OUR DECISION OF JUNE 7, 1962, B-148912, TO YOU. BECAUSE OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ABOVE-CITED MEMORANDUM AND ATTACHMENTS, YOU REQUEST OUR FURTHER REVIEW OF THE MATTER OF EXPENSES MR. FOLTZ INCURRED WHILE EMPLOYED BY THE WEATHER BUREAU AND IN ANTICIPATION OF WRITTEN AUTHORITY TO HAVE HIS HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS SHIPPED FROM ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, TO DES MOINES, IOWA.

THE RECORD NOW SHOWS THAT MR. FOLTZ WAS INFORMED BY THE REGIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER, THE DESIGNATED AUTHORIZING OFFICER FOR TRAVEL PURPOSES, THAT HE WAS ELIGIBLE FOR TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES TO DES MOINES; THAT HE HAD REASON TO BELIEVE THAT FORMAL AUTHORITY FOR SHIPMENT WAS IN PROCESS, AS CONTAINED IN A PROPOSED AMENDMENT OF TRAVEL ORDER NO. TK062-297 DATED FEBRUARY 15, 1962; THAT SUCH ACTION WOULD HAVE BEEN INCIDENT TO HIS APPOINTMENT BY TRANSFER DATED FEBRUARY 9, 1962, EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 19, 1962; AND THAT THE ONLY REASON THE AMENDMENT WAS NOT ISSUED AND THE EFFECTS WERE NOT SHIPPED WAS BECAUSE OF HIS PROPOSED SEPARATION. MR. FOLTZ PERFORMED THE REQUIRED PERSONAL TRAVEL INCIDENT TO THE AUTHORIZED TRANSFER OF PERMANENT DUTY STATION FROM ST. LOUIS TO DES MOINES. BY VIRTUE OF SUCH TRANSFER HE WAS EMPLOYED BY THE WEATHER BUREAU AIRPORT STATION AT DES MOINES, FROM FEBRUARY 19, 1962, UNTIL HE WAS SEPARATED ADMINISTRATIVELY ON MAY 4, 1962.

AS TO THE EXPENSES MR. FOLTZ INCURRED, THE RECORD SHOWS ONLY AN ESTIMATE OF 5,000 POUNDS OF WEIGHT BASED ON A CUBE SHEET MADE UP FROM A LIST OF THE GOODS IN THE HOUSE, WHICH ON APRIL 10, 1962, WERE PACKED AND LOADED FOR SHIPMENT, BUT ON APRIL 12 WERE UNLOADED AT HIS RESIDENCE IN ST. LOUIS. SUCH STATEMENT AND THE HOUSEHOLD GOODS CARRIER'S RECEIPTED BILL EVIDENCE THAT THE EFFECTS INVOLVED DID NOT EXCEED THE 7,000 POUNDS MAXIMUM WEIGHT ALLOWABLE AT GOVERNMENT EXPENSE UNDER THE LAW AND REGULATIONS. SEE 28 COMP. GEN. 95, 38 ID. 554; AND B 129708 DATED DECEMBER 6, 1956. THUS, IN THIS CASE THE EMPLOYEE MAY BE REIMBURSED HIS ACTUAL EXPENSES NOT EXCEEDING THE SUM WHICH MIGHT HAVE BEEN PAYABLE OTHERWISE BASED UPON AN ACTUAL WEIGHT CERTIFICATE. HOWEVER, THE RECORD CONTAINS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE EFFECTS WERE ACTUALLY TRANSPORTED AWAY FROM THE EMPLOYEE'S ST. LOUIS RESIDENCE OR MORE THAN 15 MILES FROM ITS IMMEDIATE VICINITY EN ROUTE TO DES MOINES. IN THAT REGARD, TABLE 4, COLUMN (H), OF BUREAU OF THE BUDGET CIRCULAR A-37, TRANSMITTAL MEMORANDUM NO. 8 (SUPERSEDED EFFECTIVE JUNE 1, 1962) PRESCRIBED A COMMUTED RATE OF $4.20 PER CWT. FOR THE 4,000 POUNDS TO 7,000 POUNDS CATEGORY, IF TRANSPORTED ONLY 15 MILES OR LESS DISTANCE. THEREFORE, BASED ON THE EVIDENCE IN THIS CASE, THE CLAIMANT MAY BE ALLOWED ONLY THE SUM OF $210 ($4.20 TIMES 50 CWT.).

THE VOUCHER RETURNED HEREWITH MAY BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT AS INDICATED ABOVE.

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