B-134458, DEC. 26, 1957
Highlights
HE WAS ENTITLED TO HAVE DELIVERED BY THE VENDOR. HE DECIDED TO HAVE IT DELIVERED TO MOUNTAIN HOME FOR THE PURPOSE OF USING IT TO MOVE HIS HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS TO CHEYENNE. SHIPMENT OF THE LOADED HOUSE TRAILER WAS ACCOMPLISHED AT A COST TO THE EMPLOYEE OF $152.40. THE EMPLOYEE WAS REQUESTED TO FURNISH A STATEMENT AS TO WHETHER THE COST OF MOVING THE HOUSE TRAILER WAS INCREASED BY REASON OF THE FACT IT CONTAINED HIS HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS. IS 3. PERSONALLY OWNED HOUSE TRAILERS OF EMPLOYEES ARE NOT REGARDED AS PROPERTY WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF "HOUSEHOLD GOODS" OR "PERSONAL EFFECTS" AS USED IN EXECUTIVE ORDER 9805. WE HAVE HELD THAT WHEN THE RECORD DOES NOT INDICATE WHAT AMOUNT. THE COST OF TRANSPORTING THE TRAILER WAS INCREASED BECAUSE OF THE EFFECTS TRANSPORTED THEREIN.
B-134458, DEC. 26, 1957
TO MR. W. E. COBURN, AUTHORIZED CERTIFYING OFFICER, PUBLIC HOUSING ADMINISTRATION:
YOUR LETTER OF NOVEMBER 19, 1957, WITH ENCLOSURES, REQUESTS OUR DECISION WHETHER, UNDER THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES HEREINAFTER RELATED, A VOUCHER TRANSMITTED THEREWITH IN FAVOR OF GEORGE E. MARKHAM, FOR $152.40, MAY BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT. THAT AMOUNT REPRESENTS THE STATED COST OF TRANSPORTING HIS HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND PERSONAL EFFECTS INCIDENT TO A PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION AS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE PUBLIC HOUSING ADMINISTRATION.
THE RECORD DISCLOSES THAT TRAVEL ORDER DATED OCTOBER 23, 1956, AUTHORIZED MR. MARKHAM TO TRANSPORT HIS HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND PERSONAL EFFECTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF EXECUTIVE ORDER 9805, AS AMENDED, INCIDENT TO A TRANSFER OF OFFICIAL DUTY STATION FROM MOUNTAIN HOME, IDAHO, TO CHEYENNE, WYOMING. PRIOR TO MR. MARKHAM'S MOVE TO CHEYENNE HE PURCHASED A HOUSE TRAILER WHICH, HE SAYS, HE WAS ENTITLED TO HAVE DELIVERED BY THE VENDOR, WITHOUT ADDITIONAL CHARGE, TO HIS NEW DUTY POST. HE DECIDED TO HAVE IT DELIVERED TO MOUNTAIN HOME FOR THE PURPOSE OF USING IT TO MOVE HIS HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS TO CHEYENNE. THE WALCH TRAILER SALES HAULED HIS HOUSE TRAILER, CONTAINING HIS EFFECTS, FROM THE OLD TO THE NEW DUTY STATION. SHIPMENT OF THE LOADED HOUSE TRAILER WAS ACCOMPLISHED AT A COST TO THE EMPLOYEE OF $152.40. THE EMPLOYEE WAS REQUESTED TO FURNISH A STATEMENT AS TO WHETHER THE COST OF MOVING THE HOUSE TRAILER WAS INCREASED BY REASON OF THE FACT IT CONTAINED HIS HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS. OFFICE MEMORANDUM DATED OCTOBER 17, 1957, FROM THE EMPLOYEE TO THE CHIEF, ADMINISTRATIVE AUDIT SECTION, STATES IN PART THAT:
"THE MOVING OF THE HOUSE TRAILER IN NO WAY INCREASED THE TRANSPORTATION COST BUT RATHER DECREASED THE COST OF TRANSPORTING THE HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS *
THE ESTIMATED WEIGHT OF THE EFFECTS, SUPPORTED BY ITEMIZED LIST, IS 3,365 POUNDS.
PERSONALLY OWNED HOUSE TRAILERS OF EMPLOYEES ARE NOT REGARDED AS PROPERTY WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF "HOUSEHOLD GOODS" OR "PERSONAL EFFECTS" AS USED IN EXECUTIVE ORDER 9805, AS AMENDED. ALSO, WE HAVE HELD THAT WHEN THE RECORD DOES NOT INDICATE WHAT AMOUNT, IF ANY, THE COST OF TRANSPORTING THE TRAILER WAS INCREASED BECAUSE OF THE EFFECTS TRANSPORTED THEREIN, THE COSTS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE MOVEMENT OF SUCH TRAILERS CANNOT BE CONSIDERED AS HAVING BEEN INCURRED INCIDENT TO THE SHIPMENT OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS OR PERSONAL EFFECTS FOR WHICH REIMBURSEMENT IS AUTHORIZED. CF. 32 COMP. GEN. 452, AND CASES CITED THEREIN. HOWEVER, IN THE INSTANT CASE, SINCE MR. MARKHAM COULD HAVE HAD HIS HOUSE TRAILER DELIVERED DIRECT TO HIS NEW DUTY STATION AT NO ADDITIONAL COST TO HIM BUT INSTEAD ELECTED TO HAVE IT DELIVERED TO HIS OLD DUTY STATION IN ORDER THAT HE COULD TRANSPORT HIS HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND PERSONAL EFFECTS IN IT AND SINCE THE COST DOES NOT EXCEED THE SUM WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN PAYABLE FOR THE WEIGHT FURNISHED AT THE APPLICABLE COMMUTED RATE, OUR OFFICE WILL NOT OBJECT TO THE PAYMENT OF THE AMOUNT CLAIMED.
THEREFORE, THE VOUCHER WHICH IS RETURNED HEREWITH, TOGETHER WITH RELATED PAPERS, MAY BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT IF OTHERWISE PROPER.