B-134935, FEB. 5, 1958

B-134935, FEB. 5, 1958

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

YOUR LETTER OF JANUARY 16, 1958 (MC:JRB), FORWARDED A VOUCHER BEARING BUREAU SCHEDULE NO. RS 041 AND BUREAU VOUCHER NO. RV-0419, PAYABLE TO MELVIN PAQUETTE AND D. V. ROMINE, CASE BUILDING, ABILENE, KANSAS, IN THE AMOUNT OF $225, TOGETHER WITH THE FILE PERTAINING THERETO, AND REQUESTED OUR ADVICE AS TO WHETHER YOU ARE AUTHORIZED TO CERTIFY THAT VOUCHER FOR PAYMENT.

THE FILE TRANSMITTED WITH YOUR LETTER INDICATES THAT MR. ROMINE, AN ATTORNEY, WAS HANDLING A MATTER INVOLVING AN INDEBTEDNESS OF MR. PAQUETTE TO THE FARM HOME ADMINISTRATION, AND AT THE SAME TIME A MATTER INVOLVING AN INDEBTEDNESS OF MRS. MINNIE PATTERSON TO THE FEDERAL HOUSING ADMINISTRATION ON YOUR ACCOUNT MCP 6-011862. MR. PAQUETTE FORWARDED TO MR. ROMINE A CHECK IN THE SUM OF $225 TO BE APPLIED AGAINST HIS INDEBTEDNESS TO THE FARM HOME ADMINISTRATION. MR. ROMINE ERRONEOUSLY ENDORSED THE CHECK TO THE FEDERAL HOUSING ADMINISTRATION AND FORWARDED IT TO YOUR DISTRICT OFFICE FOR APPLICATION AGAINST MRS. PATTERSON'S DEBT. THE CHECK WAS SO APPLIED AND A RECEIPT ISSUED THEREFOR TO MR. ROMINE. SUBSEQUENTLY, MR. ROMINE DISCOVERED HIS ERROR, PAID $225 FROM HIS OWN FUNDS TO THE FARM HOME ADMINISTRATION FOR MR. PAQUETTE, AND REQUESTED THE FEDERAL HOUSING ADMINISTRATION TO REFUND THE SUM ERRONEOUSLY SENT TO THAT AGENCY. THE VOUCHER HERE INVOLVED COVERS THE REFUND REQUESTED.

IN VIEW OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES HERE INVOLVED AS DISCLOSED BY THE RECORD FURNISHED, WE SEE NO OBJECTION TO REFUNDING TO MR. ROMINE THE SUM HE PAID TO THE FEDERAL HOUSING ADMINISTRATION THROUGH ERROR. THEREFORE, THE VOUCHER WHICH, TOGETHER WITH THE FILE PERTAINING THERETO, IS RETURNED HEREWITH, MAY BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT.