B-140664, OCT. 14, 1959
Highlights
SOON AFTER OCCUPANCY IT BECAME APPARENT THERE WAS A NEED FOR SOME TYPE OF COVERING FOR THE LARGE PLATE GLASS WINDOWS AT THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING TO REDUCE THE GLARE OF THE SUN AND PROVIDE SOME PRIVACY FROM A CURIOUS PUBLIC. IT WAS ADMINISTRATIVELY DETERMINED THAT THE MOST PRACTICAL SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM WAS THE APPLICATION OF "FROSTING MATERIAL" TO THE PLATE GLASS WINDOWS. WHICH WAS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE SERVICES OF PAINTER'S INCORPORATED. REMOVAL OF THE "FROSTING MATERIAL" IS CONTEMPLATED. WHEN THE BUILDING IS VACATED. THE EXPENSE HERE INVOLVED WAS APPARENTLY INCURRED AS A NECESSARY OPERATING EXPENSE IN THE PERFORMANCE OF A FUNCTION OR FUNCTIONS OF THE BUREAU IN THE MANAGEMENT OF LANDS AND RESOURCES UNDER ITS JURISDICTION.
B-140664, OCT. 14, 1959
TO MR. ODELL N. CHILD, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR:
YOUR LETTER, BEARING REFERENCE ACCTG:3, SUBMITS THE QUESTION OF THE AVAILABILITY OF APPROPRIATED FUNDS OF THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, TO PAY A VOUCHER FORWARDED WITH YOUR LETTER, IN FAVOR OF PAINTER'S INCORPORATED, ANCHORAGE, ALASKA. THE VOUCHER, IN THE AMOUNT OF $50, COVERS THE COMPENSATION OF THE PAYEE FOR SERVICES RENDERED IN COSTING WITH ,FROSTING MATERIAL" THE PLATE GLASS WINDOWS OF A LEASED BUILDING IN ANCHORAGE, ALASKA.
AS AN INTERIM MEASURE PENDING THE CONSUMMATION OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION FOR PERMANENT ADEQUATE OFFICE SPACE IN ANCHORAGE, THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT LEASED A BUILDING OF APPROXIMATELY 5,000 SQUARE FEET OF FLOOR SPACE AT 334 N. FIFTH AVENUE, ANCHORAGE, ALASKA. SOON AFTER OCCUPANCY IT BECAME APPARENT THERE WAS A NEED FOR SOME TYPE OF COVERING FOR THE LARGE PLATE GLASS WINDOWS AT THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING TO REDUCE THE GLARE OF THE SUN AND PROVIDE SOME PRIVACY FROM A CURIOUS PUBLIC.
THE LESSOR IN HIS OFFER TO LEASE THE BUILDING HAVING EXPRESSLY REFUSED TO FURNISH VENETIAN BLINDS, IT WAS ADMINISTRATIVELY DETERMINED THAT THE MOST PRACTICAL SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM WAS THE APPLICATION OF "FROSTING MATERIAL" TO THE PLATE GLASS WINDOWS, WHICH WAS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE SERVICES OF PAINTER'S INCORPORATED. REMOVAL OF THE "FROSTING MATERIAL" IS CONTEMPLATED, AT THE APPROXIMATE COST OF $30, WHEN THE BUILDING IS VACATED.
UNDER THE HEADING "BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT," SUBHEADING "MANAGEMENT OF LANDS AND RESOURCES," THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATION ACT, 1959, 72 STAT. 155, 156, APPROPRIATED $22,190,000 "FOR EXPENSES NECESSARY FOR PROTECTION, USE, IMPROVEMENT, DEVELOPMENT, DISPOSAL, CADASTRAL SURVEYING, CLASSIFICATION, AND PERFORMANCE OF OTHER FUNCTIONS, AS AUTHORIZED BY LAW, IN THE MANAGEMENT OF LANDS AND THEIR RESOURCES UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT * * *.'
THE EXPENSE HERE INVOLVED WAS APPARENTLY INCURRED AS A NECESSARY OPERATING EXPENSE IN THE PERFORMANCE OF A FUNCTION OR FUNCTIONS OF THE BUREAU IN THE MANAGEMENT OF LANDS AND RESOURCES UNDER ITS JURISDICTION, AND IT WOULD APPEAR TO BE AN EXPENSE WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE GENERAL APPROPRIATION PROVISION QUOTED ABOVE. AS HAS OFTEN BEEN STATED, AN APPROPRIATION IN GENERAL TERMS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE IS AVAILABLE FOR EXPENDITURES NECESSARY TO ACCOMPLISH THAT PURPOSE EXCEPT AS TO EXPENDITURES IN CONTRAVENTION OF SOME STATUTORY PROVISION OR FOR WHICH APPROPRIATIONS ARE SPECIFICALLY AVAILABLE.
WE SEE NO BASIS FROM THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN YOUR LETTER FOR VIEWING THE BUREAU'S APPROPRIATION FOR MANAGEMENT OF LANDS AND RESOURCES AS UNAVAILABLE FOR THE LIQUIDATION OF THE OBLIGATION INCURRED, AND YOU ARE ADVISED THAT THE VOUCHER, RETURNED HEREWITH, MAY BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT, IF OTHERWISE CORRECT.