B-33846 April 27, 1943
Highlights
Wolfe: I have your letter of April 10. 1943 as follows: "Attached is reimbursement account. A copy of this is attached. "We have no notary public at the Laboratory. Which is located in Springfield Township. We are approximately ten miles from the nearest Government office where a notary public is available. It was necessary for Dr. "This account is submitted to you for decision as to whether it may be certified for payment as a proper administrative expense. As the affidavits were required for administrative use and not for the personal benefit of the employees and no Government notary was available. The notary fees constitute a proper administrative expense payable under the appropriation available for the salaries and administrative expenses of the agency in which the persons are employed.
B-33846 April 27, 1943
Mr. George P. Wolf, Authorized Certifying Officer, Bureau of Agriculture and Industrial Chemistry, Eastern Regional Research Laboratory, Chestnut Hill Station, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Dear Mr. Wolfe:
I have your letter of April 10, 1943 as follows:
"Attached is reimbursement account, Standard Form No. 1012, for Percy A. Wells in the amount of $2.75. This account covers notary fees paid in connection with the execution of affidavit on D.S.S. Form 42A, "Affidavit - Occupational Classification (Industrial)," for eleven employees at this Laboratory for whom we presented requests for deferment. A copy of this is attached.
"We have no notary public at the Laboratory, which is located in Springfield Township, Montgomery County, just over the Philadelphia city line. We are approximately ten miles from the nearest Government office where a notary public is available. It was necessary for Dr. Wells to handle these requests for occupational deferment promptly and accordingly he had them executed before a local notary public.
"This account is submitted to you for decision as to whether it may be certified for payment as a proper administrative expense, payable from Government funds."
As the affidavits were required for administrative use and not for the personal benefit of the employees and no Government notary was available, the notary fees constitute a proper administrative expense payable under the appropriation available for the salaries and administrative expenses of the agency in which the persons are employed, which in this case appears to be the appropriation designated upon the voucher "Conservation and Use of Agricultural Land Resources, Department of Agriculture" as made by the act of July 22, 1942, Public Law 674. See 11 Comp. Gen. 428 and compare 20 Comp. Gen. 923.
Respectfully,
Comptroller General of the United States
Enclosures.