Montana Attorney General Opinion 16-332

Opinion No. 332. Fairs-Expenses of Fairs--County Commissioners. HELD: The Board of County Com- missioners of a county may not ex- pend more than $200:00 altogether for the purposes mentioned in Section 4550, R. C. M. 1935. Mr. Eugene L. Murphy County Attorney Choteau, Monta.na July 24, 1936. You have called attention to a para- graph of Section 4550, R. C. M. 1935, reading as follows: "The Board of County Commissionp.rs of any county in Montana may appropriate each year the sum of two hundred dollars, or so much thereof as may be neces- sary, out of the general funds of the county, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of collecting, transport- ing and taking care of any exhibit from' such county at any county ag- ricultural fair, seed show, or other agricultural exhibition held within the State of Montana" and have asked my opinion as to whether the county commissioners are limited to the appropriation of $200 for all pur- poses, or whether they may appro- priate $200 for every fair to which they would send an exhibit. You call attention to the word "any" before the words "county agricultural fair," underscored above, and suggest that it might be possible for the county commissioners to give the $200 to each fair. 330 OPINIONS OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL If the word "any" is given the meaning of "each" and thus includes all county agricultural fairs, seed shows or other agricultural exhibi- tions held within the State of Mon- tana, then the same word used before the word "exhibit," underscored above, might be given the same mean- ing and the county commissioners would be authorized to give $200 for each exhibit at each county fair, seed show or agricultural exhibit and thousands of dollars might thus be expended. If the legislature had any intention of giving such practically unlimited power to the county com- missioners it would undoubtedly have expressed it in more appropriate language. It is my opinion that the county commissioners may not expend more than $200 altogether for the purpose mentioned in this paragraph.