Case Information
*1 OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTIN
Hon. W. J. lkConnel1, PreaGdent
Htwth Texas State Teachers College
Denton, Texas opinion no. O-6932
Ds#lr sirs
TNa is In
of lOovember 9, 1945 w
State of Texa
relative to t
Nw-mal Colleg
Teacherr Colle
2
opkaiom IS Feepectfully re- 0 tbs follovlag questioner 8 the city or Denton leg8lly for the use of said school an of pure artesian vat-or tree of cost to the State for all purposee of said
school?
"2. May North Texas State Teacher8 College leg*lly tompeneate the City of Danton for vster used by the inetitutlonP
"3. Hap lorth Texa8 State Teachers College legally compensate the City ot Denton water supplied to an extra-mural or akulllary *2 Hon. W. J. McConnell - Page 2
entergri se, such as a self-supporting dorml- tory9
The Act of the Legislature authorizing the establlah- ment of Rorth Texea State Rormal College 18 found in @enera Laws of Texas, Acts 26th Legislature, Regular Session, 1899, page 7%. and read8 in part as fallove:
"An Act to prorIde for the ertabll8hment, maintenanoe and government of 4 State Aormal School to be located at Danton, T8xa8, and be known a8 the Xorth Texa8 State Ram1 College. "Qectlon 1. 'Be it enacted by the Legls- lature of the St&e of Texarr That there eball be establiehed at the college heretofore known as the Horth Texas State Iformal College at Denton, in the County otDenton,Texaa, anormal echo01 to be known a8 the lorthTexr8 State Nom College; provoided, that ths cltlxens end munlalpal authorities of raid city of Denton shall, vltNn elxty daya after thle @crt take8 effect, convey or cau88 to be conveyed to the State of Texan, by A good and perfect title, the buildiag8, ground8 and other property belong- to unsd by the eaid North Texan Normal College, end bind the city of Denton to furnlrh for th8 use of said school an Abundant rupply of pure arteelan water free of coet to St&e, for all the pur- pore8 of arid lchool, uNoh raZd oonveyuice and obligation shall be approved by the Oovemor and Attorney QeneFal; provided, that 8ald college building, when tezulered and accepted, 8hall b8 8ufflaient to aoocmmodath at leant four hundred puplls; end provided further, that if the donation and proposition asntloned hsreln 18 not fully oomplled vith by the city of Denton to the satls- Sactlon of the Oovernor, Comptroller and Super- intsndent of Public Instruction, then the loo&ion of 8uch nowal college shall be open to such other place a8 the Qovarnor, Comptroller axid Superln- tendent of Publla Instruation may deem most tartilr- factory ad advantageous to the State.
" . . .
"Approved March 31, 1899 - Take8 effect 90 days after adjournment."
HOn. w. J. bk~011Ik811 - Page 3
After the above Act we48 assed by the Leglsl8ture, the City of Denton on October 10, E 1 99, by proper action of it8 gOVOrd.?&g body, &Ba88Od A IWiSOlUtiOn Mading in part as fO11OW8Z
“URSREAS, by virtue of an Aat of the 26th Leglelature, being Chpter 53, LAW 1899, the StAt8 of Texer proposer to establish at the College heretofore Lnovn as the lorth Tevs State Xormal College, at Denton, In the County of Denton, Tex88, a normal echo01 to be known A(I the Iiorth Terns State Rormel College; provkded cltlreae and nunlclpal mthorltloo of that salei City of Denton ehall, wlthln elxty daye titer the kkiag effeet of said Act, aonvey or MWO to be conveyed to the State of Texm, by good and porfeut title, the buildings, ground8, and other property belmglng to or used by the s&Id Llorth Texar 10ormal College, aad bind the City of Deaton to furnish for the use of Bald nehool an bundnnt supply of artealan water free of cost to the State for all the purpose8 of aald Bchool; . . .I Bubreqwnt thereto the Mayor of De&on, Mr. 0. P. Poe, properly executed ma l.mtmment, parts of vhlah am quoted belov, la keeping with instructions and authority given hir by the City Council, in oonjunotlw vith the Act of the 26th Legislature above m6ntloaedr
"YHEREAB,by !‘WOlUtiOA pawed by the City Council of the City of Denton on the 10th day of October, 1899, the Mayor of mid olty vaa authorized and instructed for and in behalf of aaid alty to exeoute aMi enter into an obllga- tlcm in writing, binding tb City of Denton to furnish rorthe we of the HOOICTHTEXAS STATE IORMAL COLIJzog an abundant supply of pure arte- alen vater free 0Z coat to tbs State aaaorbing to the term of an act of the 26th teglslature being Chapter 53, uws 1899.
Har. W. J. JkConnell - Page 4
"XOW THEREFORE I, 0. P. Poe, Mayor of the City ofBenton by virtue of seld -8olution
end In consideration of the estAbli8kh4nt at Denton of the RORTH TEXAS Sl'ATE RORMAL COLLEC+R se provided In 8eld act Above referred to, acting for 8ncl in behalf of 8ald City do hereby oovanent mad agree and bind the eald City of Dentcur to
furnlrh.for the use of 4aI.d lorth Tour State
loma Sahool an abundant 4upply of purs atiealan vcrter free of cost to the State of Texas for all the purposea of eald ruhool."
Ths queetlon befor u4 le whether or not thers wea ever e logal aad bWl.lng contract ln exlstenee a8 A reoult of the above rctr and if so, is the City of Xknton bound at tNa tW4 to fundah vater free of coat to ths College. An exhaustlva eeareh of the authorltlsrr has bean made by thir depertrmnt end although we have not found a QADO deoided by ow Supreme Court dlreetly In point, ve believe following holdings in which 4lmllar quo&lone were up fop ~on8lderrtion eupport 0~ con- tention thet the contract wa8 In all respect4 legal and binding upon the city.
In 30 Tex. Jurlr., p. 115, paragraph 56 ve find the follovlng 16n@ager
'A municipal oorporatlon cannot, by contrrot or otherwise, tmrrendec, delegate, or barter ova2 Its novernmental or leltlalatlve funttion or power8 vhoae uae8 and continued evailabllitr an srsentlal to the public gocsl# nor an it legally enter into any contract vNoh will emberrae4, pmvent, aontrol tnterfere with Its future 4XOrCleO of 8uch pavers. A statute wNah atteapts to give it authorfty 80 to do violates the conetltutlonal lnhlbltlon ogsinst irrevocable or uncontrolleble grentr of ape&al
privilege6 or lmmunltlb4.A (See Bower6 v. City of Tsylor, 24 3. U. (26) 816, holding that R. 9. 1925 Articles 1.018-1020, violate Conat. Art. 1, paragraph 17, ln 43 fer a8 they pemrlt 8 city to close and vest conclusive control of a atreet in a railroad company for 15 years.
Hon. W. J. McConnell - Page 5
Article 1, Section 17 of our Constitution reads as follovs:
“lo person’8 property shall be taken, damaged or destroyed for or applied to public use vlthout adequate ccu~ensatlon being made, unless by the conGent of s&h peracm; and, vhsn taken except for the use of the State, ouch coamnsatlon shall be first made. or secured by a deDo#lt of moneys and no Irrevocable or uncontrollable grant of swcial prlvlleaes end lmunlties shall be made: but all privllenea and fmnoNser wanted bv the Lekislatur cmated under its authority shall be subject to the control thereof." (Underscoring ourr)
In Foster et al V. City of Waco, et al, our Supreme Court, 255 S. If. 1104, held:
"It is a general and undlnputed propollltlon of lav that a municipal corporation possesses and can exercise the- followLag povertv, and no others: - . d ,D Fir&,. those nranted In exureatl v&dr; sewn oldent those necersarlly or fairly ImDlled in or in to the novera exweaslp granted1 tNrd. those essential to the accomllstnent of the declared arrecta and Durposee of the oorvoratlon --not Icur, alm~ly aonvenient. but lndlrrwnuable. Any --*- iubltantlsl doubt eonaernlng the reasonable, I existence of
power 1s resolved by the court8 against
the corooratlon. and the Dover 1s denied. Of everY munlclpal corporation the charter or statute bz vNoh it la created is its ormuaic act. Relther -the corporation nor its officers can do MY sot, or make any oontrect. or incur any liabll litr. snot authorized thereby, or by some 1enislMive act 3f applicable thereto. All acta bev@nd the acorm Tanted am void." (ii;laeracoring- ours) the povere g1 In City of Co un Chrlstl v. Central Wharf. II: Whae. 'p et al, C. C. A. 189;, 27 5. H. 803, the following language co.,
la found:
"At moat their action was in excens of the povers conferred. The restrictions upon the powers of a city government am imposed by law the protection of the inhabitants of the city and the general public. By proper proceedings, taken by the right parties in due time, all such trans- *6 mm. W.J. McComoll - l'we 6
gre8alaPaa of povclr 8ay be prolgtly remedied. AbO, l U BOVOM V. CitJ Of I! iOr, Ot il, 24 S.U.
vhem it v80 bid that Artlales Y 018 to 1020, It. 8.
trollable graatlr OS apeala gri%il~em or ~tlu. (C-at.
Art. I, sea. l?).‘
In the a&e o? city of BPonbu 1. BPuhmm Water Cw, 4 a. Ii. 143, suprne or Tuu, helcung: ‘A cwPt city ordlno~ce grated to l water eompaay the right md privlle~e for thm tern OS 25 yean from tha doptlaa a? thlr 0~4iunoe or suppl- tin city of B., ud tku %nbbltaatr Unroof, vlth vrko QuxQQ~~#. ud SOP dowmtia and 0th~ Of tin. . . . . ?weP glna to l munlolpal tlm o%tin@mnt eorporatlem to contrurt la relatfcm to a givul. wbjeet mattop doer not awry, by lmplteatlar, the power to aontrwt, even vlth refecllrroe to that, so @ to e mburum and late&en with it8 future aantrel orer matter, u the publlo inkrut My PequlPe."
Imtuutltmel al a. 1. Fty. co. v. &ldePaoA aoumty, rtel,l74 S.U. ~~,lmld~mlatum eouldgu~ valid lav requiring oocporatiom to vhau it had ir8\ud ehbrfsr to Loop Offlaes in cert8i.n lodlit~ lndsiynitsly.
In 149 9. w. Beltlen v* city OS nlqma ?al.8, 1. I. SupPew Co In City of Tea@m v. Sheffield, 26 5. V. (2) 417,
Judge Oallagher of Court of Civil Appeals quoted ONet Sumtice haor 61 follmfst ‘A mwlaiprl corporation has no paver $0
cede way embarraw the exereire of it8 Joale- *7 Hon. Vi. J. 'icConn~sll - Fsga 7 af it8 public dutle8 or from coAtrolllAg
ertorwnoe iti may deex best its rrunlclpal 9ii-a P uture a4 an3 when E contrliot is .mde by ouoh corpore- effeirar, tion whiah is ngt warrated by the statutory cluthorfte won it. tCe Kovernin& body of such city has oonferred et ell time tha right to deolere It void and to refure OOmPlhno@ thsrsrlth.w (:fndersoorlAg ours)
IA Earklne v. Orlando, 51 F. (ad) 901, it ~88 rtated: "In ab8enee of atetut., au~loipal oontrsat 8u1 be for l re88oneble time only 8~8~ in the exerolae of proprletory runotf0na.~ (Underrooring ours) Uo;juillin Hunloipal Corporstlon8, Vol. 3, 840. 1355, page 1279i reoit.08:
*If there 18 A4 suoh PmViSiOA (08 to number OS the r4oroAablenne8r of the tine yearr), is prsrent84 for derl8ion; and eontraotrr tar 50 yeam, 30 ~emrm, 25 ye8r8 and like perlad have been held vilid. go where 4 oity ~68 authorbed to oontr8et for a wetor rupply without 1ImItetloxm a8 to term, pay a oertaln 8um ye8rly for 20 yoam to hydmmtr of the olty, 8 pr~virlon to rator supplied the water ror 88id
thereafter hHr8nts to be l umlled rr88 of oharae: wea held to be within the Dauer of the altr and bindins 011 th 0 somDuq.
Belt W8ter Co., 98 Atl. 736.* ort v. Relfort, (Under~oorlng ours)
We are mindful of the faot that the o8se8 cite5 herelnabovr all are b8red on coAtraot8 whleh Qhe oltler had or aorporation8 nude or attempted to make with individuals end AOW oonorm4d eontraotual rel8tionr rlth the State. We think the law to be well settled on the que8tIoA of the @wer a city government eetlng in ltn proprlstory oaprelty, to enter into oontrsots th8 performme of which would extend well beyond the tenure of offloe of thoee olty oflialalr 8wvlng at the time of *ward. In Cltr of CroebyteA v. Texar- New ~exloo Utllitles Co.,157 S.:v.(2)W8, the Court of Civil Lppeelm h4Sd!(Reh.DeA.) "A oity may xeralse it8 proprletory or busln4ss funotiona,aa by enter&g into contractforprlvate intareate
634 0r itg inhabitanta or ltsalf. ln sama way and to rams oxtout ‘s ln4lvlduals or prlrr te oorpore t ions. n ?!e think the oontraot undrr oonslderation in this
opinlon is olearlp one involvlngproprletory sots oi the olty. in addition to the lmpllea wtborltg the olty would have to ator into 8uoh II oontrsot by virtue of its ohsrtsr, the ~gi8iaturr, the tory orestor or the cltp 0r Danton mad rrom whloh body 8ala oltg d8rlY88 all its authority, roowsea ad furthers extamlob thr sutbwlty of bho oity to 80 sot ' when lt pas8.d the Bill rutfqritlng the l 8tabll8hmont et
lor$h Texas Stabe Woraal Colligo oonb~enb upon the xeoublon .or ww l grwnmt aa harelnabore quato& (Sac El Paw v. Conklin . &S. w. 989)
16 18. the oonslasre4 oplnlon of this dopartaont that the City of Daaboa w&s aotlnu within its authority at th8 tlme the -88aant wa8 made; thst tho oontraot wa8 valid, that it 18 0r a oontinuincr nature unb ~80 long a8 the mate 0r Texas aaintala8 uyl op8rabb8 t&o Tmoher8 Collage at its proront 1008tion, Me City or Denton 18 loq8lly b0uud tro rurnlsh watsr to bhr C01Lege ifes or oo8t.
It iollowr, thoreroro, thit we must*$,%rr oegatlro uswar to both your 8aoonU uib third qw8tiooS. Vi8 tU* it we8 within the roamonable akxtlolpatlon of ~the Cltf tbat Would bo~uae $0 OOlhg8 88 it y8w bha’ougb thhs abb$tion# uul bhe “oxt.tn-aUml 8uxlllry witsrprlro, woh a8 ymr8, a 8olLt-8upporblng dcmalboryw~ ir orrbslnly 8 produst oi nolmml oolle~s *xpErlsl*.
very truly your* *TRUDY GEUERAL OF TI?JAs B. Y. De3surfn
A88irbant