Case Information

*1 OFFICE OF THE All-ORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS

AUSTIN

Honorab& B. L. uwh8urn, page 2

Honorable Ii. L. Ueehburn. page 3

Lpdivldual aontreat with each enplogee, Is a ml- lity, for the rimple remon that the E?avigatlon Dl8trlct h u PO l UthOrlty under the l t@tUtu Oreat- lng lt to lnuur any obligetlon which would oormti- tute a ‘debt’. SO f8X 68 th. CfXWI%.S1OSlOr. UT by the &lop- attempt to c ra+te l u6h an Oblig.tiC#l tlon of an order or re6olutlQtr, I think they we alearly without 8uah authority, for the vary imple rti.O&ltht tbr &&i.~tUl'~h.EiOt qtVOLbthUanJ 8uOh paWar, eith er l 4~?e881~ or by lm#ll@8tf~.

* so far l they may attempt to 0roet.e ruuh an O$%$$GiOA ip ttu iOl'AOt 8 OOlltIWt, it.et.0

t th0y 1 10~2.6 rau. l qw4iy vithb tb apin- ion 0r ths ilq-0~~ court In the moat au0 of V.. @dVO@taE1 COtAl- 9. Y. & x. 0. ~ilrQ& Gq ty, l&J 8. Y. 2n6 7l3. ~~VOStQA blthdM.8, ooadip undrrtook to svke am rgceuant indrplirj- ~t.bO~~b?OfAd~Q~ @@JWt~. infUtUl’e The Court held that the County warn without TUr.. powor to auice such a~ agree6WAt, @akin& in part:

“~Publio poUog &maw38 taat definite Umita- tiow be ploao& on the pore of the wreral poll- tlul 8ubtUvi.8Lonr of our government to qmod publit aozuy. A8 t0 OOORti~., the lirit&iOn 18 pay ouh, that 18, to pay out wrrmt rmmm38 oc tr0r rrradr wbin the i&m0 00m010r th8 oounty. Debt, With a ~OVi.iOSl at th0 tiu it iEOWrO6 t0 pOy iPt8m.t and at &Ut tU0 -Et OX tha p rio oip rl l aoh yW2, t. tb w tit.PU- tiva. If thi. ~OV5.8iOXl 18 ROt 8.60, the *debt” i. l -ty. ehi8 i8 th0 rOqUhtMAt Of&t. xx, sec. 7, arplrcr. It. bR@MlgS It 18 lUWW.tVQOd. tOfQ@. th. PUbuO tht A0 aO&' 4bS.lhd 80 OlOWl~ arm Qr l galwy of goverAwnt m hoal6 attempt to 604 it.'

*TM Oourt ia the opinion from vhloh the above tb0 qUOtetiOn i. t&On bU8d it. @~Oh8iOSh Upon Xpre.8 tam Of th. OOMtitUtl~ &WOV1810ll I’.- to, but, l UO UIUhrmtud 8hO aUthW%tiU f@m@d with the X'0qW.t p~.vlOumly 8ubUtt.6 in OOanaMl- rQr the oplAloR abOV6 a8ntlou6, tha navlgrttai WI- 18 0v.A mom Co8triok6 than that tr;ot authority 0r th0 c04mp t&t 1 th.t.Ak it 18 OlW tb #8Vi- ~t,iC.h Di.triOt m8 PO CUthCU’itJ t0 OrUtO 8ki Obli- g&iQLI Vhi0h VOu;ld OOA@titUb a 'd&t' pyrbk Out *4 Honorable B. L. V8ahburn. page 4

Of the F"V~AU48 of futwa yeara without acPrglying requiremud for the Ia- vlth the rar*pi rtatut0ry UMOO or bom&, UIA than only to the extent that it i8 OXJ?Q?U.l7 WthOS’%8Od t0 f8.W 8U8h Obl%@- t1oM. It a-8 t0.b. OIUP to u tb&t W Boara of Coamlm81oner8 auuiot, 61th~ by cyruktion or by OwtrMt, aroete M obligation vith Lt8 em.-

loyeer to pay at an imiefialte tiPa In tb6 rutwer Cmpenutlon ror tlin lost by rumon of in- P a)

“It 8edDl OhU t0 m tht the IWig&lfm Dbtriot Mm no l.mpU*d a’lthority to make agroe- merit8 vbl8b amount to inst~8~~8 cmtr8ete with it8 r~JJU'dlO.8 Of t&l4 fC@= Or OAOh Oantr&t. rq?lO~OM, "I reaognito tho taot that the Mvllyt%on Ma- trlat mlgbt pmbebly 8nter into contr~otr vltb old liars iMWAOS iOr pOuOf~8 Of iAWU4M 00ICpMh8 188Wd bl tMOr Of t& e 1q.O. Of the &Mi@iiW Dlotriot. LiOut&Ol%l(k.~ tjCCiQS~V..&W @I

(COIL App.) 12 9. II. Pd mo, tirtimlitg, egg rli. tImlad (CM. App.) 16 8. Y. ad 533~ 76, rohurlag x#yiM& o88Wity COmpanY VI. hIth&OEd (aA %x) I thbk, hovover, that l u8h l OQA- 36 Pe6. a6 986. treat sould rmo~mmar1ly be Ilaltul tbm owre~t f8B8B~~~68t b rOrw l 8 tb0 pWBUt Qr t$IJ&~

IA other vor68, the Nev triot wuld ie ulthout mthorlty ta bl 3 - itaelr 8baolutel.y to PJ the preBlWl8 On 8-h w1101e. la JeWa, @iIke. It 18 without utbiWlty to futwo areate a *d.abt’. sh? fW a8 8UOh pr4IaiUM QA 8uoh pollolmm vould be payable oUt a? ourrent rundr, t.hqr wo;ild have euthorrty to oontraat for dOObtb.8 8UUh &10~OiM8.

%hO fWi@lOA DirtriOt 18 AOt 8Abj8Ot t0 th. a- tfOPbYP’8

Eonarable Ii. L. Wmmhburn, page 5

161 8. w. m 49. Thm lamt cited aame holdm that l l tatuta vhloh providmd thmt mnr pub110 oorporm- tion in thlm l tate might m&m a pllmmtlcui mad l nt*r into qreemntm fo r a ad hold p o p iolmm in mutual in- Ymm uaoonmt~totional mad void. our- o-em 9I.n thlm 0ollwot1on, I ml80 not* that l oauti- tutlaaal madunt adopted Bovembmr 3, 19%, (Arr. vu III, Smo. 590) by vblah thm Lm~lmlatur~ vu gltmn povor to pama @ruoh l8um a8 mmy bm namoemmry to provida rar wrkman~m CacPpmnmation xnmurauom ior oortaln 8tat* mmploymem am In it8 Judgmat 1m neo- l mmmryor reqmiPed;mndtoplw*idm for thm pmy- mmat or all momta, ohargmm, au6 prmmllmu an mu& thm St&m poll0108 of lamarmnae; providing mhmll aevor bm required to purohaao lnmursaao for my em- plop.' “Thm plan hero prop0804 18 dlmtinotly mr- mntrromthe ponmionplaa oreakdby Ar%m. 8% to 6043 fe inoorporrtmd 01t1em hatiq a popalmt1ori 0r Over ten thow4ad. what thm statute 8ppemr8 tha pmnmloal fua4,lm 8 oontompl~to, laaly#e4ng to tb0 l p00iriO rund. Bpd mbguty zirit4tiaa vm. City of Dmllmm, ot al., 6 8. Y. %I Ys~ C&t et il. w. %wmiaell, 101 a. Y. bd d9. of al&m, r- M opin- *a 0atiaiz. mh th0 r0w08t ion benia utb, x roapmotfuuy rmror to yaw ud thm OplnLoM or Mr. &Me "n"' ion lo. duo, Kalpp at t0 w rwu08t r0r 0pf~i02i drt0d 3, rdatlng to uthctrity 0r tkm uati- %r Jw ooatraot *tiTELtrlot gmxnrrlly aad author- ities thmroin oltmd, fa addltlon theme bovm Ma- tioad.

I . . . . . ship chmnnml mnd marl.@m- Thm Earrim oouaty--Houmton tlon Dimtriot YU mmtabllmhmd by virtue OS 8motlon 9, &tl- 0b III 0f tb 8th a0mmti~ md Chapter a, md.0 3.28, Voraon@a Annotated Olrll Stattior. 18 m poa.ltioal mbdlvi- ma aaid JIavqpt1an Dlmtriot

don of thm at&e, umrola a part of tam mov.C.1 pwmrm Oi thm 8t8te end 18 not imp y pub110 or w&ml p ll0 oor- ur poratlon llkm oamon ourimr or o-1 mad domk oorporetlon. *6 Honorablm Ii. L. Washburn, page 6 opomltlon Ii* oltm thm 0-m of CUdhart thlm v. Srutrlalng

Bruom River limr ar Mmvlgmtlon Dimtrlot, 42 8. N. (2d) 96, r Al00 thm oamo or Cmrpmntmr v. A.rryo-Oolormdo Nevi trl8t, of Cmmoaoa awl Ullmon GOuntlemr 111 a. V.

md oumm mnd ruthorltlmm mmntlonmd in thmmo (IUrns. Uumr- arm l 8mmUil83& BlW+tlon Mmtrlot8 polltloal

vlmlonm thm atus. They are govmrmmkmntml apnmlom, &it10 mad oarpOPmto with thm pOUW8 ~~018~ the right8, prlrl~m u&6 povrn uoaforrul upoa them by lawa Zhq mr8 gmnmrally trutod am mnaa.iolpal oorporatlonm in tku mmamo t&y ara aauflnmd to deflalto gmographiobl aseam, awl that &am no go+eramuitrl pouorm outmlb of thea and a&jmot the mum rmlom u 8pplhdln rrrivhgrt the par-8 ai ooun- ubd oitlam. Artlolm XVI Smmtlon 59 of thm @onmtltu- tier tl* Zrbmler v. Carlton, 096 8. Y. l(r?Oj ?mrrlmmm v. Gammron County Vator &prov&nt Mmtrlot, 25 8. If. (?a) 6gli &mr County v. Hmdlaa-Atuaoma Couaty V8tmr Improvumuat Dlatrlot v. Wats, 21 S. U. (Pd) 747. Yatar % ly Mmtrlot thm oame of In l%-Clt Pruh

Mzdf of Iiarrlr Couaty v. Ilmnn, f42 S. U. (2a) 9%, It was "It-18 mneral rule or ju4ieial oonmtruo- t1oilwt vu&rllorma~'EunLolpmlooqxuutlon 8umh iaglled povmrm a8 mzw reemoorbly

We w nmmemmary mmkm af?*otl** tha pow** mxprmmml~ 8umhU are ladl8pmlb

l 0t;a 0r th0 0wp0wa.00 th0 purpoll.8 Of it8 Parrow rhkhuu notoxprm88mdW alloh 4r; Bmroly oaw8nla&t or UUN ma& aot bm lnuludmd aI& aaaaot be mluatuMd. pLrt-, are greated to 8 aml6lgmll$y br E;yrn wo not qdlu@ mumhpwmzm wlmltm, by goyr Uag uag m round 18WbO~O in thm Au.

. . . thl8 8ubjmot, it Yam maid ln the oama In ds.Sau8 vs. citr 0.r MO, PO5 a. w. 1104, tht %ny rcir, l-2 of Portu rouonmb&, ubmt~tlml dombt ooammrahg thm uerol8e oi power ;. rmmzmd by thm ootxPt8 mgU.nmt oorpor~tlan, mnd thm power

or war7 mmiolpml aorporatlon the 0Mrtmr or 8t&UtO b; Uhiah it is Orut@d !lmlthmr 18 mn WgMiO ut. thm oorporatlaa nor it8 offlo* oua 60 any aot, or Mkrn mny *7 Honorable Ii. L. ilamhburn, pmgm 7 oontrmot, or inour mny llmblllty, not authorized thereby, or

by l omm legimlitlvm mot l pplloeblm thmroto. All mote bmrond . . ." thm l oopm of the pavers grmnted are void.

Tbmra arm mover*1 l emtianm or the state Corutitu- tlon rhiah l vl&noe l demiro mnd intontlon to give every pom- 8lbI.O MfOgUS?d t0 th8 l p MditrPO Or pUbif rWd8 Md t0 owpmlth~ir l ppUoatiantobe properly 8xpmnded tar thm per- pomo8 l uthorlcmd by lmv. (ArtLmlm III, 8omtloam 44, 49, f& 52 Md 5). m0 8mm the pFOrlUOI!AS Or hPtiO& 1, 8Mti4It 3, bmotlon l6; aa ~rtiole XVI, Seatdon 6, of the ConmtitutrQPr.)

Am hmrmtolore stated, the maid Navig8tlan Matriot 18 l pOlltlad l ubdlVlUOaof thm 8-t. andO~tal.dylta r8m w pa.10 rum. Therefore the movmral po*181om or thm ume publio rrurdr by th8 beak Coamtltutlon liutiag its polltlmal ubdlvlmlonm do, in om oplnlon, 8pply to thm Earrla County Mvlgatlon Dlmtrlot. mklng Chapter 8, T’itle lN, Veraan’s

Wnertily &notated Olvll. St&u em, expremm~~ power8 mad privilbgom of Irvlgmtlon Dlmtrlotm. gush D&8- forth OertUa rL&htm, r 8et8 trlot8 may oantraot sue mnd be mmd, Conmtrumt it8 ovn i-11- lmmw axi4 me il buMm, lovytaxmm,emaploy mngiworr ftkm aad &orneym ud other employees 48 ~DIJ bm ne008wy r0r the oonmtruotlon, 88Zntenmnoo mnd oprmtlon, 8nd developnnt of the Bmv1g8t1on m8triOt8, its bumin f801l.ltA.m*, premmrlbm their dutlem mnd fl.x their aompenmmtlon, etc. E0WoVmP, tbwr 18 a0 8mOifiO mri81Olb Of the 8htUt. vhiah mUthOr% &

. - reg~tionu.t~~~~8i~~tiOn U. VWJ 8l&e&t th8 wO?w'8 0 . m pWpO88 Of the88 rOgU&- tiOM 18 t0 rir terms, oolldltloam, and ll8itat10nm UQdmP Vhlah the gavlg8tlon Dlmtrlot will pmy Oompea8Ulon to its mm- we8 ue umtained in the ln thomec.oamem vhere 4Urie8 oou?mm ofemplopenthmveremulted lndlmmblllfy or death. SUd regmlatlonm met rtwhth0 rulmm uhlmh mrm to bm rollowed in&- w thm pipL)Ptm, limbllitlem, duties and obllgatlom OS t&e NwigUlon.IM8triot to its uglmyeor ror -8 ULmh or dmath of mmiployeem. The remmltiDgper8wm1lnJmrlem oapen8atlonm provided by mud roguletlcma me bo oaamldmr- .d U 8-T t0 m U@lOy.S. Coa alderlng th m rogulUlcm8 m mu@a oapenmmtlonlm oonmfder- whole It&a Lukri4Z~#ethr du 8dU7 or othmrVl8.. &Id regulations mrm aothlng norm or b88 th8n 8n attempt by thm district pr0vld.m vorkmma~m ocmpenmUlon i0r St8.mm&myoem. %hm 8U.d regulatlonm ower &ml oonmtltute an a&ebmdat b/tumm*thm.Navl.gatlon Dlmtrlat *8 :

.

Honorablm B. L. Uamhburn, page 8

mad its l ~lapem r0r oapmnmmtlon in lieu d dmamgmm for pmr- mad Injuries l umtalned by mn mmployem in thm oomrme of him l ploymmat, lnjurlem so or for 6mthremultingfraopmrmcaml M86rlot h88 8IUt8iLWd. It 18 oar Opiniw that th8 NaVlgUiM athoslt~ to m8km a0 mxpremme4 or wed eewntmvh.imh vlth Its 88omntm to lnmtuwno* oontr8otm orme*, reg8rdlemm a of the imrm OS umh oontr8ct or regulmtlonm. There are no tatutem empowering mmoh Narlptlon Dlmtrlotm to eatmr into an agreemmat or adopt rm&latlonm u8b 8s are under oculder8- tion. Y!hererora, ywr first question 18 nmwered in thm noga- tire.

A8 ve hmve anmuered your first qummtlon b TAM negm- tlvo, it beooma manmommm8r~ dimoumm thm other qummtloaa prementmd in your inquiry.

Our Oylnlon No. O-4140 Is pplioablm mnd vi11 oon- u paragraph a of thm maid Cm ulmtlonm which provides trol r0r wdicel nib, hompltmlimmtion mnd & a4gm furnimhmdempkgeem tlon Dimtrlot vhtmh.~.::mumtaInablm 8s 8 pmr?i of of thm Navl oompmnmatlonwhmre this Bomrdhmm ma& gmamra2 ear nor tbmlr povlUeam theref or. In other vwdm, the Bavlgatlon Mmtrlot hu.uthorltyto.gru,.m part of the sgaotx04mpbnMt1mt0 be pld eaployee8, to fmrnimh stipulated l ervloem for hampfkl- IUtlom, drugs mnd mmdlmal mtteatlon. ittOV.VU?, 88 8tmtedin uld 0plnlo.u Ho. O-1140 thmmm omnot bm unlimited ln aaaunt or klad, aad mm&, thmroiore, bm for moms mmonmble fixed smxlmum 8mcMmt.

Yours wry truly AlToRNEY aNn?AL w TJaM By f42-dwoL

Ardmll u1lllmam Ammlmtant P APPPBVEG ‘\