Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion

Hon. Mitchell'Williams Opinion Ho. S-99 County Attorney L*n County Re: Several questions '- Tahoka, Texas relatlhg to purchase bf fir& fightids equipmentby Lynn County. Dear Mr. Williams: In your request for an opinion of this offiai JOU WVe stated that 111 taxpaying irotetisof Lynn Counti,-Wh$oh' has tipopulatioh ol 11,,039,ha*eie‘pstItioned ths~ho~iri~oiiers~ cburt to ordek-aneIbctioh~oathe.~~questlo~ 0r thw oougtt’e purchasingfire fighting equIpme&. ~. ~.The 'pititlob'do¬ d&its 'ir~th;;P.thi:C1)ctlddils .. _ _ solishtuhder'~~tlbIe.2351~;2'.oi. AStGl& '2351a-~-6?.V6Hioa1s. Civil-Stiittif&Ai, but thb~rehbon~ble.iiss~~ptibn‘ii,bla"th~.iij~dlag 6f'.thd~@etit16n'iihdath&~ c]scumstances'oZltlj#i@&it~tiiWii- .thaC'tIw am a,dklng tor.an sl8etion uri&= A&iol~ pet1tioner.s ?35la-1. Atilolo _~-,. 2351a-1 _ reabr .,_ ._ 81_ foilo&i - "~~Cb~I81li6n~~ Cburt ld~a~ll. boiuit$oK.ot thii-Statsi&ill bi autlibriseil ‘to fiiaLih ilw plrdti;ctioir..a~d-iifs~ilehtiirg'~qlli~~t ditt*i. .* .intihi-dom:reti*i. ~‘ to:the-, ,.ii*sidi-'-t~- -. *xtt ."H~ .- 1iiPf;iiif-iirj; sit$;'tom;'6#-vi lage vithin t&s Eouyty‘aadta a~dJ13itiagoon&tfhl;i.'~~TliaColl)ia*"‘~-- 8ioiierrCoiiW'iMl I'~JiaiaisJ‘:th& -Siii$h&4*.'$& 'purohiiao _,..._, .~ flrb twcks a&l 6tWi;arTS~b-t~lr;bt~'-'-~Quipnnt w& . ,_. .X@ ._ first advortirlng+~'~*~ii~~~-a~-ot.-A~-- aniJridslii~@~'bt fibreoo, as provided by liv. couhty'of thlr to enC&p l&o l . . Hon. MLtchell WIlllNns, Page 2 (S-99) tin me of the fire truoks and other S&e tight&g lqulpimnt of the olty, tom, or tillam. It Is simclfloalli*ovided tlhat the a&s of,iihyp&on or imrsons vhlle'- fighting fires; traveling to ok'from iine, or itiauf ma&nw fumlsbing flm *ota&bloo to the cltlzdns of a oounty 0mia6thb s** llmita~ofshy.oLty,.tovn;m rlllam, .&all W'oonslderbd ab the aots of agmta 6t'tZY o-tiii~~lnall'robpeots;nottitbrtarding‘imUb prson' 02 persons may be regular l*l'gwr flnamn of a oltf, tom, ok village. Ho q-ty, 7: tom ok vlllago rith'lna count? and/or aajoinlngoountlos shall be hild liablifor t&-acts of any of ltb emplqyeer vhllo en- gaged in frghtlng fires outside thb ‘Bitj limitb pnrsuant to a~~.oontraot tbarotofrmb enter6d lntotbbetween~the Comls~laae~s Cou# '_ OS the oounty and t&'g~vemlngbodp.bf+b alty~tovn, W village. Provldid hovw@;' that any five bqulpinent ptik0haa0a W any . Ooun~~bhall be dono'onlfby a majislty Vote of pi5pmty ovnlag taxpayam and qua1WiiM .: ,votaM of mioh ooauty;ht a oormtpilU9eleot%om . called. for .~. suoh pqore." , Article 2351a-4 ., raadss .-*Pb' Camnl3sionePsCowt of any oouh* la - this btak.lis herM#y~astlsoclced~to puWmu'i IBM- and bther’i3.m fighting.epulpmnt to k vlt3tnit~thecorporate lL*lta of atqlrmolp&ateil Ei~~~OF 'anaZtipXpent thw~ol'lm-lnir*, tomj autlvwlLwato Issue lltbertiam ramentb ojp.'~' n@gtXablr bonds, bi both,;of th6 OOUlltf, arid to levy and ~olleot tisuriw~agalnstthe oouhw -al fund in paymoat thereof; porlded, ho*Pivv, Wt any suoh vamantm owbonds miistWie’ Wiii’atMIot- @ed 8y a majmitr oS the Qzalif2~~jzWpW%q . ’ voters, vho had dulr 'ranZ16(id~‘tb)2s- tiaxpllring saw f* taxation, voting at Be eWbtr(ih’~WW calledfa that puppome by c$hDC&mXrrGWirr Coet, ruoh bond8 ahd var&an%s t6’bi”traclll8” aad ssah tax*6 to be letfod and. iso~lW%~, iir aooalrdanoeVittithe povlsfons~ bf‘Oha@tiB1,. Title 22, Revised Civil Stat&is oi‘2irbSi .'-a_-' mlng tWlasuanoe of bo6da.m &XtiiL, t?e, and/or aounties in this Statoz and povlded Ron. Mitchell Williams, Page 3 (S-99) itither, that ahid warrants ar~bondd~till"be isatied6~19 in'S\i‘oh BIPbunt&amount8'a# HI1 ht all tlties~1;8ave Pemtilhlngand unilrouiiQ&red suffiolenttaxbs foi.general fuhd ~pIJP@6#eritb~~ fully take oare of all current expenses those- Of." ._ - Tou bade asked nine quebtlonarigardlng thb ao@- btrui&& and applloiltion of these statutes,whtoh we #hall stat0 and disouas one by one. _ ONE. Is it mandatory under th& -QUESTIOl'i above-facts that the commlsslo&rs~~oourt aall an election? Neither Article 2351a-1 nor Article 2351a-4 author- lz@r or'pr~vldesffn?the gresentatlonof a pbtltlon t6the - commlbaloners~court.' It follovs that any-petitionpresented to the court has no'legal standing,Bad the oourt'ie not re- qulred to order an eleotlon by virtue of euoh a pe%it$en. TWO. Assiamlng that th* ctmmla~ ..QUXSTIOIi si'one%slo'ourt'oallsthe lleotlbn'~hbther'tbe~ are repuiPbd to OT not;wl.ll the general eleoti$m Jar0 apply? Section 1 of the Texas $lection,Code(Art. l.Ol,-' Vez%oii'SElootlon Code) 8e'clareathat the provl.alonbof tb Code shall apply to'all *l&otions held in this State';exoipt as othertise'~ovlded therein. Since'aelther~Artlo1~2351-a-1, A-Ftlcle2351ad', nor.t.h@Eleotloa Code provides.Zor a'dlf- fereiat~~pooed~e,~the general elictlim laws till applito my any election oalled pursuant t.6either of these . tus statutesi QUESTIOI?THREE. Aabumlng that the elehtlon is callbd'ahdpassed, does'the comii1issloh6tib" o&art $s%e &iithtiltjto leaue bonda In payment f.0~the equipment? ..: ~~ : .~ ~;.:..: : .I,.. QDESTIOR Form, Asskialng'that t&b elb‘dtion is called;and passed, doeb~tb cdjlmlbalotl~Ig ooui%have authority to lssue~'int~z%at 'b&&F time warrants in payment iOr 'thebqrifikiiint an3', if 60, from what fund till they be papable!, _ ,,_, -, --, Article 235la-4 speclfloal.1~ i?&io~lri~~tli~~ibelidlial, of bbnda oi time varrante, or both,,'Iti.@@niht 6f i'%4"f&&ht- lng bqulposentpurchased for.the'proteQtlbti bP~t?btihii~+i@~~ _,.. P'mptY 0 In faot, the sole purpoaa bf'aii'6le6tlon oall’id ‘- tinderthis article I.8to vote oh‘th&~lsbliano~'oi btidd ol?'tliae vamants. Howwe~, a oounty does not have authority to ls8ue Eon. Mltchdl wflllam8, Past 4 (S-99) eith&‘%onds or tI.mewarmats ln’pa equi@ont ~plrrohatid, Uod;rrArtlole 0Z iipnihlug’ flro gi’otectlohto Theso queat’oam we ~%%&on V-1200 tl951), cable r&lo8 at lmgth. All Zip@~fight%&) ~ulpbsat purohased‘undereitlioiibf them statUei!muit k pailli foa out bf tba 06nn%y88 geiural tind, uh@thm pald”oM of M?ront fads or through bonds and- warrariCs irruM mant to Artlole 2351a-4. Att'y &n. Opr. 6-4300 (f&, v-12000 QU8M?ICH Fti.6 ABeuml~ that Lynn a ff truok, would @#unty logally pirrohac~s’ ft be ~$mrmlas~lblo fm th. oommlmlone~s’ oo‘W% to lnter into B oontraot with an’lnobrporakd Olty within thr oohnty tb operate’the tmok and.-toe fiiridshfee ptikotiba’tbPeYro8’to rural amaa in tba oount$ Mm8 them arq ho 0rgaaSzeilvolp;ntrerilm departments in t& rural areas? The sipst mdoiwl* of hiptiole2351a.9 oonmw th, bommlssioners~aburt the \sn”oad aathoritfto potoGtlo!ito ruPa1 lnhabltantts of tha aouaty. rIQWug?i $ho : ootrptlb om OS.1lmltW j&irl.EdiobioQ; -bidil~aSOi#r8’~ ‘@ha grBnt of h power to ttlw oomluslObom* oourt oapMH rdtl% Lt aathorlt+ ‘to’ixirrolrra bmad the .%apliaC~ dl8oNtW@ .to a+ intended aa air. A,PP~19 cir. App. 19 ‘tit us’8.0 Hiot&r theoseimplied,pow8~s WW limit+ w SuPtbl, prbri,lotu of Artlole 2351irQ.’TIM ar‘cod and tha la& WntenoW s8oo@ilei.tti, .‘autliOFiBy~ W to pwollilsemill nt but ~lirplt the iroiautj ,lt ‘: till, H... qulr&wnttrf* oompatltiveii- lddlngand for”‘i?ikiX “TIO6bNd~ ~Theupmm’ authaplw of tbm’ooimtj tb~aontsU% WSh ‘CL tiltyfor t& tameOS olty-OWbd oQul&8hit,,Obn%aSdM.‘ti the third aent.@I10@, lm not,ln our opIalon;iiUml%htWn 00 the amangemmatr vbloh a oour&tymay lawfullylnWB Hon. Mitchell Williom5, Page 5 (s-99). . into ibr the operation of couhty'-owned rquI@mbnt. 'the- st‘atute do@5 not prostirlbe' the mbthod or aginoy f&the op+ratlon‘of county-own&dequipment. It does nbt ro-" strict the county to operationthrough Its own &ploya~o. In Snollen V. Brazbrla Couhty, 224 S.W.2d 305~(Tax. Clv. App. 1949, error ref. n.r.c.), the commi8slohers'court of Brazorla County had contracted for thi op5rMilbn of a-county-ownedfire truck by the volunteer flri dapllrt- ment of an unlacoPporatedtown, and the cotirtrvldehtly found.,qothlngobjaotlonablain this arraqgoment. We think'%t.would follow that the commlzslon~rslcourt coiild al&o contraot wlth an Ihctiporatidcity or town'fw.the operation-ofcount -ownad equipment. In Attorno~ QsnoralI5 OPliiloa04326 (19'12)it wa5 hold that tha.county could make a oontract wlth a oltj for the armlees of a utllltr mn tommaintain oounty-ownadfire truokb. 'Slmllarl~, a cbuhtf~could bontzlotwith a city for the bervioea bf neoozsarypersonnel to operate county-ownod'equlpment. ii note l&t the o8iptLanof this ,hotatatoz that It authorizes cbuntliz tb provldb fire p&oatloh anifl rlzli, fighting equipment "elthar by the purbhase aridmklntonanoe by the county o? the nooozsaryequlpaont, or by wow- Pintoobntraots with the gbvernlngbody of xtiez; towna, w villages . . . for the uao oi the fire fighting lqulpwnt- bf the city; towa, or villago." We are ol the'~opinloti that a~hasonablo~,ooncltruotlbh of this languhgo ken not law . tw authbrlzatlonnarrow& than the Intetiprstatlon thlctiwe have given tha bbdr of the'act, PUrchase and malritirmnor" by thi county aoos'not foreclots operation by Cl.tflmploy~os a5 tW obuntf“s agent& in furirishlug fire protection‘.The. statute lx$@issljrmakes.tbi persona irhooperate elther altr or 'countfoqulpmintthi agents of the 'cotinty wh6n mnlshing fire'prdtictlon to~rtial'lnhabltants; even though thdf q sq of Uminldipality. ThirE Iz~tibthlng-'- be Pogul$kr'eroplojeia- '- in'thi'daptltin'or the b&37 of thi a'ot'tdpreventi th& cotitj'r 66ntrtiotlng iritii tho'aPt$fti the &irVliidis of'Its .omplb*os to-a&‘&rj~agontuof tha oounty in obratlng county-ownad equ-ent .I. - : . ..: _.: _. In answer td'yd& fifth qtiabtion; lt'%s'o&. - oplalon that the couatjmay contract wlth a city Snc tM operationof county-ownedfIra trucks by emplOy'& of the cltj for the purpose of iurnlrhlngrural f-8 &&.eotion under Article 2351a-1. QUESTION SIX. 'Assumingthat Lynn County has'logallg purchased a fire trucksin accord- aaci with law, does the commissioners1court have authority to lntor into a contract with an incorporatedolty In the county whereby the . . . Bon. MitchatlfWb'illfama, Page 6 (S-99) cltf Is :to op&ate'avldmalntafn.tbeocgufyor@nt A tii o? abet to thi isountyand fW1Bfbh rrppar fipi potectlon therewith-inokchange ?CIPthe . i. oltyQs Pigbt to use the irqulmnt tithln the limfts 0r the lnoolsporatrdoi%yT The coimzlsaloner5sOOUP% li gfrou air%horl%yto at+act tith the oit7 for the ~80 of the fwa raghtuq~~ .~ equlpmehtof the oiw "upon auoh terms aad‘souU9Wolraa#,'~ shall b& a@?eed upon." The oontraotr ooh%emplatlld'in thle Bent* .. ape to be with oltleb wblbh have ?I- .d#prUPC1Un%r and tE selves owu and'operatrffPe fightlag eQtilpsi;~V., Cfearlg the coutraotoould ppovlde fog a mone%aay paldllwt by'the bounty.' Attoy C&n. Op, 04160 (19#).Tt 1s -a that the oountr cbuld albo contract lfltha'ol$J fos %M rorvlcob of city employee8 to oporate~oithezclq oP . coimty lqulprwht and oould pay the alw fos?theab sirvloee~~ Iiwtead of mooita%y payments forkuse b‘i tint 0~'fop the 5ePvlPiais of ltb would7zeprw for the: oount$ to tb'altr to be permission tD the"~eltyti9W.~tha ooiinty-owiiid equipsant ulthln fta'ooPpqPat@lIi<$~:Xt ' ljillst bb tC5ik1w&that fn'-'makiag th9 oon%wabt tb pErt$ir - tlould'adjubt~-thi tiezms50 that‘tM oo*&a*atPon wouU--k ?&lr &ixd.+sohabla to both'paptl&a. 'pls) oxtea% o?~t:b i&WpermFt%ed vlthliith# ompo&ate Urnits oi &J$oalt$ iihould b;,~oomeixwate with thB value of%h& arv$o&m whloh'tb olty and .ltrl mplopeee would pfnder %o the county. T .. oouiityua*hoiae!@s~ ~~zind o%h@pP-0mity -@Pop&q-'~- ldd&t&d.~ldtheco&%$ bUt.wItbdu%tli@.tioPPpi9a%e li-titcr~~&?'hny -linisapbPataod-~i%y'~~%~OW, @hn the-W@ tiiiiskJ&.'Qri9d h.Tbo%o~fiiiah-ffiaO ~of;dCtlod'to'the"oI%fzoeli'd?'tge oBunt~‘xW +gdIng o~$%tiSUCthe sI%y ltiltr of any BftpO %$wn or vlllamo3 cilJmFx6oaBljmm. Xf Qtm!3taoa. seven lo anuwbi=ed in tW~af?l~tivc, Basktliaagall- 51in1er5~~ cow% an%er %A%0 aoaizaip%eaa apolfled la e%%h@F Qfmt%o~ P&a 080Qwe%loa Six. or.bo%hV Aatlcle 935la-1 requ%Oape~%:Bat~pur&.aeB of fllW?l& Ing eqiaigaihtlqa e6tintyfaa &I$0p&o%egb%fon.of'*~sitO1f dud rural propertyb@ au%hopleod by an eleet:%oo0% %h4 proportt . . . ,.: Bon. Mltxho~1Yflliams, Page 7 (s-99) taxpaying vbters of the county. An election iwthorliilhg tha~irruabooof bondr'or time warrants'for tbi pvroha'mo of oqulpment for protecting ooimtf-ownedproperty under Aptlole 2351~1-4yould no% disp&nse iittithe nebessity ior an iloetion under A~tlole~2351a~lbefore the 'oountycoUld undePtalcr to prooidb‘the eQuiplarnt?or turntiahlngtire If only an lleotion utBYer has beon held, the county would hbt~have autM&y to purohaso mori equipment than is moeeea td potect oounty-owhedpro&&j and vould hot be authcm1 s&l .to u&e the lqulmnt for furnishingppoteotionto wivak mopew e However; a aounty which has purohaaed f%re ht- log equipment uhdir Artlole 2351ad could cbntraot~~?or3 ha operi3tlon of the equipment by a bltf for the purptisobf grotecttng'theoduntJ-bvnedpopertj and oould wmlt the city to utie.thelqlrlmnt Wlthlh its 1lmlta"to~thelxWntr of the value'of the services thi city Was renderlngtb -~ oounty, inbtead of making a money paymeht i@ th+ INWI~O~. Ftwthomom, a couuty which has'purohasedlqtaipeiahtundn Article 2351a-4 would not be precluded l%om contpaotihg y fritha‘clty under Article 2351a-1 for ixaeof olty-owned lqulplrentin p+?ovldingreal fire potection geneTally. QUESTIOM NII@. If Quastfon FouVlh " .. ansireredltithe aiflrmatlveas to the isau- 8000'o~lnt*r&st-be&lng tl& warranta, may bonds w Issued to roiund the warrants uudes tha provlalvnm of'AxM.cle2368a, \*.6.!8."1 . Ih answer to QuestloL Bow we haw".&ieod'fou that time varPBntiimay bo lestieaonly %m %a psarrohaeebf equl~t to.#Citeat county-owd'wopei%y u~W~As%%o10' 235laa. 'Tli8i@rrahta, ff'legally ibsrnod,may k sWuMed into bpnds urid@ tb provlrlona of Soetfon 70 mabd. (d), of Article 2368a. The soimiaslone~m~ 00\1potis not poqul&ad to call ah lleotlon oh the pwohaae 0rPfi.80 fighting equipment when it haa been petltioned to do 80,~as tin petltlons nre unauthorizedand have no legal'atandlhg. Anate.2351a-1, 2351a-4, v-0 OS0 Thr gerural ileotlon favs apply to lleot%oas oallod mn:?oE either of thee@ r~atutes. mo oom~~~locu~pu~court may ~0utrPaotwith an Iuaoppwated city wltbfn t&m ecuBy to OpePate ., . county-ownedf’lrefighting eqclpoent ior furmishlng fire protection to rural.area8 .: ih the county, and as considerationfor Its soivPces the city may be permlktedto usi the equipment tithin Its tiopporateZimltb’ to the extent of the value of the aervliaez. The County may not fuztliish ffre prtiteotla tb privately owned’rural p6w&y with equip- PIentpur’chasedunair Article 2351a-4, whi‘oh authorizes purchase of equfpment for ppoteotlon of oounty-ownedproperty only. Yows very truly, JORN EIENSRRPPRRD. APPROVRDP Attorney @enoral Rob.& S’.,TNttl First Assistant . John Bin Sheppeti Ry%pfw’ MW K: Wall Attorney GeWal Assirtant