. ’
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
Eonorable ;P. P. tierma, Jr.
county Auditor
Xaller County
i%empstaad, Texas
Dear Slrr
de are in reo communication re+esting
the opinion of t e above stated matter. ;‘le
quote rrom yo
em it neceamry for
king and oversight 0r County
horlty to require that I
ty purahaaes?
en for requisitions to be
urohase , County Judge, and
.iowever queetlon has arisen a8 to
can regaire that he approve requiai-
1661 !& C. 3. memia tia oover the ques-
tioers Who rhall sign requiraition; hawaver
ouch Artlo~i=a not prealudo the Audi-
tor’s re&rement or approval, in addition, ii such
6uditCW deemed it nsoem~ary ta th6 ‘-pro&r pollee-
tion, oheoku and socountiq (italias mind) 0r the
. .
462
iionorabls ‘ii. P. iiarmr, Jr., pa69 2
revenues and other fund8 end fees balongine to the
county’, as stated in Articlr 1656. H. C. S.
*For the *propar . . . sooountiug or the Reveauas
and other fun68 and tee8 belonging to the county*
under Article 1656, I deem thle neaeeserg, for the
4iaplo resson that it is neoserery that I reriry
thst ruoh funds are availsble ior the purchase under
the budget end thet purahsre mot8 other requlremants
or ler.
-If I o8n not epprore a purohaao before sanm in made,
than ea Z uudrr8knd the sltustfon, eny purohssa msde
for mstrriel8 or aerviaer used by the county, oan be
aolleoted tar by suit whetFor not such purchase
aonionssd to budget or other rec,ulremmtr of law.
-It is maoh awe practical to r4jeot auah purohasa
berore it is smdr--by rafualng to sign raqulrltion
y ther*for--than to rejeot dam4 aftar it ia made, and
arter auoh aaterlels or aervia=a used by the
7sizY. This ia an Invitation to law suits to ool-
loot the amounts OS suoh purohsser.
*Thereron, ror the rbcsonr ateted 8bovs, I deea it
neaeseery that I, 68 Auditor, el8o siern daoh requisl-
tions.
‘04 1, as Auditor hsvs the authority to require ng
signature on npuiaition in atlditlon to the other
r4Qair4asntrOS 8 r4puirltio5P
“1 an not a purahe8Ing agent.
“1 shell greatly appnoiak 8s prompt a reply as
posslblo regards this met&or, rI.llce It in 0r glwat
lmportano~.80 me, and sl~ao I 8h411 not know uhdt
aours to parour until I heer from you. Ho doubt
you h8r4 nndond l p r io r o p inio n r e g a r ding th i8
mdtter. but I. rail to rind 8enm in my three rolumer
OS opidon book&-
YO en inrormrd by th4 st4t4 oomptroll4r*r 0rri04 th4t
ounty ofriaorr la nrllor County 41.4 aomp4nr4t.d OA th4 basks
r r448 semsd by thOm in their orriaial oapeoltl4a. Tar the
. ’
iionorable ki. E’. Eermd, Jr., PirtP 3
purposes of this 0pini0A w4 shall confine our disCllSsiOA t0
the statutes sppliaable to counties operating on a fee basis4
GeAerSl provisions with reference to the purchase Or
suppllss ror the us4 of the county are found in Articles1638
and 1659, Vernon’s llnnotatsd Civil Statutes.
Article l638 providers
?3ido shall bs ssk4d ror all auppli4r.~for
stationery, books, blanks, records, and other
supp114s ror the various orrioers ror which th4
aounty is r4quired to pay, and the purahs44 msde
rrom th4 1ow4at bidder, sitar rmAg said bid
with the Auditor for r4aord.m
Article 1659 provIdeat
YNpplies of every kind, road and bridge mstorial,
or any other meterlal, for the use of said county, or
any of its officers, departmanta,or Institutions must
be purchased on competitive bids, tha contract to be
awarder% to the party who, in the judgment of the aom-
misaionerr court, hss eubmltted the lowest and bsot
bid. The aoanty auditor shall advertlss for e period
or two wseks in at least ant daily newspaper, pub-
lish4d and ciraulatqd in I&s ooucity, for suoh euppll4r
and material aaoordlng to epaaitiaetlonr, giving in
delis11 what Is needed. such sd?4rti84m4AtS shall
state whera the apeoifiaatioA8 are to b4 found, end
stiall giv4 the tim4 aAd place for receiving such
bids. AU such competitive bids shall b4 kept on
file by th4 oounty auditor as s part of the zwaords
of his Ofiice, SAd shall be subject to fASp4CtiOA
by any OAQ d4SiriAg to 844 them.. Coziest Of all .~
bids r4o4irsd shall b4 fUAi4hed by the aouuty
auditor to the county judg4 and to tha aommle-
slon4rs court; and when the bids reaelvrd are not
satLsraatory to th4 said Judge or county aommis-
eloA4r8, th4 auditor 4hall nj4at raid bid4 end
n-adv6rtiru for A~W bids. In 0eses or 4m4rgonoy.
puroharrr not IA 4x0488 or 0114 hnnar~d and arty
dollars f+y bs msde UpOA raqulsition:.~ 80 be ap
proved by the aommissionere court, without adver-
tlefng for aompetltirr bids.*
464
.ociorable ii. 1. .:ams, Jr., 3*g4 t
F~rorlslon8 pertairniig to thr pirohaass or arrtdn sup-
lfer by th4 c@mir4lcm4rr * court BSO rotid ia AXTXG 23xb
;;dita”,d seotion 1, Arti 389yb, ir4mion~r Anootstad Civil
.
Art.1014 2358 proqld6s;
*Thr ooiiiialrsionero oourt by an order entered
of r4aor8, s4r oontraot as homaluf tsr ~rosaribod,
. -.
sith soma ruitablo far&on or prsonr zo suppry tne
county with b&m& b@oks, a11 l4.@1 blaons and lt+
tloiiwy 88 k#y b4 rd&r4d by 14~ ta 'b4 ~urAls&d
tii4 oopatf orricialr.~
Article 2359 prooid6st
Vh4 oourt sir&U advJrt%w, ?t
aamirslan4~r
lsast 01104two yrtrr, ror 444144 prop08414
in 4rorr
to furnl4h blati boakr, 14gal blanks, rtatlorrr~
ssd such otbsr printlAg 6'0 ieey 54 m&red for the
county for the terra OP ouoh eoiitratot,plod shall
mc4fvo aaparato bids ror the difi#ZvAt alaeo4s
heninafter dseigzuitad. iiuoh adv4rtlwrawAt ohslf.
b4 01184 by the couiatpelurk, who sb8ll notdfy by
regiatereb l4tt4r, aash nawspswr aud jab prir,t-
ina hotlo in !&hooouafy, and at l~srt thaw
stationery and prtnting hew348 lo th4 istetsx,0r
t9r time raid oontrnct lrr to &CJ
erati@d, lurd of
the wobabla emat of 8uppller noedad.*
1;4OtiOA 1, Artiole 3699b JU?OV~~QS~
"Th4r4 shall b& ellowd ta C;ounty fud~346, Clar~r
of thm 0istrlot end county r^ou.rts smrlris, County
‘Trsasurerr, .X%xAssoasors and Co 11.CCtOrS, SUeh books,
SitCitiOA4~, inoludin blw mu baodr and aluIc ao+
plalnlr, #Ad otti04f UTA~tUlW a* My be 54e4rs8ry ror
thalr ofHoa#, to be prfh far on the order of the COR-
aission~rs Co& oub~of the aounty Tr~esrury; and rut%-
sblr OfriO Shau 8180 k pTOTide& by t&8 COadSS~OA~rS
a $ a m lxgwle@ or 8he ooullty.
GOUT%fo r wit Oc tiOOT8
And suoh books aad stationeryes ore neoorsr~ in th4
performmoe or th4lr huti shell 8180 be rum3.sh44
Zurtio4s or th4 P4eo4 by ‘rclld Coamirrloa8rs Court.
2ovlded
. all puroh4ses her4Ln must be ogprovad by
th4 c ssloA4ra Court and met be cm&4 u.nd4r the
pr0Ti p”’
iOA8 Of Art1414 1659, ii8ViS4d Civil ststUt48
of 'ADas8, lY25..
465
Donorable iv. P. iWrm0, Jr., page 5
Provisions pertaining to purohaaes and %xps,ndItams by
county offiosrs ror certain items; when said orfioers are aou-
pensated on a ree bawe roua in 3eetfon (a), Artiale
3899, Vernon~s Ahnotated Clvll Statutes, lhloh provides In part
as r0iiow8;
*At the olose or aaoh month or his tenure or
orrhs eaoh orriccr naned herein who is oompenaated
on a roe basis shall make as part of the report now
required by law, an iteaised and sworn statement of
all the sotual and neoesssry expenses Inourred by
hF4 in the conduot 0r his orrio%, saoh as stationery,
stamps, telephone, promlums on orrioials* bonds, In-
eluding the ooat 0r snrety bon&r r0r hia mputies,
~prea.Ium on fire, burglary, theft, robbery insurance
proteoting pub110 funds, traveling exPens%s and other
eeoeosary expenses. The ComuIssion%rs~ Court of the
oounty or the Yherirf*a resIdeno% my, upon the
WrlttenSnd sworn applioetlon Of the Sheriff stating
the nooeasity therefor, purchase e:quIpment for a
bureau of orlainal identifloation suoh a% cameras,
fingerprint oards, Inks, ohemioals, microscopes,
radio and labora tory equipment, fillng oarda, riling
cabinets, tear gas and other eQuipsent In keeping with
the aystsa In we by ths Department or Publlo Satety
or this 5tate or the United 3tates Department or
JUatlO% and/or Bureau Of Criminal ldant5fIoation.
Ii auoh expenses be lnourrsd Ia oonneotion with any
partloular CBEB, suoh statement shall name suoh case.
Such expense aooount ahall be subjeot to the audits
of the Couaty Auditor, if any, otherwise by the Con-
i mIasIonars~* Court; and If lt appears that any item
or such expense was not inourred by suoh 0rri06r
or suoh item was not a neoesaary expense or ofri00,
mob Iteln shall be by suoh auditor or oourt rejactod,.~
in whioh oaao the oolleotions of ‘suoh item may be
adjadioeted In any oourt or oompeteat jurisdiotion.
me amount of aalariea paid to Aaalstants and Deputies
,shall also be clearly #hOrm by suoh orfioer, giving
th6 nsae, position acd amount paid eaoh; and In no
event shall any oifioer show any gnater amount than
aotnally paid any suoh Assistant or D%puty. !Pha amount
or sush expenues, together with the amount or aslari%s
paid to Assistants, Deputies an6 Glarks shall be paid
auf or the fees earned by suoh orriesr. . .a
In Opinion 36. O-1753 this d%partment passed upon queo-
tlona relative to the Interpretation of statutes pertainlog to
466
iionorable U, P, treraa, Jr., page 6
the mnner and inethod 0r purohaees by oounty orrioers ror the
~6% of the oounty and upon %xpenditur%s authorized to be -de
my oertain oouuty ofrloers In the, oonduot of their orrioes. $6
we enolosing a oopy or said opinion ror your oonvenI%no%.
ieid opinion held that Artioles 1638 and 1659 were general
statutes applfoable to the purohaee of supplIes, an4 that
~rtioles 2358, 2359, =Ieotion 1, Art1016 3899b, and Section (a)
irticle 3899, ‘aupra, Nero sp%oIfie statutes r%latIng t,o the sub-
leot or purohasa oi oertaln suppli%s and th% asking Of oertain
~xpendltws. It was further pointed out In said opinion that
rhere there is a ge5eral statute deellng with the subjaot, and
it the same tims l peoial statutes relatln,g to a portion oi the
taze subject in a aors debit0 way, the oorreot rule or statu-
;ory oonatrustion In suoh 08~s Is stated la the opinion of Lx
‘arte Townssnd 144 S. iv. 628, 6&l, as follows:
*Itis aloo w%ll establish%4 that, where ona
statute deals with the subjeot fn oompr%h%nalv%
term and another statute deals with a portion of
th6 a.+% subjeot In a sore d0rieit0 way, the two
should be read together, If poaalble, with the
view to giving 6freet
to a conaIstent legIslatIv%
policy. Xowever, If there Is any neoessary aon-
rllot between two suoh laws, the speoial will
prevail over the ge5eral statutw. Where ths
speoicrl ntetute la plakmr, it will be regarded
as exoeption to, or qualifioation Of, the rior
general one, and, when the genema sot is Pafar,
the speolal will b% oonstrued as readning an
exoaption to its terms, ualeas- it Is r%pale4 in
express words or by IatplloatIon. cyo. 36 1151)
Rodgers v. United States, 185 U. 8. 83, 2kStip.
. ct. 582, 46 L. lsa. 816; Rosentra5s v. u. a.,
165 u. 5. 257 17 sup. Ct. 302, 41 L. &dr 708;
LazonbJ v. S&they, 151 ILO. App~ 285, 131 S. Vi.
708.”
he opi5ion rurjihr pointed
out that srotlon (a) of Art1016 3899,
upra, oontePaplak4 purchase 0r the ltmu
the rnumrated by the
frfcerb or t&u oOtity as show5 by the ~quIrem%nt that all of
uch pnrohaaos or expenditures Jaunt bo ap roved by the oouaty
aditor, if any or oth%nisa by th% aoad asla5ers~ oeurt. Aho,
2 thl8 oonaest~on we oall your attention to thi raot that Ar-
101% 3891, Jeraon’s Annotahd Oirll statutes, bp00iri06u.y
rOVide8 ror the peywnt of the expanaos authorized under
rtiole 3899 by the orrioor hb86lr. Said opinion further
sld that the purohaue of legal blanks stationary ana siroilar
JPPlIes by the oomaIsaIoners* oourt o $ the county itbelr, Is
1
. 467
Xonorable ‘if. P. ‘JlroU, Jr., pew 7
aontrolla& by the prowlrio& of Article8 2358-2367, and Beotion 1,
artiola 3899b, a8 to the aannar or 8uoh purchaear and the manner
or 8rr00ting ao0ptitir~ bid8 thereunder; and rurther that the
emarganop provision8 or Art+* 1659 are applioabla to purahese8
by the oO,ami88ionarr)' OOkirt Of 8uoh 8~pi~~l.ia8; and th8t the pW-
o!msa of oartein 8Upplie8 by the, oounty DffiO0rS who 41% aOnQ34n-
sated Oil 8 r00 b48i8 5.8 OOntl-Ollad by BOOtiOn (a) Of AJZtiOl0
3899, dupra, rayuiriw 8UOh puroha8er to be subjaot to the audit
or the county auditor, If any, Otherwise by the COL&Ui88iOnar8'
aourt.
Thus, under our atatutac), In a oounty operating on a r08
bBSi8, them 8l'4 thX00 @+RerEd 01888itiOatiOll8 Or &Woh88a8l
(1) rhm~a puroh8sar mstda under oontraot by the
ooavnla8foners* ooant, ertsr the advartiring
iOr bid8 88 providrd by kW;
{2) Saarganoy purohWa8 (got In bIGa88 or ~150.00)
made by r*C318i8iOlI 8&.tpMWd bJr the OOmmi88iOn-
ar8* oourt a8 authorized under Artiola 1659; and
(3) Oartein puroh88ar snd axpa4ditura8 by aouaty
ofriaerr 8UthOrizad to be peid out or thsir
rer8 of ofrfoe,.
‘Share 8upplie8 h8Te bean 3NXOh88ad under oOntr8ot by the
:oD3lQlasionar8’ oourt or under axiarganoy rttqti8it~Oll8 authorized
)y the CO0Dli88~OIl0r8' OOW't, the fMOtiOII8 Or the OOUUty audltor
cith reepeot to euoh puroha868 era defined fn Arti 1660 and
.661, FxTAO~'S Annotated Civil .%8tUt’ik, iJndor the QrOVi8iOIl8
ri said Artia~es the County Auditor'8 rUIIOtiOiI 18 to amnina
'611.. 018i.1~8, bill8 and aooount8 against the oounty* (Art. 1660)
md "he 8h811,not audit or approre any 8uoh olati unlea8 it
ia8 bean contracted a8 provldrd by law, nor ant 8OOOUQt ior
;ha purchase Or 8Upp1ie8 Of 08tePi818 iOr the u8e Or raid oounty
'r 8ng Or it8 Orri00r8B ~dO88 in addition to other raqulre-
aLlt8 Or law, there i8 attaohaA themto a mqUi8itiOa signed by
ha otfloer ordao~ 8US4 end 8pQrOVed by the oount~ judge. said
aquisitfon ~~28% be made out and ri&nati and approved in tripli-
ata by the aald OmOer8, th8 triplioak to remain with the
rri08r da8iPbg tihe purahau , the duplioate t-0 be tiled with
ha oounty audltor, 8nd the original to be, delivered to the
arty from whom said pufoha88 i8 to be ntada before any p~Ch48a
hall be made." (Art. 1661.)
. .
‘. 468
Lonorabla if. P. 2arm8, ?a&* 8
;i:ithrafaranoa to the matter or raqulaltion8, artlola 1661
clearly 8tata8 that requisition8 nre to ba slgnad by the orrioar
making the purohasa and approved by the county jud&e. #e find
no authority for the oounty auditor to mqulm, a8 a praran,uisita
to approval of a olnlm baead on 8uoh ~urohasa, that tba raquisi-
tion shall be al&nab or approved by him when the purchase 18 rnada.
3aotlon (a) or Artlole 3899, Vernon*8 Civil Statutarr, 8upra,
authorizer expenditure8 ror erpenrar incurred by oounty OfflOlai8
who are compansated on the fee b8818 iIl the OOAdUOt Of their
OrriO08, ruoh 48 8tatiOnary, 8tUQ8, telephone, premium8 on offl-
cials' bonda, lnoludlng the oost of surety bond8 for hla deputies,
premium8 on rlra, burglary, theft, robbe& insuranoa ljrotaottig
pub110 rUad8, trqvaling axpen8a8 an6 other naoa88ar~ expanse8
subjaot to the audit of the oountf auditor, If any, otharwi8a by
the commia8lonar8~ oourt, and ii it appears that any item or 8uoh
expanse we8 not lnourmd by euoh orrfoe~ or such Item we8 not a
recasaary ax~anae or orrioa, suoh Item 8hali ba by 8uoh auditor
or court rajaotad, in whloh u8aa the ~oiiaotlon8 Of 8u4h tte4
may be adjudlcatad,ln anp court of oomptant juri8diationi ~The
amount or 8uoh expunae8 shall be paid out or the rd.8 earned by
such orrloar. With rafaranoa to 8uoh items 0r expanse lnourrad
by oouuty Offloar8, we find no authority for the oounty auditor
to raqulra hi8 approval of 8UOh Item, of ax~an8a at the tima euoh
expama i8 lnourrad, 48 8 prepqui8ita to iai8 approval or an
orri0d3 axpenaa aaoount.. The OOIMty auditor*8 ftltlotion i8 to
audit such axpanra aooount, a/tar the mport haa bean rubmittad
by the ofrloar to determIne whether 8uoh ltam of lxganea hare
teen aotually jnaurrad and am naoaeeary In the legal oonduct of
suoh ~frioa.
Altho;lgh tha ootmty auditor ha8 general ovar8ight over the
Sln,anoa8 or tha oounty, tha exarolw.or suoh ovar8ight with mr-
aranca to QIArOh4808 made and axpan incurred for the use Of the
county or by .~artain offloar8 In the oonduot of their OfriOCI8, i8
darinad end aontrolled~ by the OpSOifiO provi8ions. or the 8t4tdte8
Pel'tainin~ t0 8Uoh pllrOhe8a8 8nd eXpen808. In view or the rom-
6oing and in view or the raets given, it 18 the opinion or thl8
dapertiant t&at the oounty auditor tr not authoriaad to mquim,
a4 a.prarequl8ita to hi8 approval 0r a olalm or ltaa8 or axpanre,
that 411 raqui4ttiOn8 for 8Ueh puroh48a8 or expanre item8 shall.
be algnad or approved by him at tha tiae the purchase 18 made or
the expanse I8 inourred.
‘Se trurt that tha foregoing fully answer8 your Inquiry.
Your vary truly,