6 . .
325
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
. mmr Sir: OpinionNO:O-6670
RI: Whrthrroountyon
In your latterof Juno 2
of thla brpa,rUtmnt, you ret0
recent 49th Legialrturo and
puotrd fromyour lottori
*Can the rariour o
t the publio roaC equipment or tools to
axy ;a; fh6r6frOn 16gally. 31 ccmider
quest.8 under this oplclon number.
ill 60 t0 NhiOh you refer ~~~8k6sl it a penal
0fr t3n80ror ln.Y offioer or thir State or or lm oountr to
knoringly use 6r permit to be used Sor Drlrati- Drorlt to-
himself other than to the State, oountf,or muniolpallty
any property, rupplles, equipment or other thine or value
aonorable Gonad Plorenoo, page 2
wlongin& to auoh mat0 or
or knowingly uao or kIlOWiKl(l4
oounty
,*@t to 00 uud ror mlratr profit to hlmarlf tho labor or
peraon whoa* 1 lbor or aOtVlo0 ia paid iOr by
suoh bill likoti88 m8k80 it a penal Offen iOr
w poraon rppolntrd or l aployod by any OfflOOr lnJ oounty
or b7 tho oomdaaionora~ ooust or uv oounty or a4 prraon
•~agr~ In parformlry any bualnoaa of my o o unty
howoror lmployod,
to ~WW~LI& ~0 or knoringly lr mlt
to b0 UH~ r0r DadTat ororit
anyluppl P la 0 uipaent
proprty, and othar thin g* of
to auoh oouaty rod &Vi” thr labor Or rerViO0
or any parson whore labor or aarvloo 10 paid for b yluoh iountjr.
The wr a lMotmont 0r the rborr par1 lAr UOrkm no
&a~8 upon and boar not affaot the powara and authority of tho
va r io usomeiraionora* oourte lI prerontly and horotoion
lidtad and oontrollad by the Conatltutlon md law8 parrod by
tho L.&iO~OtU?O. Tha anawr to tha aboro @O~tlOM tharaforo
&aprnb on whothor or not auoh oourta ln lr~raaal.yOr by ~IOOD+
aary lmpliortlon ruthorinad by law to drtota or pemlt to k
und. oounty o wnedlqulpment upon prlratr property with or without
oompeinoation thornfor.
Tho gonarrl rulo with refrronoo to tho powor ld ruthoriW
or luoh oourta la puotad fmn 15 Oorpua Curia 5>7, 4a SOUwar
"In acoordanor with tho grnoral rule hwatoion
atatsd, that county board8 or oounty oourta hato no
powarr other than thoao oohiorrod lxpraaaly or by
noorarary lmplloatian, luoh oourta oc borrdr hare
nl) paor to rant or loaao property or irmohlur
own06 by tho oounty, in the lbaonoo of 8tatUtOrY
authority to do 80..
In our Opinion Ko. O-3328, approved August 1, 1941, thin
depirtzant held that the comciesiontrs* oourt ::&~ar.o euthority
to leaae road Bachinsry or road equipment to an lndlrldual, ooc1-
parg or aorporatior for the construction of any works OS Lm-
provment lfioiudin~ aviation fleldr, camp eitea, or road8 out-
side the boundaries of the county. ‘Ge herewltt attach tar your
lnforzitior a copy of such opinion ooxtalnlng applicable auttori-
ties eovorriing kilo gL;aetlol;.
III Opinion Ko. O-2034, l pproiod Uaroh 12, 1940, a copy
Of whioh la atfaohrd, this department held thatthe eomm.iaalotera~
oourt bed no authority to lease road opulpmont or machinery, ruoh
aa traotorr and grader*, to a oontmotor who ha8 taken a oontract
to build a road within the county. In thir opinion refemnoa la
nede to ;irtiole 2372c, Vernon’s Annotated civil Stetutes, relating
aonorable Conard Florenoe, pace 3
w the employment of road oonatruotion or otirrmaohlnery or
go44 equip-nt in tha rerrloo0s roil oo5aarration and preron-
.tien of roll waste through lroalon. We are unable to find any
lrw whloh authorizer oounty owned equipment to be devoted to
and wad upon p r iva pro te lrty other than the foregoing
Utlole 23720 or raid ata e utea.
It la therafora tho opinionof'thla department that tha
~ommlaaloner8~ oourt hnu no authority through lta various oom-
~saionora, whether with or without oompanartion to uaa or
oounty omod lqulwent
ba wed upon prftataly ownad
Astlolo 23720, V. A. C. 8.( howavor, petit8 oounty
ery or Wad 0 uipmont or road oonatruotioa aaohinary to
be lmployad upon prPvate ywrtp in tha rorrloo 0s roil con-
lerrstion and the prevent 05 of roll waste through erosion in
looorbanoe with the provisions of auoh law.
Yours vary trtiy, -
wJ&K:LJ
en&a.