Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion

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.