417
OFFICEOF THE AtTORNEYGENERALOF TEXAS
AUSTIN
Eonoreble CherlMi 8. mrtie, Pe&r 8
vhe nvalntenence,oonetrwtlon 6t.01,nlee-
tiM6d in my inqU%X’y ir aOt OOfi?ined
to (the
ooQE#tructlonend xmlntenanoe of just county
roeda, but includes the ootvltmctlon end meln-
tcrwnos of other publio worka. Alno the pro-
posed work by such 8upetintsnC~t aculd oover
e period 0r t5m.*
Seotlon19 or Artiols 3871%. Bsrnon*s Annotetod
Clvll Statutes, provides a8 hollower
936~. 196 Artsr ths first day 0r %xnaary,
193S, it aball lo unlewfnl for thle State, or
for any or fta political subUivblon6, for eny
oounty, city, or town to sngeg6 in the aon-
struotibn or a0y publlo work invoiviw Qrvrer-
sionel eagiwarlng, wher6 publlo health; pub110
w6lrure or publie aarsty iatinvvXved uxileaa
the eaglneering g2en.eend ~pmirimS~n~end
est$.metse heve been prepared by, and the
vngiaearing oonrtmetfon 16 Co be erveu$ed
under the Ufrclatrupsrviaivn 0f.e registsrul
rofesslonel snglncrr; wotidod, that nothing:
E 0 this Aot aball be h&d, to app2.yto say
pablio workwhrrrb tha oont6mplet6flvzpeadi-
turo ivr the arm lotvd pxo4vaot4vnr not 6med
Throv Thounan& ( 88 ,ooO.QQ) Dol16mc 3ProvM64,
th6.tthlr Aat shell ast epply to eey rord
aeinteneaoe or betterment work mder%ekee by
the county coamle*lonsr~'Couru"
The term "publle work6' eabreou Ellaconatrwtion
~4 isprwmumtr , orQlnexily or a mixed netuxe Qesiqned for
publlb we, pratsotion or enjQ$laent. Clserly leeluded~unoeg
public-work8 are bridgesi ROhOpl bdBling8, WWtOZW~ti~ daDu,
leu6r *,oanelm and obeneeLe, Levee8 and eeewelle, whervee
and pier0, irrl&lon, r60lUntUtionend dr+e@ project*,
end hl@weyr end etreete. lndlvrd,everjr@rkunder%eken by
the State, e Oounty, munfoi$elftp or Other publio agency
1s ne~eeserlly in the broedert emwe, a *publie ‘10rlP.
34 Tax. Jar. 7&l.
The ward *bsttimmnttP ordl~%xily meaJlefmgroV6-
hente to property better the!%repeire. BoUYier’tI Law Dio-
Honorable Cherlea l?. Wwtin, Page b
tiorlary. We oonstrue the meaning of the worb 'Cbsttermnt
work",as ueed in the ti8t mmtenae or the quoted be~tlon,
however, a~ refsrri~ only to betterment work In oonmoticn
with roeds.
It is the opinion of this department, under the
rm8 stated, that Section 19, supre, Qoee not prohibit
the ColPrPlssioneca*
Oourt from eppointfng B person not pos-
eesaln$ the quelifiOationo~of an azkglneeres tlerinadin
Artiola SE71e, 7. A. C. S., ar e superintendent in tha con-
struotion of Qubllo works whsrr the ao8tam lated sxpenditum
ror the oov@eted pojsot doss no% sxoeed 89,000.00~ nor
ddee said motion prohibit the Cvnef8sfomrr* Court frosl
agpolnting auoh a person to aupsroiae any raad meintsmcnea
or mad betfsmenf mrk underteken by -ths,oountyCommit-
alonera' Court. :.
Where, however the aotlnt Commissloner6~ Court
en&gel. in the oonrtrue&n of pub1f6 worke whersln the
oonteaQlated expenditure ror the ooaplsted projeot sxoredr
&3,000.00, end such work.involves publio health, publle
welfare or publie 8atsty, and altao lnvolver professlone
engineering, it Im the opinion or thin dvpertmnent that,
while a non-englnemroould be ap alated ee gansnal sugw-
viaor of auch oormtrwtfon, Qdat f 05 19 require6 th6 oounty
to .enploy a registered prorrerio~l enginssr to prapere
the cm&mrrfng pleas ehd spselfisetlon~~and ostlmtov,
and the engineering oonstruotion, liketim, must be executed
L under the direat supervlslon of lruchengineer.
Iðer the oonetruotlon of a parti4uler public
wcrlc involves "proferrlriOna1
engineori& end whether *pub-
lto hsslth, publio welfare or publlo #ef&Yv ia involved,
are questions of feot, and eoneequsntly not 8ubjeat to being
ruled on by this depertment.
Trusting thet the foregoing fully an6were your
ingary, we are
9-J