OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
&morable l?.Y.
f&unty Auditor
fhllw&w
XavarPo cxxnty .I',
co3?8icana,R9xaal
I
,I''5
Bear Sir1 opz&lon x0.
Rer k%&ber 1 olA,,ioaof't&it+
mJpot18m Lav
flonarable
E.Y. Cunningher, 'age 2
If that 18
JOUP OplniOa, Vhetvotild be the proper
procedure to alear up the matter. Koom ofPered
to reuign hi8 non-8xlxriCdpoe:t:.on, but the Con-
tiusfom3ra nnd cmlntg Jbd&J vant a ruung before
8UCh aatlon is wmaldered. will bfoortc'x 1'88i&ne-
tion be reqzlmd, ox’ vlU bll88 Ccrxey'ar'@sQna-
tion be th@ cam-cot proeedura?"
Under ths pX’CW1SiCSl8 of Articles 432, 433 and 434
of the Penal Code, no oiflcer of the State rmr any munialpal
SUbdiV5S1Oll thfWlOf, llOF6IIJ’
OffiCW OX’lWBbtW Of rnJTi%&O
or munlc;ipalboaFd 8hall appalnt, or vote for, or aonflna
th8 appointment to any office for employment of asy per8on
related vlthln uerbein specified dsgress to him or to xuy
other member or such board, vhero tha cae(ywnaxtion of 8uoh
percronis to be p&d out of public fund6 or feea of offloe
or any kind vhatroevel?.Evasion ci nspotlsm by traa and
approval of account8 or the dmvlng OS vmmnts to pay the
ampwaaetlon of imy 5.nellglbla oflker or par8on a*~ aL80
dealt with. ‘the 8trtUte provide8 al80 for the ~8hmsnt of
Ury pSl'8OIl VhO ViObtiB8 8ng Of it8 pl'%Wifli~.
Article w79, Vernon'8 Annotated ClvSl Statute8,
authorTxe8 the cam&881sloner89 court to eppoSnt 8FX mxidurt
propwty taxpay* ul.t1rAm8 of the aounty vho 8h&. aoMti-
tU8e b.board at mQJC8 Of t.heOOUnty ho8pitril,AZ'ti8le
4480, V@~XWSI'SklW%Otited Civil Statut;er, xlxongOthOr thill@~,
provldos that”th0 board OfBBumge4F8 eh8lleleetrroa!lamong
it8 IW&XW~ a president and ona or more Vi~Oe-prf3Uid~t8 adl
a 8earetary and a tre8murer. It shall ap?ofnt a supwi.nten-
de%s~;Ef't&ehospltel who shall hol? oSSlee et tha plea8ure of
Ssld 8~perintem-¶ent 8~1~11 not be a m&bet Of the
board and &all be x quxllf'led prwtltlonor of mediieor~
rpeeially trxlned f'crwork of mmh character....
8htlll fiX ths fB81ElFiC8 Of th9 ~l'titW&Ult 8Iid fdl OthW Offi-
uere and employeesvith.Snthellmlto~tha appropriationasdb
thfawfor by the 00~!nuX881oxm~8~ OOtU’t, arpd SUCh SaltWit Shalr.
be ooqmmntbn in ful: fOl’ Cdl 8fJX’ViCW CBIldWl?d...r ThPhe
boerd ahxllhmw the general ggsnt and oontml oi Paid
hospital, grounds, bulldings,PplJBp
elf aers xnd employee8 themoff
for the lmxtes therein mid of all rtter8 relating to the
g?vernment, ditcipllne,oontFaOt8, and phymical L3oxLoeHMJ
the~8of) and make 8uoh rulea end rsgulatlon8 a8 may s4ex!to
th8BIHxwae~aeryfor oarrylng out the purposleof such ho8pital
....
Honorable E.Y. Cunningham,Page 3
Article 4485, Vernon's Annotated Civil Statutes,
provide8 in pert that:
"'fheauperlntendentshall be the chief exe-
cutive officer of the hospital, but shall at all
times be eubjeet to the by-lava, rules and regu-
lations thereof, and to the power8 of the board
of malaagelw.
"....He shall, vlth the consent of the
board of m&era, appoint such resident offi-
oere and such employees as he may think proper
and necernary for the efflalantperformanoe of
the buelneae of the hoapltal and prescribe
their dutie8t end for oause rtsted ln rrltlng
he may dlsoharge any suoh officer, en@oyee at
Ns dlsoretion,after giving suah officer or em-
ployee an opportunityto be heard...."
It will be noted that under the above mentioned
statutes the board of managers ah811 fix the ealarles of
the superintendentand all other officer8 and employees vlth-
in the litit of the approprlatlonmade therefor by the eommie-
(lionore'court and that the superintendentof the hoapltal
oan appoint or employ euclhresident offlcera and employee8
ae he may think proper end neoe8,srryfor the efficrientper-
formanoe of the buelness of the hoepltal and prescribe their
duties when sating with the consent of the board of managece.
In view of the above stated facts and the foregoltng
statutee,you are reepectful3.y advised that it Is the opinion
of this department that Mise Coxsy say not be legally employed
by the hospital 80 long as Hr. Moore,la a member of its board.
The resignation of Mr. Moore, or the discharge of His5 Eoxey,
would be a proper proaedure to dear up the matter. The faot
that Hr. Moore, as s member of the board, has nut participated
la the employment of Was Coxey OF in the dieausslonaor vot-
ing vhen the question of salary h&a been before the board
vlth reference to her does not alter or change the situation.
In this aonnectlon,ve direct your attention to the case of
Fsirlesa v. Cemeron County Water ImprovementMstrict Ho. 1,
wonorable E.I. Cunn(, Page 4
25 8W 26 651, wherein it Is aaid:
"The employmentof appellant was a plain
violation of the nepotism lev, sad he has no
aause to complain because of his dlschatge by
the board of directors,who, upon learning that
they were acting oontrsry to lav, promptly dls-
charged him end relieved themselves of any
charge of willful dlsobedlenoeto the Law."
In thlo aonneotion,ve want to point out that if it
la the desire of the board of managers to employ Mles Ooxey
it would be necessary for HF. Moore to resign his position
as 8 member of the board and after his resignation,the board
Gould legally employ Miss Coxey.
Trusting that the foregoing fully answers your in-
quiry, ve aI%
Ardell Williams
Assistant