OFFICE OF THE AtTORNEYGENERAL OF TEXAS 

AUSTIN 

417 
Eonoreble CherlMi 8. mrtie, Pe&r 8 

vhe nvalntenence, oonetrwtlon 6t.01, nleetiM6d in my inqU%X’y ir aOt OOfi?ined to (the 

ooQE#tructlon end xmlntenanoe of just county 

roeda, but includes the ootvltmctlon end melntcrwnos of other publio worka. Alno the proposed work by such 8upetintsnC~t aculd oover 

e period 0r t5m.* 

Seotlon 19 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 aonstruotibn or a0y publlo work invoiviw Qrvrersionel eagiwarlng, wher6 publlo health; pub110 

w6lrure or publie aarsty iat invvXved uxileaa 

the eaglneering g2en.e end ~pmirimS~n~ end est$.metse heve been prepared by, and the 

vngiaearing oonrtmetfon 16 Co be erveu$ed 

under the Ufrclat rupsrviaivn 0f.e registsrul 

E 

rofesslonel snglncrr; wotidod, that nothing: 

0 this Aot aball be h&d, to app2.y to say 

pablio work whrrrb tha oont6mplet6fl vzpeadituro ivr the arm lotvd pxo4vaot 4vnr not 6med 

Throv Thounan& ( 88 ,ooO.QQ) Dol16mc 3 ProvM64, 

th6.t thlr Aat shell ast epply to eey rord 

aeinteneaoe or betterment work mder%ekee by 

the county coamle*lonsr~' Couru" 

The term "publle work6' eabreou Ella conatrwtion 

~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, 

l eu6r *, oanelm and obeneeLe, Levee8 and eeewelle, whervee 

and pier0, irrl&lon, r60lUntUtion end 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 meaJle fmgroV6- 

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 poseesaln$ the quelifiOationo~of an azkglneer es tlerinad in 

Artiola SE71e, 7. A. C. S., ar e superintendent in tha construotion of Qubllo works whsrr the ao8tam lated sxpenditum 

ror the oov@eted pojsot doss no% sxoeed 8 9,000.00~ 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,oounty Commitalonera' Court. :. 

Where, however the aotlnt 

en&gel. in the oonrtrue&n of pub1 f 

Commissloner6~ Court 

6 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-englnemr oould be ap alated ee gansnal sugwviaor 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 lruch engineer. 

Iðer the oonetruotlon of a parti4uler public 

wcrlc involves "proferrlriOna1 engineori& end whether *publto 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