OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTIN

Hon. W. J. lkConnel1, PreaGdent Htwth Texas State Teachers College Denton,Texas
Ds#lr sirs opinion no. O-6932

TNa is In of lOovember

9, 1945 w

State of Texa relative to t Nw-mal Colleg Teacherr Colle

2

opkaiom IS Feepectfully re0 tbs follovlag questioner

8 the city or Denton leg8lly for the use of said school an of pure artesianvat-ortree of cost to the State for all purposee of said school?

"2. May North Texas State Teacher8 College leg*lly tompeneate the City of Danton for vster used by the inetitutlonP

"3. Hap lorth Texa8 State Teachers College legally compensate the City ot Denton for water supplied to an extra-mural or akulllaryHon. W. J. McConnell - Page 2

entergrise, such as a self-supportingdormltory9

The Act of the Legislature authorizing the establlahment of Rorth Texea State Rormal College 18 found in @enera Laws of Texas,Acts 26th Legislature,Regular Session, 

### 1899, page 7%. and read8 in part as fallove:

"An Act to prorIde for the ertabll8hment, maintenanoe and government of 4 State Aormal School to be located at Danton, T8xa8, and be known a8 the Xorth Texa8 State Ram1 College.
"Qectlon 1. 'Be it enacted by the Leglslature of the St&e of Texarr That there eball be establiehed at the college heretofore known
as the Horth Texas State Iformal College at Denton, in the County otDenton,Texaa, anormal echo01 to be known a8 the lorthTexr8 State Nom College; provoided, that ths cltlxens end munlalpal authorities of raid city of Denton shall,vltNn elxty daya after thle @crttake8 effect, convey or cau88 to be conveyed to the State of Texan, by A good and perfect title, the buildiag8, ground8 and 

### otherproperty belong- to 

### or unsd by the eaid North Texan Normal College, end bind the city of Denton to furnlrh for th8 use of said school an Abundant rupply of pure arteelan water free of coet to the St&e, for all the 

### purpore8 of arid lchool, uNoh raZd **oonveyuice** and obligation shall be approved

### by the Oovemor and Attorney QeneFal; provided, that 8ald college building, when tezulered and accepted, 8hall b8 8ufflaient to 

### aoocmmodathat leant four hundred puplls; end provided further, that if the donation 

### and proposition asntloned hsreln 18 not fully oomplled vith by the city of Denton to the satlsSactlon of the Oovernor, Comptroller and Superintsndent of Public Instruction, then the loo&ion of 8uch nowal college shallbe open to such other place a8 the 

### Qovarnor,Comptroller axidSuperlntendent of Publla Instruationmay deem most tartilrfactory ad advantageous to the State.
"

. . . "ApprovedMarch 31, 1899 - Take8 effect 90 days after adjournment."HOn. w. J. bk~011Ik811 - Page 3

After the above Act we48 the City of Denton on October 10, Eassed by the Leglsl8ture, 1 99, by 

### properaction of it8 **gOVOrd.?&g** body, &Ba88Od A IWiSOlUtiOn

Mading in part as fO11OW8Z
“URSREAS, 

### by virtueof an Aat of the 26th Leglelature,

### beingChpter 53, LAW 1899, the StAt8 of Texer proposer to establish at the College heretoforeLnovn as the lorth Tevs State Xormal College, at Denton, In the 

### County of Denton, Tex88, a normal echo01 to be known A(I the Iiorth



### Terns State Rormel College; provkded that the cltlreae and nunlclpal 

### mthorltloo of salei City of Denton ehall,wlthln elxty daye 

### titer the kkiag effeet of said Act, aonvey or MWO to be conveyed to the State of Texm, 

### by good and porfeut title, the buildings, ground8, and other property belmglng to or used by the s&Id Llorth

Texar 10ormal

College, aad 

### bind the City of Deaton to furnish 

### for the use of Bald nehool an l

bundnnt supply of artealan water free of cost to the State for all the purpose8 of aald Bchool;

. . .I Bubreqwnt 

### theretothe Mayor of De&on, Mr. 0. 

### P. Poe, properly executed ma l.mtmment, parts of vhlah am quoted belov, 

### lakeepingwith instructions and authority given hir 

### by the City Council, in oonjunotlw vith the Act of the 26th Legislatureabove 

### m6ntloaedr
"YHEREAB,by !‘WOlUtiOA pawed by the City Council 

### of the City of Denton on the 10th day 

### of October,1899, the Mayor of mid olty vaa authorized and instructed 

### for and in behalf of aaid alty to exeoute aMi enter into an obllgatlcm in writing, binding tb City of Denton to furnish rorthe we of the HOOICTHTEXAS STATE IORMAL COLIJzog

an abundant supply of 

### pureartealen 

### vater free 0Z coat to tbs State aaaorbing to the term of an act of the 26th teglslature being Chapter 53, uws 

### 1899.Har. W. J. JkConnell - Page 4

"XOWTHEREFORE I, 0. P. Poe, Mayor of the City ofBenton by virtue of seld -8olution end In considerationof the estAbli8kh4nt at Denton of the RORTH TEXAS Sl'ATE RORMAL COLLEC+R se provided In 8eld act Above referred to, acting for 8nclin behalf of 8ald City do hereby oovanent mad agree and bind the eald City of Dentcurto furnlrh.for the use of 4aI.d lorth Tour State loma Sahool an abundant 4upply of purs atiealan vcrterfree of cost to the State of Texas 

### for all the purposea of eald ruhool."

Ths queetlon 

### befor u4 le whether or not thers wea ever e logal aad bWl.lng contract ln exlstenee a8 

### A reoultof the above rctr and if so, is the City of Xknton bound at tNa tW4 to fundah vater free of coat to ths College. An exhaustlva eeareh of the authorltlsrr has bean made by thir depertrmnt end although we have not found a QADO deoided by ow Supreme Court dlreetly In point, ve believe the following holdings in which 4lmllar quo&lone were up fop ~on8lderrtion eupport 0~ contention thet the contractwa8 In all respect4 legal and binding upon the city.

In 30 Tex. Jurlr., p. 115, paragraph 56 ve find the follovlng 16n@ager

'Amunicipal oorporatlon cannot, by contrrot or otherwise, 

### tmrrendec, delegate, or barter ova2 Its novernmental or leltlalatlve funttion or power8 vhoae uae8 and continued evailabllitr an srsentlal to the **public** gocsl# nor an it legally **enter** into any contractvNoh will emberrae4,pmvent, aontrol 

### or tnterferewith Its future 4XOrCleO of 8uch pavers. A statute wNah atteapts to give it authorfty 80 to do violates the conetltutlonal lnhlbltlon ogsinst irrevocable or uncontrolleblegrentr of ape&al privilege6 or lmmunltlb4.A (See Bower6 v. City of Tsylor, 24 3. U. (26) 816, holding that R. 9. 1925 Articles 1.018-1020, violate Conat. Art. 1, 

### paragraph 17, ln 43 

### fer a8 they pemrlt 8 city to close and vest conclusive control of a atreet in a railroad company for 15 years.Hon. W. J. McConnell - Page 5

Article 1, Section 17 of our Constitution reads as follovs:
“lo person’8 property shall be taken, damaged
or destroyed for or applied to public use vlthout adequate ccu~ensatlonbeing made, unless by the conGent of s&h peracm; and, vhsn taken except for the use of the State, ouch coamnsatlon shall be first made. or securedby a deDo#lt of moneys and no Irrevocable or uncontrollablegrant of swcial prlvlleaes end lmunlties shall be made: but all privllenea and fmnoNser wanted bv the Lekislatur
or cmated under its authority shall be subject to the control thereof." (Underscoring ourr)

In Foster et al V. City of Waco, et al, our Supreme Court, 255 S. If.1104, held:

"It is a general and undlnputedpropollltlon of lav 

### thata municipal corporationpossesses and
can exercise the-followLag

### povertv, and no others:

reasonable, I existence ofiubltantlsldoubt eonaernlng the

power 1s resolved by the court8 against the corooratlon.and the Dover 1s denied. Of everY - . d ,D oldent Fir&,. those nranted In exureatl v&dr; sewn those necersarlly or fairly ImDlled in or in to the novera exweaslp granted1 tNrd. those essential to the accomllstnent of the declared arrecta and Durposee of the oorvoratlon --not alm~ly aonvenient.but lndlrrwnuable.Any --*- Icur,

munlclpal corporation the charter or statute bz vNoh it la created is its ormuaic act. 

### Relther -thecorporationnor its officers can do MY sot, or make any oontrect. or incur any liabll authorized thereby, or by some 1enislMive 

### act applicable thereto. All acta bev@nd the acorm litr. snot
3f Tanted

### am void." (ii;laeracoring- ours) the povere g1

In City of Co un Chrlstl v. CentralWharf. II: Whae. co., 'p et al, C. C. A. 189;, 27 5. H. 803, the following language 

### la found:

"At moat their action was in excens of the povers conferred. The restrictions upon the powers of a city government am imposed by law for the protection of the inhabitants of the city and the general public. By proper proceedings, taken by the right parties in due time, all such trans-

### mm. W.J. McComoll - l'we6

gre8alaPaa

of povclr

8ay be prolgtly 

### remedied.

AbO, lU BOVOM **V.** CitJ **Of** I! 

### vhem it 

### v80bid thatArtlales Y **iOr,** Ot il, 24 S.U. 

### 018to 

### 1020,It.

8.

trollablegraatlr

OS apeala 

### gri%il~emor ~tlu. 

### (C-at. Art. 

### I, sea.l?).‘

In thea&e o? cityofBPonbu 1.BPuhmm Water Cw, 4 a. Ii. 143, suprne cwPt or Tuu, helcung: ‘A city ordlno~ce grated to l 

### watereompaaythe right md 

### privlle~e

for 

### thmternOS 25yean fromtha doptlaa 

### a? thlr 0~4iunoeor suppl- tin 

## cityofB.,ud tku%nbbltaatr Unroof, 

### vlth**vrko for**  dowmtia and **0th~** QuxQQ~~#. ud SOP tlm o%tin@mnt Of tin.

. . ..?weP glna to l 

### munlolpal eorporatlem

to contrurt 

### la relatfcm toagivul.

wbjeet mattop 

### doernotawry, by lmplteatlar, thepowerto aontrwt, 

### even vlthrefecllrroe

to that, 

### so l

### @ toe mburum and late&en with it8 future 

### aantrelorerthe 

### matter,u thepublloinkrut My PequlPe."



## Imtuutltmelal

a. 1. Fty.

co. v. &ldePaoA

## aoumty, rtel,l74 S.U. ~~,lmld~mlatum eouldgu~ valid lav requiring oocporatiom 

### to vhau it 

### had ir8\udehbrfsrto 

### Loop 

### Offlaes

in cert8i.n

lodlit~ lndsiynitsly.

In 1499.w. 1.I. Beltlen v*

## cityOSnlqma ?al.8, SupPew Co

In CityofTea@m v. Sheffield, 26 5. 

### V. (2) 417, Judge 

### Oallagher of Court of 

### CivilAppeals quoted ONet Sumtice 

### haor 

### 61 follmfst 

# ‘A mwlaiprl corporation hasno paver $0 

### cedeway or embarraw 

### theexereireof it8Joale-**Hon. Vi.**  J. 'icConn~sll - Fsga 7

9ii-a P ertorwnoe af it8 public dutle8 or from coAtrolllAg

uture a4 iti may deex best its rrunlclpal effeirar, an3 when E contrliot is .mde by ouoh corporetion whiah is ngt warrated by the statutory cluthorfte oonferred won it. tCe Kovernin& body of such city has et ell 

### time tha right to deolere It void and to refure OOmPlhno@ thsrsrlth.w (:fndersoorlAg ours)

IA 

### Earklnev. Orlando, 51 F. (ad) 901, it ~88 rtated:

"In ab8enee of atetut., au~loipal 

### oontrsat8u1 be for l **re88oneble** 

### time only 8~8~ in the 

### exerolaeof proprletory 

### runotf0na.~(Underrooring ours) Uo;juillin

Hunloipal Corporstlon8, Vol. 3, 840. 1355, page 1279i reoit.08:

*If there 18 A4 suoh PmViSiOA (08 to number OS yearr), the r4oroAablenne8r of the tine is prsrent84 for derl8ion; 

### and eontraotrr 

### tar 50 yeam, 30 ~emrm, 25 ye8r8 and like perlad have been held vilid. go where 4 oity ~68 authorbed to oontr8et for a 

### wetor rupply without 

### 1ImItetloxma8 to term, 8 pr~virlon to 

### paya oertaln 8um ye8rly for 

### 20 yoam for rator 

### supplied to 

### hydmmtr of the olty, thereafter the water **ror 88id**  hHr8nts tobe

l umlled rr88 of oharae: wea held to be within the Dauer of the altr and bindins 011 Belt th0 somDuq. ort v. Relfort, W8ter Co., 98 Atl. 736.* (Under~oorlng ours)

We are mindful of the faot that the o8se8 cite5 herelnabovr all are **b8red** on coAtraot8whleh Qhe oltler had nude or attempted to make with individuals or **aorporation8** end AOW oonorm4d eontraotual rel8tionr

### rlth the State. We think the law to be well settled on the que8tIoA of 

### the @wer 

### or a city government 

### eetlngin ltn proprlstory oaprelty, to enter into oontrsots th8 performme of which 

### would extend well beyond the tenure of offloe of thoee olty oflialalr 8wvlng at the time of the *ward. In Cltr of CroebyteA v. TexarNew ~exloo Utllitles Co.,157 S.:v.(2)W8, the Court of Civil Lppeelm h4Sd!(Reh.DeA.) "A 

### oitymay l xeralse it8 proprletory or busln4ss funotiona,aa by enter&g intocontractforprlvateintareate

### 634

0r itg inhabitanta or ltsalf. ln sama way and to rams oxtout ‘s ln4lvlduals or prlrrte oorporetions. n
?!ethink the oontraot undrr oonslderation in this opinlon is olearlp one involvlngproprletory 

## sots oi the olty. in addition to 

## the lmpllea wtborltg the 

### olty wouldhaveto ator 

### into8uoh IIoontrsot by virtue of its ohsrtsr, the 

### ~gi8iaturr, the tory orestor 

### or the 

## cltp 0r Danton 

## mad rrom whloh 

### body 

### 8alaoltg 

### d8rlY88 all its authority, roowsea ad furthers

extamlob thr sutbwlty of bho **oity to**  **80 sot**  

### ' whenltpas8.dthe

### Billrutfqritlng thel 

### 8tabll8hmont

et lor$hTexasStabe 

### WoraalColligooonb~enb upon the l xeoublon
.or ww 

### l

grwnmtaa harelnabore quato& (Sac El Paw v. Conklin &S. w. 989)

16 

### 18. the oonslasre4 oplnlon of 

### thisdopartaont that the City of Daaboa w&s aotlnu within its authorityat th8 tlme the **-88aant wa8**  **made;** 

### thsttho 

### oontraotwa8valid, **that it**  

### 180ra oontinuincr natureunb~80

long 

### a8 the mate 

### 0r Texas 

### aaintala8

uyl 

### op8rabb8t&o Tmoher8 Collage at its 

### proront

1008tion,

Me Cityor Denton 

### 18loq8lly b0uudtro rurnlsh watsr

### to bhr C01Lege ifes or **oo8t.**

**It** 

### iollowr,

thoreroro,

thitwe must*$,%rr oegatlro
uswar 

### tobothyour8aoonUuibthirdqw8tiooS. Vi8 tU* it we8 within the roamonable akxtlolpatlon of ~the

### Cltftbat abb$tion# **Would** 

### bo~uae $0 the 

### OOlhg8 88 **it** 

### y8w bha’ougbthhs **ymr8,** uul bhe “oxt.tn-aUml or 8uxlllry 

### witsrprlro, woh 

### a8 

### a 8olLt-8upporblng

dcmalboryw~

irorrbslnly 8 

### produstoi nolmml oolle~s *xpErlsl*.

very truly 

### your*

*TRUDY GEUERAL

OFTI?JAs B. Y. De3surfn **A88irbant** .