Hon. Mitchell' Williams Opinion Ho. S-99 

County Attorney 

L*n County Re: Several questions '- 

Tahoka, Texas relatlhg to purchase 

bf fir& fightids 

equipment by Lynn 

County. 

Dear Mr. Williams: 

In your request for an opinion of this offiai JOU 

WVe stated that 111 taxpaying irotetis of Lynn Counti,-Wh$oh' 

has ti populatioh ol 11,,039, ha*eie‘pstItioned ths~ho~iri~oiiers~ 

cburt to ordek-an eIbctioh~oathe.~~questlo~ 0r thw oougtt’e 

purchasing fire fighting equIpme&. 

~. ~. The 'pititlob'do& not d&its 'ir~th;;P.thi:C1)ctlddils 

solishtuhder'~~tlbIe.2351~;2'.oi. AStGl& '2351a-~-6?.V6Hioa1s. . . _ _ 

Civil-Stiittif&Ai, but thb~rehbon~ble.iiss~~ptibn‘ii,bla"th~.iij~dlag 

6f'.thd ~@etit16n'iihdath&~ c]scumstances'oZ ltlj #i@&it~tiiWii- 

.thaC'tIw pet1tioner.s am a,dklng tor.an sl8etion uri&= A&iol~ 

?35la-1. 

Atilolo 2351a-1 reabr 81 foilo&i _~-, . _ .,_ ._ _ - 

"~~Cb~I81li6n~~ Cburt ld~a~ll. boiuit$oK.ot 

thii-Stats i&ill bi autlibriseil ‘to fiiaLih ilw 

plrdti;ctioir..a~d-iifs~ilehtiirg'~qlli~~t to:the-, -. ditt*i. .* .intihi-dom :reti*i. ~‘ ,.ii*sidi-'-t~- *xtt 

1iiPf;i iif-iirj; sit$;'tom;'6#-vi lage vithin t&s 

."H~ .- 

Eouyty‘ aadta a~dJ13itiag oon&tfhl ;i.'~ ~Tlia Coll)ia*"‘~- - 

8ioiierr CoiiW'iMl I' ~JiaiaisJ‘:th& -Siii$h&4*.'$& 'purohiiao 

flrb twcks a&l 6tWi;ar TS~b-t~lr;bt~'-'-~Quipnnt X@ 

_ ,. .._, .~ 

first advortirlng aniJ ridslii~@~'bt fibreoo, as 

w& . ,_ . . . _ 

provided by liv. +~'~*~ii~~~-a~-ot.-A~-- 

couhty' of thlr 

to enC&p l&o l 
. . 

Hon. MLtchell WIlllNns, Page 2 (S-99) 

tin me of the fire truoks and other S&e 

tight&g l qulpimnt of the olty, tom, or 

tillam. It Is simclfloalli *ovided tlhat 

the a&s of, iihy p&on or imrsons vhlle'- 

fighting fires; traveling to ok' from iine, 

or iti auf ma&nw fumlsbing flm *ota&bloo 

to the cltlzdns of a oounty 0mia6thb s** 

llmita~of shy. oLty,.tovn; m rlllam, .&all 

W'oonslderbd ab the aots of agmta 6t'tZY 

o-tiii~~ln all'robpeots; nottitbrtarding‘imUb 

prson' 02 persons may be regular l *l'gwr 

7: 

flnamn of a oltf, tom, ok village. Ho 

q-ty, tom ok vlllago rith'ln a count? and/or 

aajoinlng oountlos shall be hild liablifor 

t&-acts of any of ltb emplqyeer vhllo engaged in frghtlng fires outside thb ‘Bitj 

limitb pnrsuant to a~~.oontraot tbarotofrmb 

enter6d lntotbbetween~the Comls~laae~s Cou# 

OS the oounty and t&'g~vemlngbodp.bf+b 

alty~tovn, W village. Provldid hovw@;' 

that any five bqulpinent ptik0haa0a W any . 

Ooun~~bhall be dono'onlfby a majislty Vote 

of pi5pmty ovnlag taxpayam and qua1WiiM .: 

,votaM of mioh ooauty;ht a oormtpilU9 eleot%om 

called for suoh pqore." , . .~. 

'_ 

. 

Article 2351a-4 raadss ., 

.- *Pb' Camnl3sionePs Cowt of any oouh* la - 

this btak.lis herM#y~astlsoclced~to puWmu'i 

IBM- and bther’i3.m fighting. epulpmnt to k 

vlt3tnit~the corporate lL*lta of atqlrmolp&ateil 

Ei~~~OF tomj 'ana ZtipXpent thw~ol'lm-lnir*, 

autlvwlLwa to Issue l ltbertiam ramentb ojp.'~' 

n@gtXablr bonds, bi both,; of th6 OOUlltf, arid to 

levy and ~olleot tisuriw~agalnst the oouhw -al 

fund in paymoat thereof; porlded, ho*Pivv, Wt 

any suoh vamantm owbonds miist Wie’ Wiii’atMIot- 

@ed 8y a ma jmitr oS the Qzalif2~~jzWpW%q . ’ 

tiaxpllring voters, vho had dulr 'ranZ16(id~‘tb)2ssaw f* taxation, voting at Be eWbtr(ih’~WW 

called fa that puppome by c$hD C&mXrrGWirr 

Coet, ruoh bond8 ahd var&an%s t6’bi” traclll8” 

aad ssah tax*6 to be letfod and. iso~lW%~, iir 

aooalrdanoe Vitti the povlsfons~ bf ‘Oha@tiB 1,. 

Title 22, Revised Civil Stat&is oi‘2irbSi .'-a_ -' 

mlng tWlasuanoe of bo6da.m &XtiiL, 

and/or aounties in this Statoz and povlded 

t?e, 
Ron. Mitchell Williams, Page 3 (S-99) 

itither, that ahid warrants ar~bondd~till"be 

isatied 6~19 in' S\i‘oh BIPbunt &amount8'a# HI1 

ht all tlties~1;8ave Pemtilhlng and unilrouiiQ&red 

suffiolent taxbs foi. general fuhd ~pIJP@6#eritb~~ 

fully take oare of all current expenses thoseOf." ._ - 

Tou bade asked nine quebtlona rigardlng thb ao@- 

btrui&& and applloiltion of these statutes, whtoh we #hall 

stat0 and disouas one by one. _ 

-QUESTIOl'i ONE. Is it mandatory under th& 

above- facts that the commlsslo&rs~~ oourt aall 

an election? 

Neither Article 2351a-1 nor Article 2351a-4 authorlz@r or'pr~vldes ffn? the gresentatlon of a pbtltlon t6the - 

commlbaloners~ court.' It follovs that any-petition presented 

to the court has no' legal standing, Bad the oourt'ie not requlred to order an eleotlon by virtue of euoh a pe%it$en. 

..QUXSTIOIi TWO. Assiamlng that th* ctmmla~ 

si'one%sl o'ourt'oalls the l leotlbn'~hbther'tbe~ 

are repuiPbd to OT not;wl.ll the general eleoti$m 

Jar0 apply? 

Section 1 of the Texas $lection,Code (Art. l.Ol,-' 

Vez%oii'S Elootlon Code) 8e'clarea that the provl.alonb of tb 

Code shall apply to'all *l&otions held in this State'; exoipt 

as othertise'~ovlded therein. Since' aelther~Artlo1~ 2351-a-1, 

A-Ftlcle 2351ad', nor.t.h@ Eleotloa Code provides. Zor a'dlffereiat~~pooed~e,~the general elictlim laws till applito my 

any election oalled pursuant t.6 either of these tus statutesi 

. 

QUESTIOI? THREE. Aabumlng that the elehtlon 

is callbd'ahd passed, does'the comii1issloh6tib" 

o&art $s%e &iithtiltj to leaue bonda In payment 

f.0~ the equipment? . : ~~ : .~; .:..: : .I,.. 

QDESTIOR Form, Asskialng'that&b elb‘dtion 

is called; and passed, doeb ~tb cdjlmlbalotl~Ig 

ooui%have authority to lssue~'int~z%at 'b&&F 

time warrants in payment iOr 'the bqrifikiiint a 3', 

if 60, from what fund till they be papable!, _ ,,_, -, --, 

Article 235la-4 speclfloal.1~ i?&io~lri~~ tli~~ibelidlial, 

of bbnda oi time varrante, or both,,'Iti.@@niht 6f i'%4"f&&htlng bqulposent purchased for. the'proteQtlbti bP~t?btihii~+i@~~ 

P'mptY 0 

_,.. 

In faot, the sole purpoaa bf'aii'6le6tlon oall’id ‘- 

tinder this article I.8 to vote oh‘th&~lsbliano~'oi btidd ol?'tliae 

vamants. Howwe~, a oounty does not have authority to ls8ue 
Eon. Mltchdl wflllam8, Past 4 (S-99) 

eith&‘%onds or tI.me warmats ln’ pa 

equi@ont ~plrrohatid, Uod;rr Artlole 

0Z iipnihlug’ flro gi’otectloh to 

Theso queat’oam we 

~%%&on V-1200 t l951), 

cable r&lo8 at lmgth. All Zip@~ fight%&) ~ulpbsat 

purohased‘under eitlioii bf them statUei! muit k pailli foa 

out bf tba 06nn%y88 geiural tind, uh@thm pald”oM of 

M?ront fads or through bonds and- warrariCs irruM 

mant to Artlole 2351a-4. 

v-1200 0 

Att'y &n. Opr. 6-4300 (f&, 

QU8M?ICH Fti.6 ABeuml~ that Lynn 

@#unty logally pirrohac~s’ a ff truok, would 

ft be ~$mrmlas~lblo fm th. oommlmlone~s’ oo‘W% 

to l nter into B oontraot with an’ lnobrporakd 

Olty within thr oohnty tb operate’ the tmok 

and.-toe fiiridsh fee ptikotiba’ tbPeYro8’ to 

rural amaa in tba oount$ Mm8 them arq ho 

0rgaaSzeil volp;ntrer ilm departments in t& 

rural areas? 

The sipst mdoiwl* of hiptiole 2351a.9 oonmw 

th, bommlssioners~ aburt the \sn”oad aathoritf to 

potoGtlo!i to ruPa1 lnhabltantts of tha aouaty. rIQWug?i $ho : 

-bidil~aSOi#r8’~ ootrpt lb om OS. 1lmltW j&irl.EdiobioQ; ‘@ha 

grBnt of h power to ttlw oomluslObom* oourt oapMH rdtl% Lt 

the .%apliaC~ aathorlt+ ‘to’ ixirrolrr a bmad 

intended aa 

dl8oNtW@ .to a+ 

air. A,PP~ 19 

cir. App. 19 

‘tit us’ 8.0 Hiot&r theose implied, pow8~s WW 

limit+ w SuPtbl, prbri,lotu of Artlole 2351irQ.’ TIM 

ar‘cod and tha la& WntenoW s8oo@ilei .tti, .‘autliOFiBy~ W 

the iroiautj to pwollilse mill nt but ~lirplt ,lt ‘: till, H... 

qulr&wnttr f* oompatltive ii- lddlng and for”‘i?ikiX “T IO6bNd~ 

~The upmm’ authaplw of tbm’ ooimtj tb~ aontsU% WSh ‘CL 

tilty for t& tame OS olty-OWbd oQul&8hit, ,Obn%aSdM.‘ti 

the third aent.@I10@, lm not,ln our opIalon; ii Uml%htWn 

00 the amangemmatr vbloh a oour&ty may lawfully l nWB 
Hon. Mitchell Williom5, Page 5 (s-99). 

. 

into ibr the operation of couhty'-owned rquI@mbnt. 'thest‘atute do@5 not prostirlbe' the mbthod or aginoy f&the 

op+ratlon‘ of county-own&d equipment. It does nbt ro-" 

strict the county to operation through Its own &ploya~o. 

In Snollen V. Brazbrla Couhty, 224 S.W.2d 305~ (Tax. Clv. 

App. 1949, error ref. n.r.c.), the commi8slohers' court 

of Brazorla County had contracted for thi op5rMilbn of 

a-county-owned fire truck by the volunteer flri dapllrtment of an unlacoPporated town, and the cotirt rvldehtly 

found.,qothlng objaotlonabla in this arraqgoment. We 

think'%t. would follow that the commlzslon~rsl court coiild 

al&o contraot wlth an Ihctiporatid city or town'fw.the 

operation -of count -ownad equipment. In Attorno~ QsnoralI5 

OPliiloa 04326 (19'12) it wa5 hold that tha. county could 

make a oontract wlth a oltj for the armlees of a utllltr 

mn tom maintain oounty-ownad fire truokb. 'Slmllarl~, a 

cbuhtf~ could bontzlot with a city for the bervioea bf 

neoozsary personnel to operate county-ownod'equlpment. 

ii note l&t the o8iptLan of this ,hot atatoz that 

It authorizes cbuntliz tb provldb fire p&oatloh anifl rlzli, 

fighting equipment "elthar by the purbhase arid mklntonanoe 

by the county o? the nooozsary equlpaont, or by wowPinto obntraots with the gbvernlng body of xtiez; towna, w 

villages . . . for the uao oi the fire fighting l qulpwntbf the city; towa, or villago." We are ol the'~opinlotihat 

a~hasonablo~,ooncltruotlbh ofthis languhgo ken not l aw . 

tw authbrlzatlon narrow& than the Intetiprstatlon thlcti we 

have given tha bbdr of the'act, PUrchase and malritirmnor" 

by thi county aoos'not foreclots operation by Cl.tf l mploy~os 

a5 tW obuntf“s agent& in furirishlug fire protection‘. The. 

statute l x$@issljr makes. tbi persona irho operate elther altr 

or 'countfoqulpmint thi agents of the 'cotinty wh6n mnlshing 

fire' prdtictlon to~rtial'lnhabltants; even though thdf q sq 

be Pogul$kr'eroplojeia- of Uminldipality. ThirE Iz~tibthlng-'- 

in'thi'daptltin'or the b&37 of thi a'ot'td preventi th& cotitj'r 

66ntrtiotlng iritii tho'aPt$fti the &irVliidis of' Its .omplb*os 

to-a&‘&rj~agontu of tha oounty in obratlng county-ownad 

equ-ent .I. - : . ..: _ .: _. 

In answer td'yd& fifth qtiabtion; lt'%s'o&. - 

oplalon that the couatjmay contract wlth a city Snc tM 

operation of county-owned fIra trucks by emplOy'& of the 

cltj for the purpose of iurnlrhlng rural f-8 &&.eotion 

under Article 2351a-1. 

QUESTION SIX. 'Assuming that Lynn County 

has' logallg purchased a fire trucks in accordaaci with law, does the commissioners1 court 

have authority to l ntor into a contract with 

an incorporated olty In the county whereby the 
. . . 

Bon. Mitchatlf Wb'illfama, Page 6 (S-99) 

cltf Is :to op&ate'avld malntafn.tbe ocgufyor@nt A 

tii o? abet to thi isounty and fW1Bfbh rrppar 

fipi potectlon therewith-in okchange ?CIP the . i. 

oltyQs Pigbt to use the irqulmnt tithln the 

limfts 0r the lnoolsporatrd oi%yT 

The coimzlsaloner5s OOUP% li gfrou air%horl%y to 

at+act tith the oit7 for the ~80 of the fwa raghtuq~~ .~ 

equlpmeht of the oiw "upon auoh terms aad‘souU9Wolra a#,'~ 

shall b& a@?eed upon." The oontraotr ooh%emplatlld'in thle 

and tE 

Bent* . . ape to be with oltleb wblbh have ?I- .d#prUPC1Un%r 

selves owu and'operatr ffPe fightlag eQtilpsi;~V., 

Cfearlg the coutraotoould ppovlde fog a mone%aay paldllwt 

by'the bounty.' Attoy C&n. Op, 04160 (19#).Tt 1s -a 

that the oountr cbuld albo contract lflth a'ol$J fos %M 

rorvlcob of city employee8 to oporate~oithez clq oP . 

coimty l qulprwht and oould pay the alw fos? theab sirvloee~~ 

Iiwtead of mooita%y payments fork use b‘i 

tint 0~' fop the 5ePvlPiais of ltb 

would7ze prw for the: 

oount$ to tb'altr to be permission tD the"~elty ti9 W.~tha 

ooiinty-owiiid equipsant ulthln fta'ooPpqPat@ lIi<$~ :Xt ' 

ljillst bb tC5ik1w&that fn'-'makiag th9 oon%wabt tb pErt$ir - 

tlould'adjubt~-thi tiezms 50 that‘tM oo*&a*atPon wouU--k 

?&lr &ixd .+sohabla to both'paptl&a. 'pls) oxtea% o?~t:b 

i&WpermFt%ed vlthlii th# ompo&ate Urnits oi &J$o alt$ 

iihould b;, ~oomeixwate with thB value of%h& arv$o&m 

whloh'tb olty and .ltr l mplopeee would pfnder %o the 

county. 

T .. 

oouiity ua*hoiae!@s~ ~~zind o%h@pP -0mity -@Pop&q-' ~- 

ldd&t&d.~ldthe co&%$ bUt.wItbdu% tli@.tioPPpi9a%e 

li-titcr~~&?'hny -linisapbPataod-~i%y'~~%~OW, @hn 

the-W@ tiiiiskJ&.'Qri9d h.Tbo %o~fiiiah-ffiaO 

~of;dCtlod'to'the"oI%fzoeli'd?'tge oBunt~‘xW 

+gdIng o~$%tiSUCthe sI%y ltiltr of any BftpO 

%$wn or vlllamo3 

cilJmFx6oaB ljmm. Xf Qtm!3taoa. seven lo 

anuwbi=ed in tW~af?l~tivc, Bask tlia agall51in1er5~~ cow% an%er %A%0 aoaizaip%e aa 

apolfled la e%%h@F Qfmt%o~ P&a 080 Qwe%loa 

Six. or.bo%hV 

Aatlcle 935la-1 requ%Oape ~%:Bat~pur&.aeB offllW?l& 

Ing eqiaigaihtlq a e6tinty faa &I$0 p&o%egb%fon.of'*~sitO1f dud 

rural property b@ au%hopleod by an eleet:%oo 0% %h4 proportt 
. . . ,.: 

Bon. Mltxho~1Yflliams, Page 7 (s-99) 

taxpaying vbters of the county. An election iwthorliilhg 

tha~irruaboo of bondr' or time warrants' for tbi pvroha'mo 

of oqulpment for protecting ooimtf-owned property under 

Aptlole 2351~1-4 yould no% disp&nse iittithe nebessity ior 

an iloetion under A~tlole~2351a~l before the 'oounty coUld 

undePtalcr to prooidb‘the eQuiplarnt ?or turntiahlng tire 

If only an l leotion utBYer 

has beon held, the county would hbt~ have 

autM&y to purohaso mori equipment than is moeeea 

1 

td 

potect oounty-owhed pro&&j and vould hot be authcm s&l 

.to u&e the l qulmnt for furnishing ppoteotion to wivak 

mopew e 

However; a aounty which has purohaaed f%re htlog equipment uhdir Artlole 2351ad could cbntraot~~?or 3 ha 

operi3tlon of the equipment by a bltf for the purptiso bf 

grotecttng'the oduntJ-bvned popertj and oould wmlt the 

city to utie.the l qlrlmnt Wlthlh its 1lmlta"to~the l xWntr 

of the value' of the services thi city Was renderlngtb - ~ 

oounty, inbtead of making a money paymeht i@ th+ INWI~O~. 

Ftwthomom, a couuty which has'purohased l qtaipeiaht undn 

Article 2351a-4 would not be precluded l%om contpaotihg 

y frith a‘clty under Article 2351a-1 for ixae of olty-owned 

l qulplrent in p+?ovlding real fire potection geneTally. 

QUESTIOM NII@. If Quastfon FouVlh " 

ansirered ltithe aiflrmatlve as to the isau8000' o~lnt*r&st-be&lng tl& warranta, may 

bonds w Issued to roiund the warrants uudes 

tha provlalvnm of'AxM.cle 2368a, \*.6.!8."1 

. Ih answer to QuestloL Bow we haw".&ieod'fou 

that time varPBntii may bo lestiea only %m %a psarrohaee bf 

equl~t to. #Citeat county-owd'wopei%y u~W~As%%o10' 

235laa. 'Tli8 i@rrahta, ff'legally ibsrnod, may k sWuMed 

into bpnds urid@ tb provlrlona of Soetfon 70 mabd. (d), 

of Article 2368a. 

. . 

The soimiaslone~m~ 00\1pot is not poqul&ad 

to call ah l leotlon oh the pwohaae 0rP fi.80 

fighting equipment when it haa been petltioned 

to do 80,~ as tin petltlons nre unauthorized and 

have no legal' atandlhg. Anate. 2351a-1, 2351a-4, 

v-0 OS 0 Thr gerural ileotlon favs apply to 

l leot%oas oallod mn:?oE either of thee@ r~atutes. 

mo oom~~~locu~pu~ court may ~0utrPaot with 

an Iuaoppwated city wltbfn t&m ecuBy to OpePate 
., . 

county-owned f’lre fighting eqclpoent ior 

furmishlng fire protection to rural. area8 .: 

ih the county, and as consideration for Its 

soivPces the city may be permlkted to usi 

the equipment tithin Its tiopporate Zimltb’ 

to the extent of the value of the aervliaez. 

The County may not fuztliish ffre prtiteotla 

tb privately owned’ rural p6w&y with equipPIent pur’chased unair Article 2351a-4, whi‘oh 

authorizes purchase of equfpment for ppoteotlon 

of oounty-owned property only. 

Yows very truly, 

APPROVRDP 

JORN EIEN SRRPPRRD. 

Attorney @enoral 

Rob.& S’. ,TNttl 

First Assistant . 

John Bin Sheppeti 

Attorney GeWal 

Ry%pfw’ 

MW K: Wall 

Assirtant