-CL- 

-- 

OFFICE OFTHEATTORNEYGENERAL OFTEXAS 

AUSTIN 

this tranraatioa a* mblgasiollar 

part of thhlot, being that part mm Looat&l within the Qalreaton Oounty uda w&d1 

right-or-~, wan pmhaeed by Oal~eston 

Oounty tram Augtmt Anderrron an4 *iii, by 

', deea dOt0a Agril 6, 1908. > 
Honorable Charles H. Theobald, Page 2 

"This deed recites that Galveston County was purohaaing, for sea wall right-of-way 

pUrpOl38a ) a strip of land aoross Lot 5, particularly deaorlbod by mete8 and boundm in eooordance with the map of' the sea wall right-or-way 

adopted by the Cemml8slonera* Court of oal~eston County, Texas, August 2S, 1902, and reoorded in Book 194, pages 14, Doed Rooords of f&alveston County, Toxae. Tho otjnaldoration was 

paid out or the ssa wall rund. 

'The balanoe oi #aid lot, being the north 

portion thereof was allowad to remain, under 

the term8 OS eeid dsod, in Auguet Aadamoa 

and wife. 

"It subeaqum.atly developed, howover, that 

on the 14th day of February, lQO0, the oity OS 

Oalveaton had seoursd a Judgment against August 

Anderson end.wlis for tax08 duo on mid Lot 9. 

On the 29th day ot August, 1905, come rive 

month8 after the purchase ol the south portion 

of said lot for sea well right-at-way purpomm, 

Henry Thomar, Sheriff of Oalveatoa mty, oonmyed to Gherlas T. Sudawaa, under q@aution 

olc aeld tax judgment eald Lot 3, for'4 oonaldsratloa of $100.00. 

~Thereafter, and apparently for the purpose 

of ouring the flaw In the tltlo to that part of 

the Lot purohased by it ior right-Of-Wey purposoe, Galveston County, on the 17th day of 

Deoenber, 1903, by deed reoo?dad in Book 200, 

page 136, purohaaed all of 8.3ia Lot 3'rrom 

Charles T. Sudeman, for a oonslderatlon oi 

$125.00 and the assumption of taxes. Thle oonsideration was also paid out of funds set aside 

r0r sea wall purposes. 

nIn this last deed from Sudenmn to OalVe6- 

ton County, there appears no statement wheteoever es to the purposea for whloh that lot was 
Honorable Charles ii. Theobald, Page 3 

being aoquired and no referanoe to the nap 

of the sea wall right-of-way or any other 

language of whatsoever nature tending to 

oonmot the lot \jlth the see wall. 

"In due uourse the Galveston Qounty sea 

wall was ooastruotad upon the right-or-way 

as shorn by the map, and ever slnom 1%~ oampletion, the north part of aald Lot 3 has remained vaoent and unuua& by enybody for my 

purpose. The lot now stands in the name of 

Oalveston County.w 

The oountlss of this Stats derive their authority 

to sell oounty-owned real estate ironi the provisions of 

Artlole 1577, R.O.S., 1925. Thie statuts governs the sale 

gf all county real estate exospt lands belonging to the free 

sohool fund of the oounty. See Logan f, Stephens Gnmty . 

(00; A;,p. 1904) 81 S.W. 109 (afflwsd, 33 9.W. 368, 98 Tax. 

. 

Artlols 1677 reeds as follow8: 

*Sale of roal setete. m The oomaissionera court may, by an orda? to be sotera& on 

its minutes, appoint e oommlssioaer to aoll 

and dispose of my real 68fatO of the oounty 

at public euotlon. The deed of euah adsslonar, made in conformity to suoh order for 

end In behalf of the oounty, duly esknowledged snd proven and reoordsd shall bo suffloient to sonvsy to tho purohassrs all the 

right, title and interest and estate whioh 

the oouuty may have in ana to the preinlaes 

to be sonveyed. Nothing oontained la this 

article shall authorize any oOxumlsSlOn8r8 

mm to dispose or any laude given, donated 

or granted to suoh oounty for the purp@%6 

of education in any other mamsr than shall 

be dixeoted by law+* 

You will note that this srtlole includQ8 within 

its soope @Viny real estate of the oounty" exoe t land8 eoquired by the oounty for the puX!poso of eduoa e ion. 
Bonorablo Charles H. Thsobald, Pago 4 

Does this broad language of the statute ambreoo 

lands held in trust by the oounty for a partloular purpose? 

This question arises booaueo of the faot that the oonsideratlon for the purohese of Lot 3 was paid out or the sse wall 

f'und. This ,fund oo!U#tltutes a speolal fuad held in trust 

b,y the oouaty for the exoluslvo purgoso of oonntruotlng 

malnteining and purohaslng right-of-ny for tsea wall ad i 

breakwaters. tie Art1018 0836, Vomion*s metatcra Statutes. 

In the management and handling or this fund, the oommlsslsnera' oourt aots in the oepeaity of a trustas. 

Artlolo 6838 roads aa rollOws: 

*Ou8t0dw0 0s fund8 *r 

"A3.l funds, revenues and wmys add from 

the sals of the bonds haroia authorlssd and frar 

the sale or rent of raolahed or othsx lands aoqulrea unaor this tltlo and rrom l a dltienuaw o l 

0s acrid work&as herein authorissd, shau be acpoalted with the county or olty twoasurer, a8 

the case nay be, end shell be held ti tmet ur- ~ 

olusl~oly for the oonetruoblon and malntonsnoe 

0s eeawalle and breakwaters, inoiuaing ths puroheme of the right of way therefor. All monsys 

dorlved from tho aasessmsnt and lsvy of tams 

aa aforosald am deollared to be a trust fun6 

for the payment of interest and principal of 

bonds to be issued under this tltlo.' 

It might be urged that under the prorfslori8 of thl8 

statute, the property eoqulrod with roe wall fund8 beaama 

truet property, and, theretore, su0h property is not inaluaoa 

in the provislona of Artlols 1577. 

However, in view of tho feat that ow ooult8 h&v0 

stated that the aonmiselonsra~ courts oooupy io rOspsst t0 

all county property a trust relation, f&s oontontlon boocuues tmnmue. Se. LZano bounty v. Knoti (air, App.) 39 

S.W. 549; Llano Oounty Y. Johnson (017. App.) a9 S.S. 56. 

Another queetlon in regard to the authority of the 

oommlsi3lonor8* court to a011 the unn0ea0a portion of Lot B 

is raised by Artfolo 6839e, whlah reads es rOu4W81 
Honorable Charles H. Thoobald, Page 6 

"Grant of sea wall right of way 

*Any aouuty wiy donate and grant to the 

Sate of Texas or to any elemoaynary instltutlon inaorporated under the laws of the 

Stats of Texas and operated without profi8, 

but for the benefit of the publie, auah portionr of any ~sawall right oi way aa may have 

been heretofore aaqulred br aueh ooumty, anti 

by the Commlesionera* Court of auoh tmunty 

detxneb proper to be so greeted, and upon-any 

mah Oommii+aionera* Court so doterminIng, 

the oounty J 

%l 

61 of suoh eouhtp may aonvoy 

suoh property aaoordanco with the order 

of aald Oommisaiom~a~ Cmrt.w 

This statute eaaeted as Oh. 144 Aota 1939, Uat 

Ieg. p. 308, is the only pzorlaion appear& In Title ll.3 

whloh deals with aea wall*, and the qusatlon present8 lt8eJ.r 

aa to whether it was the legislative intent that this be the 

on~ly method of diirpoalng of unneeded sea wall right of v 

proF=tY. 

Counties being tmmponoat parts of the state, have 

no powers or dutlea oxoept those whlah are alearly 86 forth 

and dofined in the oonstitution and atatutel). lblwar&~ OounQf 

t. JMning* (Ch. App., 1805) 35 S.W. 58S; 11 Tex. Jur. WS. 

Gommiaaioners* oourta have only mah power8 am ax-o expresrly 

or inplidly oonferrod upon them by law. cqmiI8lon4wil' 

Oourb T. XVallaao, ll8 Tex. 879, 18 5.W. 535; Sauar4 va 1al.b 

Qauaty (Oir. App., Almtln, lOat) 846 S.W. 788. 

You will note, however, that Art. 683Qa is QWBieaive in itr termah It eoafldes in the ooznaii~~ionor8' 

oourt au abdltisnel power in regard to the dieposition of 

ma wall right of way3 that is the power to donate It to the 

State or certaih tppee of elee5oaynary lhatltutlonrr. W 

power to sell land, which oountiee have under the provi8iona 

or ktiOl8 1577; doea not include or llripu the authority to 

give it away. Rogers v. Totapklna, (Div. App. 1905) 07 5.8. 

;Fi ~ro~9reruae6; Llano County v. Knowles (Cir. App., 18Q5j 

. . . 
&umrabls Charles Ii. Theobald, Page 6 

?!hs emergenoy olauee whish appears in the ori&sl 

snaotmant @W Chapter 144, Rots 1929, unmiatskably revssls 

the legislative intent to grant the additional power to donats 

uuoh laad. We quote the following therefrom: 

"The faot that there exists property heretotere aoquired by oounties for sea wall purposes 

snd~not now needed for suoh purposes but requlred by the State of Texas and b y l lesswsynary 

oorporationa oreated by the laws of the State of 

Texae for the benefit of the publia, without profit, an4 in furthesenoe of ohsrltable work, and 

the use of said properties for sush purposes is 

questioned, an emergency exists." eta. 

Another leglalatlve provision whloh is pertinent to 

the quaation raised by you, la Chapter 42, Aots or the SWih 

Legislature, Regular Seaaion. 

Section 1 of this aot reads as followe: 

"BB IT ENMTED BYTHELF#ISLATWRE OF TYiX 

S'lWl!X OF TZU3: That no aorporation, person or 

aeaooiation of pereons, shall be granted or 

exeroiee any rights, privileges or frahohises 

ror the oonstruotion or operation of any railway, whether by steam, eleotrio, eable horse 

or other powex, non shell any 6or radon, 

person or aseooiatlon of persons r e granted 

any right, leaaehold, privilege or frMahlse 

for any purpose, or purposes other thsn a 

public walk, public driveway or pub110 park, 

along or upon or aaroaa ,any part OS that 

tract of lend situate in the oity and county 

of Galveston, in this State, whloh waa aoqulred by aaid oounty or aosuuieaioners* court 

thereof for eeawsll purposes under the authority of ah Aot passed at the first aalled 

seeaion of the twenty-aeventh Legislature of 

the State of Texae and approved by the Govenor September 7th. 1901, entitled 'AXI aat to 

glvs erfeat to Seotlon VII Artlole P, of 

~:@m,Oonntltutlon, author&g all oounties 

and cities bordering on the ooaat of the 

Gulf of Yen160 to eonetruat aeawalls md 
Honorable Charles ,9. Theobald, Page 7 

breakwaters, to fame bonda therefor, aad 

levy a tax for the payment thereof; and to 

further provide for the oonatruotion and 

maintbnanoe of said works, and payment 0s 

said bond6 by sale or rent of lands reolaimed fram the sea, or otherwlse aoq&s6 for bresl&iter purpoaes,l and it 

shall also be ud.awful to allow the peasession, use or oooupanoy in any manor 

whatever of any part or ssid traat or 

land for sny plrpoas whatever other than 

a publia wslk, public drivemy or plbllo 

park aud any aotlon upon the psrt of the 

oota& oom5.salonera~ oourt or Calveaton 

Omnty, nor any other court or body, OT 

0rfloidL or ortioial8, in attem tsa oontrarentlon of this Ast shall be PO f d and of 

no 0sre0t.* 

ibder the faote submitted by you, the narth portion OS Lot B wa6 not aoqulred for @es wsli p.arposss. By 

its own tsms this aat is reatriotod to lands aoqutred Sap: 

ma wall puTposes, and w0tia not,'thererors, apply da sny 

land not aoquirsd for suoh purposes, unleess ws srs prspare4 to deolars that all land aoquired with Soawsll Funds 

must neoeassrily assume that utatw. 

Artlole 90 0s the Psnal me provldss that nmsys 

realized from the sale or land aoqulred for asa usU pup 

posss' shall be deposited in the soa wall fund, thus I.&Wentially lending sup ort to our oonstruetion of ahpptsr @, 

A0t8 1929 and of Art 4 018 68a9a. Thls provlslon ef the 

Penal Oode reads3 

“Art. 90. DIviERYION OF SEAWiLL MONIEP. 

Lul runda, revewe -6 moneys aorirsa fram 

the ssla of the bonds authorissd by law to 

pay the indebtedness l.noW?red In establishlng locating, ero&ln& oonstruoting, fee-' 

ten&g, atrsqthening, ma.intsinlng or keeping in repair or otherwln l.mpraring an7 

saawsll or breskwstar, and to improve, ma%Btsin ana beautify any boulevsry ereotsd ig 
371 

Eonorable oharles Ii. Theobald, Pago 0 

commotion thsrerrith, and all funda. rweunm~ 

and monem &wind from the aale or rent or 

reolaimod or other lands aequired by law and 

rrom addltlonal use6 or suoh works as authorized by law, shall be deposited with ths 

oounty or olty treasurer, as the ease may 

be, and shall. be held In trtmt exolulr1~l.y 

for the oonrtruotlon and maintenanoe or mth 

wall.8 and breakwaters lnoluding the purohaso 

f th ;tght r therefor; and all rnonsyr 

~~iraedriso~-~h~~s~ss~e~t and levy or tax.8 

as aforesaid are deolared to be a trust fund 

for the payment or intereat and pxinaipal 0r 

auoh bon&, and the use or diversion of' @ioh 

moneys ror any other urpoee whatever la hezrc 

by prohibited and a vfolation of this Arti6le 

shall oonstitute a mlsapplioation ai pabllo 

money, and the person 80 offending shall be 

v" 

iahed am provided in Artial.ef36ra 

RaphacJl8 supplied.) 

It Is therefore the opinion of thle KW~partmont 

end, you are ao advised, that the oomaissionera' oourt of 

Galveston Oounty~hae authority to dlepose of the exoesu 

portion of Lot 9, being the north port&on 

under the provlslone ot Artlole 1599 (R.&S. 

A oontrary view of this question 

OFiiliOx: written by R. 3. Gray, AWbiatant Attorney UUIOr&, 

dated June 8, 1998. Mr. Gray held that the Artiolo 6889a, 

rrupra, asta out the odly method Of disposition Of lltObs8 

sea wall right of way and that, therefore tha ormmi8~lonera* court may not eell suoh land by o~&yi.ag rLth ArtiOl* 

1577 (8 0 

wlth*ti%*o~nafon, f 

inion, in80rar as it ia in ow.fliat 

s hereby expressly over-ruled. 

Trusting that we have fully anmver:sd your inquiry, 

we are 

Your0 very truly 

ATTC’RKEY G?B?ZN OB TFZAS