MARK WHITE 

Attomsy General 

1507 Maln 01, Bun* 14m 

kiln. tx. m2al 

2lu742d5u 

1220 DalIem Ave., Bun* 202 

Nowmthtx 77002 

71- 

009 N. Tenth. BitIt. B 

McAlkn, TX. 75501 

5wm524m7 

200 M&l ewa SUIU 400 

5m &Nmlo. tx. 7m205 

512/2254151 

The Attorney General of Texas 

’ January 28, 1982 

Konorsble Kercus D. Tcylor 

Crimiacl District Attoraey 

Wood County Courthourc 

P. 0. Box 689 

Qaitun. Texas 75703 

Opinion Do. KU-b32 

UC: Legality of fire chief 

serving as a city council 

member for scat Soveraoantsl 

entity 

Dcsr Kr. Tsylort 

You hcve requested our opinion regcrdlng the suthority of s 

single iadividucl to serve es both fire chief snd city council msmbsr 

of the city ofW~ntreboro.You state thet the individusl hsa refused 

compeasatioa for his ssrvicss se fire ebisf. You also ask If the 

lndlviducl’s taking the osth of office cc e member of the city council 

opersted ipso facto as s rssiSnctioa from the firs dcpartmcat. 

It is vell estcblishcd thst oae person ‘msy not hold two 

incompatible officea. Attorney Genersl Opinion E-665’ (1975). Two 

offices are ineoqctible if their duties arc or uy be Inconsistent or 

in conflict. State v. Kertia. 51 S.W.Zd 815 (Tat. Clv. App. - Ssa 

Antonio 1932, v-, Attoresy General Opinion H-665 

(1975). Article 1069, V.T.C.S., provides in pcrtincat pwt: 

The city council mcy procure firs cagiacs sad 

other appsratus for the utinguishuat of fires. 

sad hsve coatrbl thereof, and provide caSiac 

houses for prcscwiag the scmc; cud shell hsvc 

pwcr to organize firs, hook end lcddcr. bosc aad 

sa compcaics sad firs brigades. The compaaim so 

orpsnircd, the chief 8aSiaeer sad such cesistsnt 

engineers se my be provided for, shell constitute 

the fire dcpsrtmsat.... The ca&accrs shell be 

chosen cs ssid dspsrtmsnt mcy datermine, subject 

to the l pprwel of the city couacll. uho shsll 

define the duties of scid officers end pess such 

ordinsaces l s they mcy dca propsr for the vclfsrc 

of scid dcpsrtmcat.... Scid dcpcrtwnt sbsll take 

the csre end managemeat of the l rrginss end other 

implements end sppcrstus provided md used for 

fiShtiIIS fire, sad their pwcrs sad duties shsll 

be prescribed snd defined by the city council. 

p. 1481 
Honorcblc Marcus D. Tsylor - Pcge 2 (IS+432) 

Article 1069 clcsrly Srcnts to c city council "control" of c fire 

depsrtmcnt. The depsrtmcat's powers and duties arc prescribed by the 

council and the council is cmpwcrcd to cnsct ordiasaccs for the 

rcgulstloa of the department. You state that members of the Bi'nnsboro 

Volunteer Fire Dcpcrtmcat crc pcid c smell sslcry by.ths city council. 

In Letter Advicory No. 114 (1975). this~officc held that. bccsusc 

of the doctrine of incompstibility. cschool tcccher is iasliSiblc to, 

ssrvs se s member of the bosrd of tructssc of the district vhcra she 

is employed. The opinion noted thct school tCSChSr8: 

crs sccouatsblc to the school trustees. are under 

their domiaioa. cad are subordinstc to them; cad 

trustCss my interfere with the teechar’s 

performsace of duty. 

Letter Advicory No. 114 (1975) relied on c Wyomia~ ccs~, Wsskias v. 

e, 516 P.2d 1171 (Wyo. 1973). to support its coaclusfoa of 

iacliSibility. It slso noted the dccisioa in Tbomca v. Abcrnst~ 

County Line Indcpcadcat School District. 290 S.W. 152 (Tea. Corn''' 

Appp. 1927). that the offices of school trustee end city cldcrmca src 

incompstiblc uhcrc the bocrd of cldermca uercisca vc&us directory 

end supcrvisooq wvers uith resard to school vroucrtv sad the duties 

of school trustc;s. Sac slso,-Eblinscr v. C&k: 8 S.W.2d~666 (Tu. 

1928). 

In our opinion, Lcttsr Advisory tie. 114 (1975) is disposltlvc of 

your inquiry. As ia that opinion and in Thomas. the city council here 

excrclscs control over the firs depcrtment end its mcmbcrs, cad 

prcscribcc their duties. As c result. VA believe tbct the positioas 

of city couacll mcmbar end fire chfcf crc incompatible as a mater of 

lw. In vlw of our enevcr. vc aced aot cddrccs say other issue 

regerdlng the holdiaS of dusl offices. 

Ac to the qucction of IPSO facto resignctioa, Texas courts have 

held thst vhsa the holder of one office l cccpts end quslifics for s 

second, he sutomctioslly rcliaquishcs the first office. Thomas V. 

Abcrncthy County Line Independent School District. m; Ceatcrro v. 

Ins~lmcn, 519 S.W.2d 889. 890 (Tex. Civ. App. - San Antonio 1975, a0 

wit). 

SUMHAPY 

An individucl uy aot scrvc cc both fire 

chief end city council mcmbcr of the city of 

wiansboroby virtue of the comon lcv doctrine of 

incompctibility. A pcrcon vho ccccpts the office 

of city council member sutomsticslly resigns se 

fire chief. 

p. 1482 
l 

_*ë. 

t 

Honorsblc Ha r c w D. Taylor - PCgC 3 (nw-432) 

“. 

=. 

NARK W E.1 T E 

Attorney Gcasral of Texas 

JOHN W. FAINTER. JR.' 

First Assistaat Attorney Gcacral 

RICHARD E. GRAY III 

.Exccutivc Assistaat Attorney Geasrd 

Prepared by Rick Cilpio 

Amietant Attorney Gcnsrd 

APPROVBD: 

OPINION COMl4ITTEE 

Suma L. Garrisoa, Chairmaa 

Joa Bible 

Rick Cilflia 

Jim Moclliagcr 

Peter Nolan 

Bruce Youngblood 

p. 1483