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

KercusD. Tcylor Crimiacl

District

Attoraey **Wood County**  Courthourc P. 0. Box 689 Qaitun. Texas 75703 OpinionDo. 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 ssrvicssse fire ebisf. You also ask If **the** lndlviducl’s

taking the osth of office cc e member of the city council operstedipso 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 officesare ineoqctible if their dutiesarc 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., providesin 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 compcaicssad firs brigades. The compaaim so orpsnircd,the chief 8aSiaeer sad such cesistsnt engineers se my be providedfor, 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

ls 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 definedby the city council.

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

Article 1069 clcsrly Srcnts to c city council "control"**of** c fire depsrtmcnt. The depsrtmcat's powersand duties arc prescribed by the council and the council is cmpwcrcd to cnsct ordiasaccsfor **the** rcgulstloa

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

Fire Dcpcrtmcat

crc pcid c smell sslcryby.thscity council.
In LetterAdvicory

No. 114 (1975).

this~officc

held that.bccsusc of the doctrine**of** incompstibility. c school tcccheris iasliSiblc to, ssrvs se s member of the bosrd **of** tructssc of the district

vhcra she is employed. The opinionnoted 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.
LetterAdvicory **No.** 114 (1975) relied on c Wyomia~ ccs~, Wsskiasv. e, 516 P.2d 1171 (Wyo. 1973). to support its coaclusfoa of iacliSibility. It slso noted the dccisioa in Tbomca v. **Abcrnst~** County Line IndcpcadcatSchool District. 290 S.W. 152 (Tea. Corn''' **Appp.** 1927). that the officesof school **trustee** end city cldcrmcasrc incompstiblc

uhcrc the bocrd of cldermcauercisca vc&us directory end supcrvisooq **wvers** uith resard **to** school vroucrtvsad the duties **of** school trustc;s. Sac slso,-Eblinscr v. C&k: 8 S.W.2d~666 (Tu. 1928).
In our opinion,LcttsrAdvisorytie. 114 (1975) is disposltlvc of your inquiry. As ia **that** opinionand 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 couacllmcmbar 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 quslificsfor s second, he sutomctioslly rcliaquishcs

the first office. Thomas V. Abcrncthy County Line Independent SchoolDistrict.

m; Ceatcrro

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

An individucluy aot scrvc cc both **fire** chief end **city** council mcmbcr of the city of wiansboroby virtue **of the**  **comon** lcv doctrine of incompctibility. **A** pcrconvho ccccpts the office **of** city council member sutomsticsllyresigns se **fire** chief.

p. 1482l _*ë. t Honorsblc Har cw D. Taylor - PCgC 3 **(nw-432)**
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**NARK** W E.1 T E **Attorney** Gcasralof Texas
JOHNW. FAINTER.JR.' FirstAssistaat **Attorney** Gcacral
RICHARD**E.** GRAY III .Exccutivc

Assistaat

**Attorney** Geasrd Prepared

by Rick Cilpio **Amietant Attorney**  **Gcnsrd APPROVBD:**  OPINIONCOMl4ITTEE
Suma L. Garrisoa, Chairmaa Joa Bible Rick Cilflia Jim Moclliagcr **Peter** Nolan BruceYoungblood

**p. 1483**