E ORNEP GENERAL OF GNRALDC.WN AUSTlN 11.TEXAS
HoaorableArnold Smith Cbunty~Attonsy ldontgom~ry County Conroe,Texas
Dear Sir: Opirioa mb. O-6302 Rer Validityof bontrrotfor tha listiagand valutitiom of oil propertiesin MontgomeryCounty.
In your lettersof %y 13, 1943 ud June 9, 1943, you requesYedour opinionon the above statedquestion. The oontraotia questicmprovides:
"ICIXJWALL MNN BY THESE PRNSEHTS:
"TBAT,WBBXiAS,the Conunissioasrsl Court of Montgmery %uaty, Texas, has oontemplatedthe employmentof skilledex$ez?bdin the matter of appraisalsaad valuationof oil and @8 and plblioutilitiesproperties ia the said MontganeryCoumty,for,the ooxve8ieaoeand iafonnationof the Boardof Eqtialiaatiorof said Corutyia equalizingthe vpluatiorarof such propertiera~ oomparedtiithall other propertyvaluationsin said County for ariesamentpurposes;a8d
"WEEBUS, PRITCHARDAND ABBOTT, a Parbnershipof Fort yorth, Texan, representthat they are skilledim au?h niatteraand ham roieatifio and tsohaioalknowledgeud rnq year81 experien6eia the matter o? apprai- sale ad valuationsof ruoh propsrtiee.for assessment,and it is the pur; pane of the Cmmissiomer#' Court of MontgomeryCountyto employthe *WV- ioea of the maid PETTCHABDAND ABBOTT for raid purpoaee,and
%3NRNM, PRITCHARDAUD AEOlT haF prupowd $0 said Commlrsionerr' Court of raid Moatgcrmery Countythat they willa8airt the Tu-Aaserror-Col- lsotor im the preperatioaof Cl1 and Gas and Public Wilily propertier ,I, lrsessmeatsud advim with the Court an to the value of all oil and gay md publioutilitypropertiesfor the year 1944 For a fee of Elaan Thousqd ,', (#ll,OOO.OO) Dollars.
"IT IS, THEREFOBE,AGF?XXDBY AND ETlSZENMOMCOONBRYColulty, Texar, actire; herailby ud tihrough its Ccmmisaiomers' Court, prt of the First Part, ud PXITCBARDABD ABBOTT of Tarrawt County,partiesof the SeooadPard, aa followsa HUB. Arnold &nith - Page 2 (06302)
"PARTIESOF m SECOND PART agree to ocnnpilea ocmpletelist of the record ownersof all 011 ud Gas producingpropertieswhereversituated ud locatedin Mooattganery County,Texas, and all undewloped leasesand royalty interestadjrostithereto,as of January1, 1944, said compilationand record to show the partioularinterestor intereststherein owned.
"PARTIESOF THE SECONDPART also agree to seourefor Party of the First Part, all informationavailablefor the use of Parties of the First Part, sit- ting as a Board of Equalization,ia dstsnninimgthe propervaluatioza to be fixed upon such propertiesfor assassmnent rud taxationpurposesand generally to campilesuch informationas shall'beof aid and benefittos aid Party of the First Part in equalizaticmof tha.valueof suoh propertiesfor taxation.
"Said partiesof the Seoond Part agree to meet with the Commissioners' Court of MontgomeryCounty,sittingas a Board of Equalization,and to furnish said Board with al.1informationscouredby them duringtheir investigatimsfor the purposesof equalizingthe asrressments on said properties. Parties of the Second prt also obligatethemselvesto make a surveyof&l pipe lines, refin- eries,tank farms, tankage,and all other propertiesof value used in oonneo- tiolawith said oil and gae dawlopment, includingtransportation facilities, etc.
"FOR AND IN CONSIDERATION of the skilledservices,technicalknowledge, and experienceof Partiesof the SeoondPart, ia the $erformanoeof the obliga- tions devolvingupom them hereunder,Party of the First Part agrees and obli- gates itselfto oompwsate Partiesof the Saoond Part in the manor follotiagz
"SeoondPartiesshall reoeiw RR amout to be paid out of the General Fwd of MontgomeryCounty,Texas in the awn of Eleven Thousand(~ll,OOO.OO) Dollars coveringoil and gao and publioutilityproperties,includingleases and royaltyinterests.
"It is furtheragreedaxedunderstood% both Partiesthat Montganery County,Texas,will issue,or oauae to be issuedto PRITCRARDAND ABBOTT, warrantsdrawn agaimstthe GeneralFund of said MontgamsryCounty,Texas,and payableout of the revenuesof 1944, and/orthe anticipatedrevenuesof 1945,