Court Opinion

ID: 9671754
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 03:42:59.458199+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:16:11.845969
License: Public Domain

On Motion for Rehearing.
We adhere to our original opinion that the action of the City in attempting to abolish the positions of appellees in the Police Department of the City of San Antonio, and supplant them by engaging other persons to perform the same service in the department is illegal and void. However, we have reached the conclusion that we were in error in our holding that the ap-*210pellees are entitled to the classification of Patrolmen in the Police Department and entitled to judgment for back salary as such. In our original opinion we proceeded upon the erroneous assumption that the status of appellees as patrolmen was fixed by stipulation in their former suit, City of San Antonio v. Castillo, Tex.Civ. App., 293 S.W.2d 691, as was the case in the case of City of San Antonio v. Hahn, Tex.Civ.App., 274 S.W.2d 162. On the contrary, this record shows that such was not the case, but that Castillo was, at the time of his discharge, May 27, 1957, Collector in the Parking Meter Department and was being paid at the rate of $360 per month plus longevity; and that Kneupper was at such time employed as maintenance carpenter in the Police Department, and was being paid at the rate of $360 per month plus longevity. The record further shows that the City had never classified these employees in the Police Department. Therefore, it is our opinion that they were at such time automatically classified by Article 1269m, Vernon’s Ann.Civ.Stats., in the positions they held and at the rate of pay they were drawing. Section 14, art. 1269m, supra. See City of San Antonio v. Handley, Tex.Civ.App., 308 S.W.2d 608.
In City of San Antonio v. Whitten, 330 S.W.2d 210, this Court held that the ordinance of the City of San Antonio attempting to set the salaries of all City employees, except peace officers, at $220 per month, plus longevity, is void. Therefore, the contention of the City that appellees’ salaries should be fixed as per that ordinance must be overruled.
That part of our original opinion affirming the judgment ordering the appellees placed in the rank and status of Patrolmen and rendering judgment in their favor for back salaries as patrolmen, is withdrawn and the judgment reformed so that appellee Kneupper be restored to the status and classification of Maintenance Carpenter in the Police Department, and that appellee Castillo be restored to the status and classification of Collector, Parking Meter Department, in the Police Department of the City of San Antonio, and that each of the appellees recover judgment against the City of San Antonio for salary from May 29, 1957.
Reformed and affirmed.