Court Opinion

ID: 9619863
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 05:34:16.420799+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:46:50.910650
License: Public Domain

KEETON, Justice
(dissenting).
In my opinion the powers of the directors of the defendant irrigation district as expressly provided by statute cannot be construed to encompass the contract in dispute here. The liability attempted to be here created, if followed to its logical conclusion, could, in my opinion, confiscate the property of the land owners in the district.
I consider the contract in question ultra vires and void. What the rights of the plaintiffs might be because of moneys expended in furtherance of the obligations, assumed is not before us for determination. Irrigation district directors have only such powers as are conferred upon them by statute or necessarily implied from those expressly conferred, and such powers do not encompass the liability here attempted to be assumed. The contract violates Secs. 43— 304 and 43-322, I.C. Hence the judgment should be reversed.