Court Opinion

ID: 9528368
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 03:40:29.929221+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:26:48.025656
License: Public Domain

Schwellenbach, C. J.
(concurring in the result)—I agree that the freeholders are performing work of a public nature, and are thus entitled to legal advice from the prosecuting attorney. But I do not agree that they are public officers.
This court has found that the following were not public officers: deputy county clerk, Nelson v. Troy, 11 Wash. 435, 39 Pac. 974; commissioners appointed to assess benefits, Bilger v. State, 63 Wash. 457, 116 Pac. 19; schoolteachers, State ex rel. Board of Directors of School Dist. No. 306 v. Preston, 120 Wash. 569, 208 Pac. 47; district administrator of W. P. A., State ex rel. McIntosh v. Hutchinson, 187 Wash. 61, 59 P. (2d) 1117; officers of Washington national guard, State ex rel. Hand v. Superior Court, 191 Wash. 98, 71 P. (2d) 24; court reporters, State ex rel. Brown v. Blew, 20 Wn. (2d) 47, 145 P. (2d) 554; members of state legislative council, State ex rel. Hamblen v. Yelle, 29 Wn. (2d) 68, 185 P. (2d) 723. Yet all of these individuals or groups were performing work of a public nature and no question was ever raised concerning any appropriation to permit them to function for the public benefit.
*450In the Hamblen case this court stated that all five of the elements mentioned in the test referred to in the McIntosh case must be present. As to subdivision (2), “it must possess a delegation of a portion of the sovereign power of government, to be exercised for the benefit of the public,” we said:
“The council members will not legislate, execute, or administer laws enacted by them. The only power of the legislative council is to collect information and report as to the facts it finds to the next legislature and to make its reports public.”
Likewise in the instant case the freeholders will not legislate, execute or administer laws enacted by them. They will merely prepare and propose a charter. The right to recommend amounts to nothing more than the right to advise. Kingston Associates v. La Guardia, 281 N. Y. S. 390, 156 Misc. Rep. 116.
I do not agree with the majority that subdivision (5) of the test has been met; “it must have some permanency and continuity and not be only temporary or occasional.” Surely this group has neither permanency nor continuity, Its functions are only temporary and continue only until it has performed the duties required of it. People ex rel. v. Garfield County Court, 59 Colo. 52, 147 Pac. 329, in holding that commissioners appointed to call and hold an election upon the question of incorporation of a town were not public officers, said:
“The positions held by these commissioners were transient in their nature, and ceased to exist upon the full performance of the few duties attached to them. They lack the essential elements of public offices which ‘embrace the ideas of tenure, duration, emolument and duties.’ In the Matter of House Bill No. 186, 9 Colo. 628, 21 Pac. 473; U. S. v. Hartwell, 6 Wall. 385, 18 L. Ed. 830.”
The majority relies upon Marxer v. City of Saginaw, 2.70 Mich. 256, 258 N. W. 627, a Michigan case. The Michigan statute provided for a Charter Commission, the members of which took a constitutional oath of office; had power to fill vacancies in its membership; choose its own officers; *451call the election; post notices of election; provide for polling places; and appoint inspectors of election, and a canvassing board to canvass the election. There is no question that they met all the tests of public officers. It is true that the freeholders here have designated themselves as the “King County Freeholders’ Commission.” But they had no legal right to so designate themselves. Their election did not change their status in the least. They were still freeholders, residents and qualified electors of Kang county.
I am of the opinion that the idea of the constitutional amendment is to permit the people, as members of the public, to prepare and propose a charter, rather than to permit this to be done by public officials.