\ . . OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTIN Dr. Jo.7. Brook copaty Audi ter Wilbarger Cotmty vel7lon,Tex8~ Dear Yr. Ero8ka O@nlom Ro. O-7211 A lib o lo a bed e p r ia b - dP Y of tbe Chert . Atkobed to the iroad Q 1 1 find l c o p y of the Off1 tlm to 8memd said a*rtar. Ootobor 16, t 8n qleation be oalled .:.' g the VeTnOn 60b0ols from 8e0tsm 6 0i Am010 11 0f our am- rtiele 1166 of our Sktaites and tba Court'ln tbe 08~ ef Skte vs. City San An@10 et al, 101 8. T. 2d 360, I mbmlt to you tbe iolloring questions: l(l) Do the propodtlons rQopte+rt the sleOt10a on Ootober 16, 1945, ooastltate aa uandment to the Charter of The City ot Vexnon within the a08nlng of tb& Constitution onrl the SktIite61 44 Mr. J. U. Brook - pa#fe2 *If 70x2bare anssered the foregoing question in tbe afilrmatlre tben please ansrer the follos- lng question No. (8). "(2) In oaloulatlng the date from which the tso year period runs, should October IS, 1945, be oonsidersd as the startin point, or nbould said starting point be NOVember 28, 194St "(3) scan the Vernon sohools be dlroroed from umnicipal oontrol at any time before the end oi tso years from the date glirsnIn your answer to quentlon No. (2)? s(4) If 70~ bare 8nrrrsrsd question IVo. (3) in the affirmatlrer please olts the statutes and autbor- ltles to be follorod:g It appears from tbe obarter that the Clt7 0i Vernon haa takes all naossnary steps to aoqulre exoluslrs oontrol of Its pub110 free sohools. B7 the amendments adopted 0n Ootober 15, 1945, tbs Clt7 amended Artlole 6 of Its obarter to tbe ex- tent that It authorlred the City,'as an lndspmdsnt soboel.dls- trlot, to Issue nec;otla810bonds fUr tbe ereoflon, equipment, repair and improrsment of pub110 free school buildings, and tbe aoqulsitlon of sites tberetor. Ibe Clt7 did not bare this pawer beSore. It afso amsnded Sections 1 and $3of Artiole 7 of Its oharter In rsry material respsots. se tblnk tbs amenduants to the ohartsr adopted 0n October 15, 1945, oonstitute suob an amendment as comes with- in the asanlng of Seation S of Artlole 11 of our C0nstltutlon, and Artlole 1IUS of oru,statutes, as saatewers o0nstrued~'b7our courts in the ease o? state'so Clt7 CaaalssMn of San An~010, 101 5. 7: (2) 960. la oalcmlatlng the date from shioh the tso-7ear period begins to run, It IS our 0plnl0n tbat Ootober 16, 1945, Is the correot date. The eleotioa was be’ldon tbe day the amondmsuts were voted on l17 the oltlasns. In rep17 to 7our~questloa so. 3, as stated lbo'le,it appears that the Clt7 of Vsrn0n , umler its oharter, baa take8 all neoessary steps to require uoluslr0 control al' tbe publlo free schools sltbia its limits. Tbls being true, the 0nY7~ method b7 whloh tbe sobools oan be dltoroed frOm municipal 00n- ~tral Is b7 an amendment to Its obarter at an eleotlon held for up. J. W. Brook - page 3 said porpose. Under the lutboritles above olted, the obarter cannot sprain be’amended prior to Ootober 16, 1847. Very truly 7ours ._ ATTORNE% GEMrRBALOF 1FZAS Gee. W. Barous A66lstant