Hames v. City of Polson

215 P.2d 950, 123 Mont. 469
CourtMontana Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 8, 1950
Docket8922
StatusPublished
Cited by29 cases

This text of 215 P.2d 950 (Hames v. City of Polson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Montana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hames v. City of Polson, 215 P.2d 950, 123 Mont. 469 (Mo. 1950).

Opinions

MR. JUSTICE BOTTOMLY:

This is an appeal from a decree and order granting a permanent injunction, enjoining the operation of bars and slot machines and gambling upon or within the confines of the described municipal public park owned by the city of Poison in Lake county, Montana.

Prior to 1936 the Poison Country Club, then an unincorporated association, owned a tract of land, about one-half mile northeast of the Poison city limits, on which golf was played.

To qualify for federal grants of W. P. A. funds, available to municipal corporations and other public agencies but not obtainable by private persons, the Poison Country Club, on July 7, 1936, conveyed the aforesaid property to the city of Poison for development and use as a municipal park, recreational grounds, and golf course purposes, by deed as follows:

“This indenture, made the 7th day of July, in the year of our Lord, one thousand nine hundred and thirty-six, between the [472]*472Poison Country Club, a corporation, organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Montana, with its principal place of business and Post Office address at Poison, Montana, party of the first part, and the City of Poison, in Lake County, a municipal corporation of the State of Montana, party of the second part.
“Witnesseth. That the said party of the first part, for and in consideration of the sum of One and no/100 Dollars ($1.00) and other good and valuable consideration, lawful money of the United States of America to it in hand paid by the said party of the second part, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, do remise, release and forever quitclaim unto the said party of the second part, and to its successors and assigns, the following described real estate, situated in the County of Lake, and State of Montana, to-wit:
“Lot Four (4) and the Northwest Quarter of the Southwest Quarter (NW%SW%) of Section Two (2) in Township Twenty-two (22) North of Range Twenty (20) West, according to the United States government survey thereof, save and excepting from, however, all easements for rights of way heretofore granted to the Northern Pacific Railway Company for railroad purposes, and likewise all easements for rights of way heretofore granted for and on behalf of the public highway purposes and any right of way heretofore granted or now existing for pole lines or ditches and likewise this conveyance shall be subject to flowage rights now or hereafter constructed, excepting therefrom, that portion of said tract of land which lies south of the U. S. Highway No. 93, containing approximately four (4) acres, more or less.
‘ ‘ Together with all the tenements, hereditaments and appurtenances thereunto belonging, and the reversion and reversions, remainder and remainders, rents, issues and profits thereof; and also all the estate, right, title, interest, property, possession, claim and demand whatsoever, as well in law as in equity for the said party of the first part, of, in or to the said premises, and every part and parcel thereof.
[473]*473‘ ‘ To have and to hold, all and singular, the said premises, with the appurtenances unto the said party of the second part, its successors and assigns forever, for municipal park, recreational grounds and golf course purposes.
“This grant is made and accepted upon condition that said tract of land shall be used for park, recreational grounds and golf course purposes, and upon condition that, in the event the same ceases to be used, maintained and kept up for such purposes then the title to said land and premises together with the appurtenances and improvements thereon, shall revert to the grantor herein named and that the grantee will reconvey such title to said grantor, and upon further condition that the grantee herein will by ordinance or resolution create and provide a park Board or Commission, consisting of three members to be appointed by the Mayor of the City of Poison, one of whom shall be a member of the City Council of the City of Polsdn, and the other two shall be members in good standing of the Poison Country Club, and that said park Board or Commission shall be vested with power and authority to govern and manage said park, recreational grounds and golf course and to make reasonable rules and regulations for the use thereof by the public. ’ ’

The city accepted the deed and by ordinance assumed to create a city park board and to prescribe its duties.

Through grants of public funds obtained by the city through the federal W. P. A., augmented by contributions received from the people of the city of Poison and different interested groups and organizations, a large building was erected on the tract.

Assuming to act under the authority of section 72 of a city ordinance, Article XIY, on March 10, 1948, such park board so created by said ordinance, entered into a lease agreement with the Poison Country Club then and now a private corporation, whereby the said park board leased to the Poison Country Club the lower portion of the large building and the playing area of the golf course, all located on the property described in the above deed, for a term of five years from April 20, 1948. As rent the club is to pay to the city of Poison all green fees and membership [474]*474fees collected by tbe club. Tbe park board on behalf of the, city of Poison agreed to keep up and maintain the leased property and pay for all water, lights and heat and it was agreed the Poison Country Club could not sublease the property or any part thereof without consent of the park board.

Similar arrangements without any lease have been in operation between the city of Poison and the Poison Country Club since the completion of the building in 1937 or 1938 prior to the said lease and apparently no objections were encountered until about two years ago when the Poison Country Club, after the execution of the lease, installed a bar and began selling beer and liquor and operating slot machines in what is called the bar or club room on the leased lower floor of the large building, from which portion of the building and premises the general public was and is excluded. The kitchen and rooms occupied as living quarters by the manager and his family are also located on this first floor. The manager also serves the members of the Poison Country Club with beer or liquors as required.

The plaintiff in his complaint alleges that at all times material to this action he is and has been a taxpayer in the city of Poison, Montana, and as such brings this action on his own behalf and on behalf of other taxpayers similarly situated; that the property is held in trust by the city of Poison for a specific purpose, under the terms and conditions imposed in the deed to the city, being for municipal park, recreational, and golf course'purposes, and to the use and benefit of the general public for those purposes only; that a bar and slot machines operated at, in and upon these premises interferes with the general public’s use of the property and that the action of the defendants has been in total disregard of their duties and obligations to and toward the citizens of Poison and this plaintiff.

This taxpayer’s action is brought to protect the interests and rights of the inhabitants of Poison in and to the property deeded to the city of Poison and the complaint on its face clearly states a cause of action, showing plaintiff to be entitled prima facie to an injunction.

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Bluebook (online)
215 P.2d 950, 123 Mont. 469, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hames-v-city-of-polson-mont-1950.