Johnson v. Russell, Mayor

127 S.W.2d 260, 198 Ark. 49, 1939 Ark. LEXIS 187
CourtSupreme Court of Arkansas
DecidedApril 17, 1939
Docket4-5535
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 127 S.W.2d 260 (Johnson v. Russell, Mayor) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Johnson v. Russell, Mayor, 127 S.W.2d 260, 198 Ark. 49, 1939 Ark. LEXIS 187 (Ark. 1939).

Opinion

Holt, J.

On the 5th day of January, 1939, appellant, O. F. Johnson, an aggrieved property owner, brought suit in the Carroll chancery court, Western District, to .enjoin the City Commissioners of the city of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and their contractor, from proceeding with the construction of a sewage disposal plant.

On January 24, 1939, the court sustained a demurrer to appellant’s complaint and in its decree dismissed the complaint for want of equity. Appellant • refused to plead further, elected to stand on his complaint and prayed an appeal to this court, which was granted. Subsequently on February 18, 1939, appellant’s attorney' made the following entry on the docket of the trial court: “Plaintiff’s prayer for appeal withdrawn and case dismissed without prejudice, in vacation, by H. Gh Leathers, attorney for plaintiff, this 18th day of February, 1939.”

On the same date, subsequent to the above dismissal, appellant Johnson, the same plaintiff who filed the complaint referred to above, filed another suit in the same court between the same parties setting forth allegations substantially the same as in his first complaint and praying the same relief. The material portions of these allegations are: “That A. J. Russell is Mayor of the city of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and Ray Freeman is the city clerk of said city; that A. J. Russell, Ray Freeman and Joe Morris are commissioners of the city of Eureka Springs, Arkansas; that they and each of them were acting as such at all times hereinafter mentioned and set forth, and that on, or about, the 29th day of December, 1938, they and each of them acting as such, entered into a purported contract with one H. Perkins of Fayetteville, Arkansas, for the construction of a sewage disposal plant- for the use and benefit of the city of Eureka Springs, Arkansas.

“Plaintiff states that there was, in fact, no contract for the installation of said sewage disposal plant for the reason that the defendants were without the ability to contract, not having been vested with that authority by proper ordinance, and that any purported cont ract entered into by them was by their own volition and that they are now, and have been for some time proceeding with the work to the detriment and to the expense of the taxpayers of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, without any legal authorization whatever, and without any authority of law, they have usurped the authority to contract for and 'build a sewage disposal plant at a cost far in excess of the needs of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, all at the cost of, to the detriment of, the taxpayers of Eureka Springs, Arkansas,” and if allowed to proceed, “will work an irreparable loss on the taxpayers for which they have no adequate remedy at law.”

“Petitioner will show the court that a.sewage disposal plant adequate to take Care of the needs of the ■city of Eureka Springs, .Arkansas, could be built for approximately $8,000.00; that said disposal plant would, be of the proper type, the proper capacity, and in every way a sufficient disposal to meet adequately all the needs of Eureka Springs at this time, or an increase in population up to ten thousand. ’ ’

To this latter complaint on appellees’ motion to make more definite and certain, appellant added the following amendment: “That in compliance with the defendants’ motion to make more specific and certain the complaint of the plaintiff, plaintiff files herewith and marks exhibits................................................................................................ the minutes of a special meeting of the City Commissioners held on December 23, 1938, at which time bids were received from contractors and the contract awarded to defendant H. L. Perkins.

“The minutes of a special meeting of the City Commissioners held on December 27, 1938, at which time an ordinance was introduced establishing just and equitable rates for sewer charges, etc.

“Ordinances number 696 and 697 passed by City Commissioners.

“Minutes of meeting of the Sewer Committee.”

The record reflects that three other citizens of Eureka Springs, Perry C. Mark, Chas. E. Border and R. R. Thompson, were allowed to' intervene and be made parties plaintiffs along with appellant, Johnson.

To this latter complaint as amended, appellees filed a demurrer alleging, among other things, that the complaint as amended did not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action. '

The court entered a decree sustaining the demurrer, and appellants electing to stand on their complaint, the court entered a final order dismissing appellants’ complaint for want of equity, and from this decree comes this appeal.

This record reflects that the city of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, is operated under a commission form of government under Act 305 of 1915, p. 1249, as amended by Act 439, p. 1984, of the General Assembly of 1917. A J. Russell, Ray Freeman and Joe A. Morris are the-acting commissioners. A. J. Russell was designated as Mayor. Under the aforesaid authority these three Commissioners constitute all committees and are the Commissioners of all improvement districts and other agencies of the city government.

In the fall of 1938, the city of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, made application to the Public Works Administration for a loan and grant for the purpose of remodeling and building a sewage disposal plant on property owned by the city. The Public Works Administration approved the city’s application for a grant of $12,273 and agreed to accept bonds in the sum of $15,000, said bonds to be retired from a fund collected monthly from the property owners and users of the sewer system. In pursuance to said agreement, the appellees selected an engineer, who drew plans and specifications, which were approved by the Federal Government, selected a bank as depository, and an attorney to represent the city. Appellees advertised for bids for the construction of the sewage disposal plant and received the following bids: Ottinger Brothers, Minton, Oklahoma, . . $26,590.10; Don P. Pray, Monette, Missouri, . . $22,105.00; and II. L. Perkins, Fayetteville, Arkansas, . . $21,534.55. The contract was let to the lowest responsible bidder, H. L. Perkins of Fayetteville, Arkansas.

The record further discloses that appellees proceeded under Act 132, p. 405, of the .Acts of Arkansas for 1933, authorizing cities to construct, own, equip, operate, maintain and improve works for the collection and treatment, purification and disposal of sewage, which is generally known as an act to provide means whereby cities could obtain loans and grants from the Public Works Administration and retire the bonds purchased by the Federal Government, solely from the revenue realized from such improvements.

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Related

Mathers v. Moss, Mayor
151 S.W.2d 660 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1941)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
127 S.W.2d 260, 198 Ark. 49, 1939 Ark. LEXIS 187, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/johnson-v-russell-mayor-ark-1939.