McGehee v. Williams

87 S.W.2d 46, 191 Ark. 643, 1935 Ark. LEXIS 338
CourtSupreme Court of Arkansas
DecidedNovember 11, 1935
Docket4-4172
StatusPublished
Cited by19 cases

This text of 87 S.W.2d 46 (McGehee v. Williams) 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
McGehee v. Williams, 87 S.W.2d 46, 191 Ark. 643, 1935 Ark. LEXIS 338 (Ark. 1935).

Opinion

Johnson, C. J.

Under a Federal Government loan and grant by the Public Works Administration, the city of Fort Smith, Arkansas, is constructing a municipal waterworks system and plant including a large reservoir. This reservoir or the water supply will be obtained in the vicinity of the city of Alma, Crawford County, Arkansas. The impounded water will be conveyed through a 27-inch pipe and mil pass in the vicinity of the city of Alma.

The city of Alma is likewise constructing a waterworks distributing system with funds procured from the same source from which Fort Smith obtained its funds. October 12,1935, the two cities referred to, through their regularly constituted officers entered into the following written contract:

“WHEREAS, the city of Fort Smith, (Arkansas), pursuant to a loan and grant agreement with the United States of America (Public Works Administration), issued revenue bonds under and pursuant to tbe provisions of act 131, of the Acts of 1933, as amended, and has acquired land for, and entered into construction contracts for the creation of, a lake or impounding reservoir, and the building of a filtration plant northeast of Mountainburg, in CraAvford County, Arkansas, and has entered into construction contracts for the connection of said Avater supply (impounding reservoir) and filtration plant Avith the present Avater distribution system operated by the city of Fort Smith, Arkansas, in the city of Fort Smith, by means of a 27-inch steel pipeline; and
“ANHEREAS, § 3 of Ordinance No. 1682 of the city of Fort Smith, providing for the issuance of said revenue bonds contemplates and provides for sale of Avater by the city of Fort Smith to other municipalities at contract rates; and
“AVHEREAS, the incorporated toAvn of Alma desires to OAvn and construct an elevated Avater storage tank and Avater distribution system in the toAvn of Alma, and to connect same by means of an 8-inch Avater pipeline to be OAvned and constructed by the toAvn of Alima with the 27-inch pipeline now being constructed by the city of Fort Smith, and further desires to thereafter take and purchase Avater through said connection for the purpose of furnishing fire protection to the toAAm of Alma and the property located therein, and for the purpose of furnishing and selling water to domestic, commercial and industrial consumers in said toAvn:
.“Now, therefore, this agreement Avitnesseth:
“The parties agree that the toAvn of Alma may at its sole expense construct said elevated water storage tank, distribution system, and 8-inch pipeline, and may connect said 8-inch pipeline to be constructed, and owned by the town of Alma, with the 27-inch pipeline now being constructed by the city of Fort Smith. Said connection shall be made at or near .the settlement of Rudy, in Crawford County.
“The town of Alma shall at its sole expense install all necessary valves at or near said connection to the end that the flow of water through said 8-inch pipeline may be controlled and/or shut off and turned on, and the town of Alma shall■ at its sole expense install a- meter house at or near said connection and shall at its' sole expense furnish and deliver at said meter house a 6-inch protectus meter (or equivalent) to be used in measuring water delivered to it through said connection.
“The city of Fort Smith shall at its own expense set and connect said meter and shall thereafter repair and maintain same. Said meter shall be installed in said meter house, which shall be located at or near the connection of said 8-inch pipeline with said 27-inch pipeline.
“The town of Alma shall within thirty (30) days from the date of this contract furnish plans and specifications for said meter house and valves, and said plans and specifications shall show the exact location of the point of connection and the exact location of said meter house and valves, and said plans and specifications shall be subject to the written approval of Commissioner No. 2 of the city of Fort Smith, and said connection shall not be made until said plans and specifications shall have been approved by said commissioner.
“Subject to the agreements, and conditions hereinafter set out, the city of Fort Smith agrees to sell and deliver water to the town of Akna through said connection and meter at the prices and upon the terms hereinafter set out, and the town of Alma agrees to purchase and take water through said connection and meter at the prices and upon the terms hereinafter set out.
“The town of Alma agrees to pay to the city of Fort Smith ten cents per thousand gallons for the first 250,000 gallons of water delivered through said connection and meter in any calendar month, and six cents per thousand gallons of water over 250,000. gallons delivered through said connection and meter in any calendar month, provided that the town of Alma further agrees to pay a minimum of at least twenty-five dollars ($25) each calendar month during the life of this, contract.
‘ ‘ The town of Alma agrees to pay on or before the 20th of each month at the prices and minimum specified above for water delivered during the preceding calendar month, and expressly agrees that on its failure to do so the city of Fort Smith, after giving ten. days’ notice by registered mail addressed to the mayor of the town of Alma, may cut off said water by means of the valves installed at or near said connection and may cease furnishing water under this contract. In the event said connection is closed pursuant to this section, then the city of Fort Smith shall not be obligated to reopen said connection until all unpaid bills plus ten dollars ($10) to cover cost of reopening said connection shall have 'been paid by the town of Alma.
“This contract shall run for a period of twenty (20) years from the date said connection is made.”

This suit was instituted in the Crawford Chancery Court by appellants, citizens and taxpayers of the city of Alma to restrain and enjoin the further performance of the said contract by the respective parties for the reason that it is illegal, ultra vires and void.

The two cities demur to the complaint thus filed, and the trial court sustained the same, and the case is here for review on appeal.

Appellants ’ first contention is that the city of Alma is without power or authority in law to purchase a water supply for distribution to the inhabitants from another city. Section 7564 of Crawford & Moses’ Digest, when construed with ^ 2 of act 131 of 1933, confers the express power upon municipalities to provide a water supply for their inhabitants by constructing or acquiring by purchase or otherwise, wells, pumps, reservoirs, or waterworks, or any integral part thereof; to regulate the same and to this end may go beyond its territorial limits to accomplish these purposes.

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Bluebook (online)
87 S.W.2d 46, 191 Ark. 643, 1935 Ark. LEXIS 338, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mcgehee-v-williams-ark-1935.