State ex rel. Wood v. City of Liberal

352 P.2d 7, 186 Kan. 694, 1960 Kan. LEXIS 325
CourtSupreme Court of Kansas
DecidedMay 14, 1960
DocketNo. 41,850
StatusPublished

This text of 352 P.2d 7 (State ex rel. Wood v. City of Liberal) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State ex rel. Wood v. City of Liberal, 352 P.2d 7, 186 Kan. 694, 1960 Kan. LEXIS 325 (kan 1960).

Opinion

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Robb, J.:

This is a quo warranto action commenced by the state, on the relation of the county attorney of Seward county, challenging the authority and power of the city to deed certain land to the board of education for a school building site and operation thereof. The trial court entered judgment for the defendant city and school board to execute and carry out their contract and the state perfected this appeal from that judgment.

The United States of America and the particular agency or successor thereto will be referred to as the government.

The evidence consists of documents and stipulated facts which summarized are: In 1948 the government by quitclaim deed conveyed to the city 160 acres of land, located at its west limits, subject to existing easements for roads, highways, public utilities, pipelines, and a sewer system of the 160 acre Liberal Army Airfield used in serving an adjacent civilian war housing project. The conveyance was also subject to existing mineral leases with a condition that the city, its successors and assigns thereto in order to eliminate hazards to the operation of the airport obtain from'the lessees one of the following: Cancellation of leases; indefinite suspension of leases; or limitation on mineral exploration. Excepted were certain personal property not pertinent hereto and all uranium, thorium, and other materials in the land peculiarly essential to production of fissionable material under the Atomic Energy Act. The 160 acre tract was duly declared surplus and the city, its successors and assigns, were to have and to hold it forever subject to the restrictions, reservations, exceptions and conditions set forth therein to be used for public airport purposes for the use and benefit of the public on reasonable terms, without unjust discrimination and without grant of any exclusive right.

Other sections of this quitclaim deed are not material except sub-paragraph (6) that in substance provides none of the property shall be used, leased, sold, salvaged, or disposed of by the city for other than airport purposes without the government’s written consent which shall be granted only if the government determines that it can be used, leased, sold, salvaged or disposed of for other than [696]*696airport purposes without materially and adversely affecting development, improvement, operation, or maintenance of the airport.

Next in point of time, and on June 10,1959, after a request by the school board to have the city convey to the board for a school site 39.97 acres located near the center along the east border of the 160 acre airport, the government executed a “Deed of Release,” the pertinent portions of which provided that the city, its successors and assigns reserved all mineral rights; that the 39.97 acres were no longer required to serve the purpose for which they were transferred to the city; the government was agreeable to the sale thereof to the board of education and to release of the previous reservations, restrictions and conditions, and release thereof was thereby made; the city, its successors and assigns for the benefit of the general public, reserved an easement and right of way for the free, unobstructed passage of all aircraft in and through the airspace above a height of 150 feet and also reserved the right to remove any and all future structures or growth extending above that limit. In addition the city was not to permit or suffer any use or construction on the 39.97 acres which would create electrical interference with radio communication between airport and aircraft, or make it difficult to distinguish between airport lights and others, or would result in glare in the eyes of flyers, impair visibility, or otherwise endanger the landing, taking off, or maneuvering of aircraft. Finally, the release provided the above reservations were to be valid only so long as the Liberal Municipal Airport was used for airport purposes.

The provisions of the above “Deed of Release” were incorporated into a deed executed by the city to the school board which also contained an additional reservation that in the event the property ceased to be used and maintained for school purposes, title would revert to the city. The form of this deed was approved by the government and was attached as an exhibit to the contract entered into between the city and the school board. Complete analysis of that contract is not necessary but mention will be made of those parts that are basic to the state’s contentions of error in the trial court’s judgment.

The board of education agreed to relocate, at its own expense, the present municipal golf course, the softball diamond, and utility lines on the transferred property as deemed necessary by the city, in accordance with the city’s specifications. If the golf course was [697]*697used in school athletic programs, the school board would pay upkeep and maintenance in proportion to that use. The school board was also to pay a nominal consideration of $10.00 and the city was to furnish and designate the areas of city-owned property to which the school board could move the softball diamond and golf course. If legal proceedings determined that the city did not have legal authority to “donate” the 39.97 acres, then the school board agreed to pay $1,000 per acre for the transfer. The city had the option of transferring in parcels as the school board completed its obligations since it could not all be done in a short time.

On December 2, 1958, the city adopted a resolution wherein it was repeated how it had originally acquired the 160 acres and the request by the school board for a conveyance of the 39.97 acres which tract was not revenue producing nor usable for airport operations or city purposes except the municipal golf course and softball diamond; that the board of education, in conjunction with the Seward County Fair Board, had agreed to pay for moving the golf course and softball diamond to the area south of the above tract; that it was advisable and in the interest of the city and its inhabitants to grant the school board’s request subject to authorization and approval by the government; upon such authorization and approval the mayor and city clerk were authorized and directed to execute, acknowledge and deliver the deed on behalf of the city.

At the outset, the state claims that neither the city nor the school board has the power or authority to do what they are undertaking in attempting to convey the 39.97 acres. The city meets that contention with the familiar proposition that nothing on the subject was presented to or ruled upon by the trial court. The record does not disclose how the question came to the attention of the trial court, but in view of the language quoted below from the formal journal entry of judgment, signed by the trial court, we conclude the city’s proposition is not well taken:

“This Court therefore finds that the City and the Board of Education are authorized by law to carry out their contract and the injunction sought by the state is denied.”

G. S. 1949, 12-101, reads:

“Each city shall be a body corporate and politic, and shall have .power—
“Second. To purchase or receive, by bequest or gift, and hold, real and personal property for the use of the city.
[698]*698“Third.

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Related

State v. Board of Education of the City of Beloit
280 P.2d 929 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1955)
State Ex Rel. Cole v. City of Garnett
304 P.2d 555 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1956)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
352 P.2d 7, 186 Kan. 694, 1960 Kan. LEXIS 325, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-ex-rel-wood-v-city-of-liberal-kan-1960.