Recent Texas Attorney General Opinions of Interest to Cities

Note:  Included opinions are from May 11, 2022 through June 10, 2022.

KP-407 (Conflicts): A court would likely conclude that the common-law incompatibility doctrine does not bar a Nueces County commissioner from simultaneously serving as the general manager of the South Texas Water Authority.

A court would likely conclude that the management service agreement between the South Texas Water Authority and a corporation for which a Nueces County commissioner serves as president does not constitute a conflict of interest under section 81.002 or chapter 171 of the Local Government Code.

KP-409 (Engineers and Platting): Subsection 232.023(b) of the Local Government Code establishes county subdivision platting requirements under certain circumstances and provides in subsection 232.023(b)(1) that the plat must be certified by a land surveyor or an engineer. Given the context of subsection 232.023(b) as a whole, a court would likely construe subsection 232.023(b)(1) to require both a land surveyor and an engineer to formally attest to the portions of the subdivision platting requirements corresponding to their respective areas of professional expertise or as otherwise provided in other subparts of subsection 232.023(b). Accordingly, no conflict exists between subsection 232.023(b)(1) and the Professional Land Surveying Practices Act.