Habel v. High School District \C\""
Habel v. High School District \C\""
Dissenting Opinion
(dissenting).
This action was to enjoin the issuance and sale of bonds for the purpose of obtaining money with which to erect a new high school building for High School District “C” which consists of 13 elementary or common school districts, including Common School District No. 5. The only question before us is whether the court erred in striking certain allegations from plaintiffs’ complaint.
The matters stricken consisted of approximately eight typewritten pages which was substantially all of the complaint. Briefly summarized those allegations are to this effect: That Common School District No. 5 has two old and antiquated grade school buildings, one at Stockett and the other at Sand Coulee, both of which are in a deplorable condition without modern heating or sanitary facilities; that the state superintendent of public instruction has warned defendants that unless more adequate grade school housing be provided, state assistance would be withheld; that on the other hand High School District “C” has a modern and adequate high school building at Centerville, capable of accommodating well over 100 high school pupils, whereas the present high school enrollment does not exceed 60 and the enrollment will decline in the future; that there is no need for a new high school building in School District “C” and the proclaimed purpose of constructing such a build
From the stricken allegations it would appear that what was actually needed was adequate grade school buildings for District No. 5 and not a new high school building for District “C.” Had that been accomplished directly the cost would have had to be borne by District No. 5 alone. To avoid that result, if the stricken allegations be true, it was proposed to allow the existing high school building which is alleged to be adequate for
I think if the stricken allegations be true, and at this stage of the case we must assume they are true, Mills v. Pope, 90 Mont. 569, 4 Pac. (2d) 485; Downs v. Nihill, 87 Mont. 145, 286 Pae. 410, then defendants, who were not able to construct or furnish grade school buildings under R.C.M. 1947, section 75-4601, so as to spread the cost over the entire High School District “C” directly, may not accomplish the same thing by indirection.
By striking analogy, I think the ease of State ex rel. City of Jefferson v. Smith, 348 Mo. 554, 154 S.W. (2d) 101, supports this conclusion. To brush the question off as a political one which the electors of High School District C” decided at the polls is not an adequate answer to the question because, as pointed out above, from the allegations that were stricken the electors in the sparsely settled outlying districts were so far outnumbered that the result of the election could be forecast with considerable accuracy particularly when it was the outlying district that must supply approximately two-thirds of the cost. With but few exceptions the voters in District No. 5 would vote for the project in order to spread the cost over the whole of District “C,” whereas those in the other districts would vote against it, but to no avail since they are in the decided minority.
It should be noted too that the outlying districts under the law have no voice in choosing the members of the board of trustees for the high school district. R.C.M. 1947, section 75-4601.
Furthermore, the fact that the existing high school building belongs to District No. 5, if such is the case, is no answer to the question before us here. It might have called for some adjustment between District ££C” and District No. 5, but would not authorize the construction of a new high school building when the existing building is adequate and when the need is not for
Nor do I think the objection comes too late.
The majority opinion, in reliance on Hendrickson v. Powell County, 112 Mont. 1, 112 Pac. (2d) 199, and other cases of like import, holds that the attack here comes too late when it comes after the election. Those cases simply hold that a statutory rule of procedure will be declared directory only when questioned after election whereas it may be mandatory before election.
Here we are not dealing with a statutory rule of procedure but with a question that goes to the jurisdiction. Unless the proceeding is one wherein a new high school is the real and true motivating purpose there is no jurisdiction to proceed. The attack here is in time.
I think the judgment should be reversed and the cause remanded with directions to set aside the order sustaining the motion to strike and to enter an order denying it and to allow defendants a reasonable time to further plead.
Opinion of the Court
This is an appeal from a judgment of dismissal.
On rehearing granted and had this court’s opinion pronounced on April 12, 1955, is ordered withdrawn and vacated and the following opinion shall stand as and for the court’s opinion herein.
The suit involves two elections held in High School District “C” of Cascade County for the purpose of voting on a proposed site for a new high school building and on a proposed bond issue to provide funds for the construction and furnishing of such new high school building.
Litigation involving this same high school district was recently before this court in the case of Lorang v. High School District “ C”, 126 Mont. 204, 247 Pac. (2d) 477. Since the trial in the district court of the Lorang case, supra, various changes and amendments have been made in the governing statutes. See Ch. 188, Montana Session Laws of 1951, pages 414-418.
On November 9, 1953, and subsequent to the holding of the elections, Sidney Habel and seven other taxpaying electors of said High School District “C” of Cascade County, Montana,
The complaint so filed comprises thirteen separately numbered paragraphs.
On November 18, 1953, the defendant high school district, its trustees and clerk interposed a motion to strike from the complaint a portion of paragraph VI and all of paragraphs IV, V and VIII to XIII, inclusive, on the ground that the allegations thereof are immaterial, redundant and irrelevant to the issues involved in this injunction suit.
On January 18, 1954, the district court entered an order granting defendants’ above motion to strike said allegations from the complaint and allowing the plaintiffs twenty days in which to file an amended complaint.
The plaintiffs failed to file any amendments to their original complaint or to file any amended complaint and on February 11, 1954, after the expiration of the time allowed therefor, the defendant high school district, its trustees and clerk, interposed a motion for judgment denying plaintiffs the relief sought and dismissing the action.
On February 17, 1954, after hearing had, the district court granted defendants’ motion for judgment and rendered and entered its judgment dismissing the action from which judgment the plaintiffs have taken this appeal.
The complaint, inter alia, avers: That High School District “C” comprises thirteen elementary or common school districts including common school district No. 5; that such high school district was organized February 23, 1946, under the laws of
The election and proceedings for the determination of the proposed bond issue and for the construction of a new high school building for the defendant high school district were not initiated by the defendant high school district, its trustees or clerk, but same were initiated by petition circulated among and signed by not less than thirty per cent of the qualified electors of the defendant high school district as is authorized by the provisions of R.C.M. 1947, section 75-4601 (b).
The complaint also avers: That the trustees of High School District “C” called an election of the qualified taxpaying electors of the defendant high school district to be held on April 4, 1953, to vote upon the question of the issuance of bonds in the amount of $155,000 for the construction and furnishing of a new high school building and also upon the question of whether the proposed new high school building should be built adjacent to the present high school building at Centerville in such district ; that such election was held on April 4, 1953; that a canvass of the ballots following such election showed 221 votes for and 228 against the issuance of the bonds and 221 votes for and 202 votes against the proposed site for the building. Thus from the averments of the complaint it appears that the voters of the defendant high school district approved the proposed site of the proposed new high school building but they defeated the proposed bond issue.
The complaint further avers: That approximately 340 qualified taxpaying electors reside in common school district No. 5; that 240 qualified taxpaying electors reside in all of the other twelve common school districts of such High School Dis
The complaint further avers: That said common school district No. 5 is the pretended owner in fee of 1.47 acres of land acquired by warranty deed from Robert Habel and wife, dated March 14, 1950, and recorded November 20, 1952; that such common school district No. 5 is also the pretended owner in fee of 8,51 acres acquired bj warranty deed from Katherine O. Epperson dated September 17, 1953, and recorded October 7, 1953; that the purchase or location of said tracts of land was never authorized by the electors of said common school district No. 5 and that the board of trustees of said common school district No. 5 had no power nor authority to so acquire such tracts.
In their answer brief filed in this court, the defendant high school district, its trustees and clerk, state that the above 1.47 acres are contiguous to the present high school building and such statement is neither denied, controverted nor disputed by plaintiffs either in their supplemental reply memorandum filed herein or otherwise.
There is nothing in the plaintiffs’ complaint alleging or tending to show that in acquiring said tracts of land the trustees of school district No. 5 did not comply with the provisions of R.C.M. 1947, section 75-4231, subd. 2(c), which expressly authorize the trustees of high school districts to acquire title to a contiguous site without calling for a vote of the qualified electors of the district.
The complaint further avers: That when it was found that
The complaint also alleges that notices of the bond election, to be held September 12, 1953, were posted only in three public places in common school district No. 5. Such posting and notices were in compliance with the provisions of R.C.M. 1947, section 75-3910. However, even if such postings were to be considered as a defect such point and objection could not successfully be raised after the holding of the election and the issuance of the bonds so authorized.
The briefs of the plaintiffs as well as those of the defendants filed in this court refer to the case of Lorang v. High School District “C”, supra, decided August 16, 1952, involving an election in this same high school district on the question of issuing bonds for the construction and furnishing of a new high school building. In the Lorang ease, supra, this court held that under section 2 of Chapter 130, Laws of 1949, the election for authority to determine the site of a new proposed high school building must be submitted at the same time as the election held for authority to issue bonds for the construction of such building. However, since then Chapter 130, Laws of 1949, supra, has been amended and section 2 thereof repealed by the enactment of Chapter 120, Laws of 1953, which became effective on February 28, 1953. Thus the election on April 4, 1953, held subsequent to the effective date of Chapter 120, Laws of 1953, was and is in compliance with the amended law Chapter 120, Laws of 1953, as was the last election held on Sep
Thus the site for the proposed new high school building and the issuance of the bonds to construct and furnish such new building have been legally determined by said elections so held on April 4, 1953, and September 12, 1953.
There is no allegation or showing in the complaint or otherwise indicating that the issuance of the bonds and the acquiring of the site adjacent to the present high school building in said district will create a debt in excess of the constitutional limit.
The allegations of plaintiffs’ complaint which the district court ordered stricken may properly raise a political question to be decided by the electors of the high school district affected but if they do such question has been answered at the polls and with such answer neither the district court nor the supreme court was or is properly concerned on the record here presented.
Under any construction the allegations stricken and eliminated from the complaint on defendant’s motion to strike raise no issue of law to be determined by the courts and the cases which plaintiffs rely upon and cite to this court do not support the contention which plaintiffs here urge. Compare Wasson v. Commissioners of Wayne County, 49 Ohio St. 622, 32 N.E. 472, 17 L.R.A. 795, and State ex rel. City of Jefferson v. Smith, 348 Mo. 554, 154 S.W. (2d) 101.
The possibility that at some remote time in the future common school district No. 5 may attempt to house its grade school in the present high school building now occupied by High School District “ C ” for high school purposes is not sufficient to warrant interference by the courts with the clearly expressed will of the qualified electors who have voted for and registered their approval of the bond issue here challenged by plaintiffs. See Reid v. City of Muskogee, 137 Okl. 44, 278 Pac. 339, at page 344. Nor is the legality of the bond issue impaired by the sug
The instant action was commenced in the district court on November 9, 1953, being at a time subsequent to the election of September 12, 1953, authorizing the issuance and sale of said bonds. Defendants’ answer brief herein states that, the bid of the state land board on the sale of the bonds was accepted on November 10, 1953, and that none of the defendants were served in this action until November 11, 1953. Such statement is not controverted in plaintiffs’ supplemental reply brief herein.
In Hendrickson v. Powell County, 112 Mont. 1, 6, 112 Pac. (2d) 199, 201, being an action to enjoin the completion of the sale of bonds by the trustees of a high school, this court in affirming a judgment of the lower court in favor of the defendant trustees, said: “We have frequently held that failure to comply with some statutory detail of procedure will not invalidate a bond issue when the question is raised after the election, even though, if attacked before the election, it might have proved fatal. In other words, certain provisions may be mandatory if enforcement is sought before election but are treated as directory only, when not questioned until after election. Among the eases so holding are the following: Goodell v. Judith Basin County, 70 Mont. 222, 224 Pac. 1110; Shekelton v. Toole County, 97 Mont. 213, 33 Pac. (2d) 531; State ex rel. Sullivan v. School District No. 1, 100 Mont. 468, 50 Pac. (2d) 252; Swaim v. Redeem, 101 Mont. 521, 55 Pac. (2d) 1; State ex rel. Jaumotte v. Zimmerman, 105 Mont. 464, 73 Pac. (2d) 548; Martin v. State Highway Commission, 107 Mont. 603, 88 Pac. (2d) 41. And the holding of the election at a time different from that called for by statute will not invalidate the bonds when the question is not raised until after the election. Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pac. Ry. Co. v. Fallon County, 95 Mont. 568, 28 Pac. (2d) 462.” To the same effect see also;
We have carefully examined and considered the various allegations of plaintiffs’ complaint seeking an injunction against the defendants and hold that, under the above cited authorities, it was not error for the district court to strike the designated allegations from plaintiffs’ complaint or to thereafter render the judgment denying plaintiffs the relief sought and dismissing the action. Accordingly the judgment is affirmed.
Dissenting Opinion
I concur in the above dissenting opinion of Mr. Justice Angstman.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- SIDNEY HABEL, Et Al., Plaintiffs and Appellants, v. HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT “C” of Cascade County, Et Al., Defendants and Respondents
- Cited By
- 3 cases
- Status
- Published