“The employment contract does not constitute a gratuitous payment of public funds to Morales. The contract clearly serves a legitimate public purpose—the employment of the District’s general manager. The benefit received in return by the District under the contract is the performance by Morales of the duties of general manager. The ‘severance’ required for early termination of the contract by the District was a term that was negotiated by the parties, presumably to achieve that end. ‘A political subdivision’s paying public money is not ‘gratuitous’ if the political subdivision receives return consideration.’” 2015 WL 5655802, at *3 (quoting Tex. Mun. League Intergovernmental Risk Pool v. Tex. Workers’ Compensation Comm’n, 74 S.W.3d 377, 383 (Tex. 2002)).

 

Morales v. Hidalgo Cnty. Irrigation Dist. No. 6, No. 13-14-00205-CV, 2015 WL 5655802 (Tex App.Corpus Christi Sept. 24, 2015) (Perkes, J.) (Benavides, Perkes, & Longoria).