§11-62-7. Powers of authority generally; operation of facilities by authority.

(a) Every authority shall have all of the powers necessary and convenient to carry out and effectuate the purposes and provisions of this chapter, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the following powers:

(1) To have succession in its corporate name for the duration of time (which may be in perpetuity, subject to the provisions of Section 11-62-17) specified in its certificate of incorporation;

(2) To sue and be sued in its own name in civil suits and actions and to defend suits against it;

(3) To adopt and make use of a corporate seal and to alter the same at pleasure;

(4) To adopt, alter, and repeal bylaws, regulations, and rules, not inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter, for the regulation and conduct of its affairs and business;

(5) To acquire, whether by gift, purchase, transfer, foreclosure, lease, or otherwise, and to expand, improve, maintain, equip, and furnish one or more facilities, including all real and personal properties that its board may deem necessary in connection therewith, regardless of whether or not any such facility shall then be in existence and, if in existence, regardless of whether or not any such facility is then owned or leased by any user to which such facility may subsequently be sold or leased by such authority;

(6) To borrow money and to sell and issue bonds, notes, or other obligations as hereinafter provided for any corporate use or purpose;

(7) To lease to a user or users any or all facilities that may be owned by it, to charge and collect rent therefor and to terminate any such lease upon the failure of the lessee to comply with any of the obligations thereof, all upon such terms and conditions as its board may deem advisable;

(8) To contract to sell and convey and to sell and convey to a user or users any or all facilities that may be owned by it and to grant options to any user or users to purchase any or all facilities that may be owned by it, all for such consideration and upon such terms and conditions as its board may deem advisable;

(9) To lend, upon such terms and conditions as its board may deem advisable, all or any portion of the proceeds derived from the issuance of its bonds, notes, or obligations to a user, whether pursuant to one or more loan agreements or in conjunction with the lease or sale of one or more facilities to such user or the purchase of an authorized purpose obligation relating to a facility or facilities operated by such user, for one or more or any combination of the following purposes:

a. To enable such user to borrow an amount not substantially in excess of the equity (determined on any basis not resulting in a higher value for any facility in question than the estimated replacement cost or the appraised market value thereof, whichever may be greater) which such user may then have in any facility or facilities;

b. To enable such user to refinance any outstanding indebtedness incurred or assumed in connection with the acquisition, improvement, or operation of any existing facility or facilities;

c. To enable such user to finance the costs of acquiring, by purchase, construction, or otherwise, one or more facilities and/or the costs of expanding or improving one or more facilities, regardless of whether any such facility has theretofore been owned or leased by such user or is to be acquired or leased by such user; and

d. To enable such user to borrow working capital for use in the operation of one or more facilities;

(10) To contract to acquire, hold, pledge, assign, sell, and transfer and to acquire, hold, pledge, assign, sell, and transfer one or more authorized purpose obligations that are entered into or issued in whole or in part with respect to one or more facilities;

(11) To pledge for payment of any bonds, notes, or obligations issued by the authority any revenues from which such bonds, notes, or obligations are payable as herein provided and to mortgage or pledge any or all of its facilities or any part or parts thereof or any authorized purpose obligation, whether then owned or thereafter acquired, and to pledge the revenues, rentals, and receipts therefrom or from any part thereof or any revenues from which such bonds are payable as herein provided as security for the payment of the principal of and the interest and premium, if any, on any bonds, notes, or obligations so issued and any agreements made in connection therewith;

(12) To make, enter into, and execute such contracts, agreements, leases, and other instruments and to take such other actions as may be necessary or convenient to accomplish any purpose for which such authority was organized or to exercise any power expressly granted hereunder;

(13) To enter into contracts with, to accept aid, loans and grants from, to cooperate with, and to do any and all things not specifically prohibited by this chapter or the Constitution or other applicable laws of the state that may be necessary in order to avail itself of the aid and cooperation of the United States of America, the state or any agency, instrumentality, or political subdivision of either thereof in furtherance of the purposes of this chapter;

(14) To receive and accept from any source aid or contributions in the form of money, property, labor, or other things of value, to be held, used, and applied to carry out the purposes of this chapter, subject to any lawful condition upon which any such aid or contributions may be given or made;

(15) To appoint, employ, and contract with such employees and agents, including, but not limited to, architects, engineers, attorneys, accountants, financial experts, fiscal agents, and such other advisors, consultants, and agents as may in its judgment be necessary or desirable, and to fix their compensation;

(16) To enter into a management contract or contracts with any governmental agency, nonprofit organization or private business entity as may in the judgment of such authority be necessary or desirable in order to perform more efficiently or economically various clerical, accounting, and administrative functions for which it may become responsible in the exercise of the powers conferred upon it by this chapter;

(17) To procure insurance against any loss in connection with its property and other assets in such amounts and from such insurers as its board may deem desirable;

(18) To the extent permitted by the contracts of such authority with the holders of its bonds, notes, and other obligations and if not otherwise specifically prohibited by any other provision of this chapter, to invest its moneys, including, without limitation, the moneys held in any special fund created pursuant to any trust indenture or resolution securing any of its bonds, notes, or other obligations and proceeds from the sale of any bonds or notes, not required for immediate use in eligible investments;

(19) To include in any borrowing by such authority such amounts as may be deemed necessary by its board to pay bond discount, commissions, or other financing charges, interest on the obligations issued in evidence of such borrowing for such period as its board shall deem advisable, fees and expenses of financial advisors and planning and management consultants, all legal, accounting, publishing, printing, recording, and filing fees and expenses and such other expenses as shall be necessary or incident to such borrowing;

(20) To the extent permitted by its contracts with the holders of its bonds, notes, and other obligations, to purchase bonds or notes of such authority out of any of its funds or moneys available therefor and to hold, cancel, or resell such bonds or notes;

(21) To procure or agree to the procurement of insurance or guarantees from the United States of America or any agency or instrumentality thereof or from any private insurance company of the payment of any bonds, notes or any other obligations issued by such authority and to pay premiums or fees for any such insurance or guarantees; and

(22) To do any and all things necessary or convenient to carry out its purposes and to exercise its powers pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

(b) No authority shall have the power to operate any facility other than as a lessor thereof; provided, however, that the foregoing restriction on the power of any authority to operate any facility shall not be construed to prohibit, limit or impair the right of such authority to terminate any lease of any facility that is in default, to take possession of such facility and to operate the same for such temporary period as may be necessary to protect and enforce the rights and remedies of the holders of any of its notes or bonds and to exercise any other right or remedy which may be necessary to prevent or cure any default under any contract of such authority which provides for or relates to the security for any of its notes, bonds or other obligations.

(Acts 1979, No. 79-332, p. 506, §7.)