§37-13-7. Powers of authority generally.

Each authority shall have the following powers, together with all powers incidental thereto or necessary to the discharge thereof in corporate form;

(1) To have succession by its corporate name for the duration of time (which may be in perpetuity) specified in its certificate of incorporation;

(2) To sue and be sued in its own name in civil suit and actions;

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

(4) To adopt and alter bylaws for the regulation and conduct of its affairs and business;

(5) To acquire, receive, take and hold, whether by purchase, gift, lease, devise, or otherwise, property of every description, whether real, personal or mixed, whether in one or more counties and whether within or without the boundaries or corporate limits (as the case may be) of any authorizing subdivision, and to manage said property, and to develop any undeveloped property owned, leased or controlled by it in a manner necessary or convenient to carry out the purposes of this chapter;

(6) To execute such contracts and other instruments and to take such other action as may be necessary or convenient to carry out the purposes of this chapter or the exercise of any power granted hereunder;

(7) To plan, establish, acquire (by purchase, gift, lease, or devise), construct, enlarge, reconstruct, improve, operate, maintain, replace, repair, extend, improve, regulate and protect railroad properties and facilities within the boundaries or corporate limits (as the case may be) of any of its authorizing subdivisions and within any additional rail service area;

(8) To make the use and services of its railroad properties and facilities available to others in the furtherance of the purposes of this chapter and upon such terms and conditions as the board shall deem proper, and to lease such railroad properties and facilities to others upon such terms and conditions as the board may determine, unless specifically provided for herein;

(9) To receive and accept contributions, grants or other financial assistance from the federal government, the state or any political subdivision thereof, to be used in furtherance of the purposes of this chapter;

(10) To establish schedules of tolls, fees, rates, charges and rentals for the use of its railroad properties and facilities and to charge, alter and collect such tolls, fees, rates, charges and rentals in carrying out the provisions of this chapter;

(11) To make contracts and execute instruments containing such covenants, terms and conditions as in the judgment of the board may be necessary, proper or advisable for the purpose of obtaining grants, loans or other financial assistance from any federal or state agency for or in the aid of the acquisition or improvement of the railroad properties and facilities herein provided; to make all other contracts and execute all other instruments including, without limitation, licenses, long and short-term leases, mortgages and deeds of trust and other agreements relating to the railroad properties and facilities within the boundaries or corporate limits (as the case may be) of any of its authorizing subdivisions and within any additional rail service area, and the construction, operation, maintenance, repair and improvement thereof as in the judgment of the board may be necessary, proper or advisable for the furtherance of the purposes of this chapter and the full exercise of the powers herein granted; and to carry out and perform the covenants, terms and conditions of all such contracts or instruments;

(12) To acquire, by purchase, gift, devise or lease, existing railroad properties and facilities, whether in one or more counties and whether within or without the boundaries or corporate limits (as the case may be) of any of its authorizing subdivisions;

(13) To issue revenue bonds payable from the limited sources hereinafter referred to;

(14) To pledge for payment of such bonds any revenues and funds from which such bonds are made payable;

(15) To make and enter into contracts, leases and agreements incidental to or necessary for the accomplishment of any purposes for which the authority was organized;

(16) To exercise the power of eminent domain in the manner and subject to the provisions of Title 18 as amended, with respect to any property, real, personal or mixed, whether in one or more counties and whether within or without the boundaries or corporate limits (as the case may be) of any authorizing subdivision; provided, that the authority may not acquire by eminent domain any real property or rights owned or held by railroads, transportation companies or utilities, either public or private;

(17) To appoint, employ, contract with and provide for compensation of such officers, employees and agents, including engineers, attorneys, consultants, fiscal advisers and such other employees as the business of the authority may require, including the power to fix working conditions by general rule and other conditions of employment, and at its option to provide a system of disability pay, retirement compensation and pensions, or any of them, and to hire and fire servants, agents, employees and officers at will;

(18) To provide for such insurance, including use and occupancy insurance, as the authority may deem advisable;

(19) To invest any funds of the authority that the board may determine are not presently needed for its corporate purposes in any obligations which are direct general obligations of the United States of America or which are unconditionally guaranteed as to both principal and interest by the United States of America, or in interest-bearing time deposits of any bank or savings and loan association organized under the laws of the state or of the United States of America;

(20) To cooperate with the state, any county, city, town, public corporation, agency, department, or political subdivision of the state, and to make such contracts with them or any of them as the board may deem advisable to accomplish the purposes for which the authority was established;

(21) To sell and convey any of its properties that may have become obsolete or worn out or that may no longer be needed or useful;

(22) To receive and accept grants for or in aid of the construction, extension, improvement, maintenance or operation of any railroad properties and facilities from the United States of America or any agency thereof, and from the state, any department or agency thereof and any political subdivision thereof, and to receive and accept money, property, labor or other things of value from any source whatever; and

(23) To purchase equipment and supplies necessary or convenient for the exercise of any power of the authority.

(Acts 1984, No. 84-179, p. 256, §7.)