§ 2-3A-7 — Powers of Authority; Open Meetings

(a) The 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 perpetuity, subject to the provisions of Section 2-3A-14) 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, not inconsistent with the provisions of this article, for the regulation and conduct of its affairs and business;
(5) To loan its funds to one or more persons to be used by such persons to pay the costs of agricultural operations, such loans to be on such terms and conditions, and for such period of time, and secured or evidenced by such mortgages, deeds of trust, notes, debentures, bonds or other secured or unsecured evidences of indebtedness of such persons as the board may determine;
(6) To purchase, or to make commitments to purchase, from lenders mortgages, deeds of trust, notes, debentures, bonds or other secured or unsecured debt obligations or portions thereof or participations therein, which mortgages and other instruments were executed by the obligors thereon to obtain funds for agricultural operations;
(7) To contract with lenders or others for the origination of or the servicing of the loans made by the authority pursuant to subdivision (5) of this section or represented by the mortgages or other instruments which it has purchased pursuant to subdivision (6) of this section; provided that such servicing fee shall not exceed one percent per annum of the principal amount outstanding owed to the authority;
(8) To foreclose any mortgages, deeds of trust, notes, debentures, bonds and other security interests held by it, either by action or by exercise of a power of sale, and to sell the equity of redemption in said security interests in accordance with the terms of said instruments and applicable state law, and to take all such other actions as may be necessary to enforce any obligation held by it;
(9) To purchase the equity of redemption in any such mortgage, deed of trust, note, debenture, bond or other security interest;
(10) To receive and accept, from any source, aid or contributions of money, property, labor or other items of value for furtherance of any of its purposes, subject to any conditions not inconsistent herewith or with the laws of this state pertaining to such contributions, including, but without limitation to, gifts or grants from any department, agency or instrumentality of the United States of America;
(11) To collect such fees and charges in connection with its loans, advances, insurance, commitments, servicing and other activities as it may determine;
(12) To sell at either public or private sale, with or without public bidding, any mortgage, deed of trust, note, debenture or other obligation held by the authority;
(13) To procure such insurance and guarantees as the board may deem advisable, including, but without limitation to, insurance or guarantees against any loss in connection with any notes or obligations held by it, and any of its property or assets, and for payment of any bonds or other obligations issued by the authority, in such amounts and from such public or private entities, as it may deem advisable, and to pay premiums or other charges for any such insurance or guarantees;
(14) To borrow money and to sell and issue its bonds for any corporate function, use or purpose authorized herein;
(15) To mortgage, pledge, assign or grant security interests in any or all of its notes or other instruments, contract rights or other property, including, but without limitation to, any receipts from insurance on or guarantees of any of its notes or other instruments, as security for the payment of the principal of and interest on any bonds issued by the authority, or as security for any agreements made in connection therewith, whether then owned or thereafter acquired, and to pledge the revenues from which said bonds are payable as security for the payment of the principal of and interest on said bonds and any agreements made in connection therewith;
(16) To execute and deliver, in accordance with the provisions of this section and of Section 2-3A-8, mortgages and deeds of trust and trust indentures, or either;
(17) To appoint, employ, contract with, and provide for the compensation of, such officers, employees and agents, including, but without limitation to, engineers, attorneys, management consultants, fiscal advisers, and agricultural, silvacultural and aquacultural experts, as the business of the authority may require; provided, however, that no director or member of his or her firm, business, partnership or corporation shall be employed or compensated by the authority;
(18) To invest any funds of the authority that the board may determine are not presently needed for any of its corporate purposes in obligations of the United States of America, and interest-bearing bank and savings and loan association deposits, or any thereof;
(19) To enter into a management agreement or agreements with any person for the management by said person for the authority of any of its properties upon such terms and conditions as may be mutually agreeable;
(20) To sell, exchange, donate and convey any or all of its properties whenever its board shall find any such action to be in furtherance of the purposes for which the authority was organized; and
(21) 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 the authority was organized or to exercise any power expressly granted hereunder.
(b) All meetings of the board of the authority for any purpose shall be open to the public.

Legislative History

(Acts 1980, No. 80-586, p. 913, §7; Acts 1986, Ex. Sess., No. 86-725, p. 157, §2.)