§ 38-2-177 — Establishment of defense finance and accounting services facility; steps toward establishment; intergovernmental cooperation

(a) The General Assembly finds and declares that great public benefit shall result from cooperation among the United States, the state, the counties and municipal corporations of the state, and public authorities with respect to the national, state, and local defense. In particular, such benefit will result from competing and contracting for the establishment of a Defense Finance and Accounting Services facility in Georgia pursuant to the Opportunity for Economic Growth program of the United States Department of Defense and the Base Closure and Realignment Commission proceedings of the United States. Such benefits will include enhanced performance of defense functions, increased job opportunities, increased opportunity for job training and creating a skilled work force, enhanced economic activity, and increased governmental revenues. Pursuant to that finding and declaration, it is further declared to be a significant and important public purpose for the state and local governments to enter into such competition and agreements on such terms and conditions as they may determine in accord with the following: (1) The Department of Defense is authorized to acquire, by purchase, gift, condemnation, or otherwise, construct, establish, operate, maintain, repair, and replace a finance and accounting facility for defense purposes; (2) In connection therewith, with the approval of the Governor, the Department of Defense may compete and contract for the establishment of a Defense Finance and Accounting Services facility in Georgia pursuant to the Opportunity for Economic Growth program of the United States Department of Defense and the Base Closure and Realignment Commission proceedings of the United States; (3) In connection therewith, the department may enter into contracts with the United States, not exceeding 50 years in term, by which the state agrees to make services and facilities available to the United States for purposes of the national defense, or by which the United States makes services and facilities available to the state or its authorities for purposes of the state or national defense; and (4) In connection therewith, any other state agency or instrumentality shall be authorized to participate with the department or separately for the purpose of providing or receiving services or facilities consistent with its public functions. (b) In consideration of the mutual public purposes and pursuant to intergovernmental contract, the governing authorities of the counties, municipal corporations, and local authorities of the state are authorized to make appropriations from the funds of such counties, municipal corporations, and local authorities and are authorized to lease, lend, sell, grant, or donate services and property, both real and personal, of the counties and municipal corporations to the state and the federal government for purposes of local, state, and national defense and for the use of the organized militia. For such purposes they may exercise the power of eminent domain. Any donation of real property to the state by a county, municipal corporation, or local authority, with a provision in such a gift that the property shall be used for military purposes and should the property not be used for military purposes the same shall revert to the donor, shall be a valid gift; and if the property can be used by the state for military purposes it may be accepted by the Governor with such conditions and reverter, but the Governor may require the conveyance of a full fee and that likewise shall be a valid conveyance. When so accepted it shall be lawful to expend funds appropriated or otherwise authorized, including proceeds of general obligation debt, for the support of the militia to improve the property with an armory or other military facilities.