Section 11-31-3 Board of Directors - Officers; Meetings; Powers; Funding.

(a)(1) The board of directors of the authority may do all of the following: a. Appoint a chair from among its membership, subject to an annual rotation of the chair position between or among the representative members of the board from each county comprising the radio/alert notification communications district in the case of a multi-county district. b. Appoint a vice chair from among its membership, provided that in the case of a multi-county district, the vice chair shall be a representative of a county other than the one represented by the chair. c. Appoint other officers from among its membership as it may deem necessary from among the membership of the board. (2) A majority of the directors shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting business. (b) The authority shall have all of the following powers: (1) Employ such employees, experts, and consultants as it deems necessary to assist the board in the discharge of its responsibilities to the extent that funds are available. (2) Acquire, make improvements to, or dispose of, whether by purchase, sale, gift, lease, devise, or otherwise, property of every description that the board may deem necessary and to hold title thereto, including, but not limited to, vehicles, radio equipment, computer equipment, alert notification equipment, and other capital assets. (3) Sue and be sued and prosecute and defend civil actions in any court having jurisdiction of the subject matter and the parties. (4) Construct, enlarge, equip, improve, and maintain all aspects of the radio/alert notification communications system. (5) Issue bonds for operation and management of the radio/alert notification communications district secured by revenue of the district. The bonds shall be negotiable instruments and shall be solely the obligations of the district and not the State of Alabama. The bonds and income thereof shall be exempt from all taxation in the State of Alabama. The bonds shall be payable out of the income, revenues, and receipts of the district. The bonds shall be authorized and issued by resolution of the creating authority or authorities of the district and shall be of such series, bear such date or dates, mature at time or times, not to exceed 30 years from issuance, bear interest at such rate or rates, be in such denominations, be in such form, without coupon or fully registered without coupon, carry such registration and exchangeability privileges, be payable in such medium of payment and at such a place or places, be subject to such terms of redemption and be entitled to the priorities on the income, revenues, and receipts of the district as the resolution may provide. All bonds shall contain a recital that they are issued pursuant to this chapter, which recitals shall be conclusive that they have been duly authorized pursuant to this chapter. (6) Provide for such liability and hazard insurance as the board deems advisable, including inclusion or continuation, or both, of district employees in a state, county, municipal, or self-funded liability insurance program. (7) Enter into contracts or agreements with public or private entities when the terms, conditions, and charges of such contracts or agreements are mutually agreed upon. (8) Establish committees from the membership of the board to focus on specific areas, including, but not limited to, technology, operations, long-term funding strategy, and capital replacement, when authorized by the board. (9) Assess reasonable fees on users of the radio/alert notification communications system to recover the costs of operation, maintenance, and capital replacement of the shared radio communications system. (c) Capital and operating costs of the district and its shared radio/alert notification communications system shall be equally shared among the users of the shared radio/alert notification communications system. (d) Funds generated from any type of revenue shall be used to establish, maintain, and replace a radio/alert notification communications system that may consist, without limitation, of the following: (1) Radio and alert notification communications equipment and facilities necessary to facilitate voice and data communications. (2) The engineering, installation, and recurring costs necessary to implement and maintain a radio/alert notification communications system. (3) Facilities and employees to house radio/alert notification communications as described in this chapter, with the approval of the creating authority. (e) Employees of the district shall be eligible for membership in the Retirement Systems of Alabama.