§ 12-478. Powers of the governing body.

The Board of County Commissioners of Marion County, Florida, as governing body of the Bahia Oaks Municipal Service Taxing Unit for Street Lighting is empowered:

(1)

To sue and be sued in the name of the unit.

(2)

To adopt and use a seal and authorize use of a facsimile thereof.

(3)

To acquire in the name of the Bahia Oaks Municipal Service Taxing Unit for Street Lighting by purchase, gift, or the exercise of right of eminent domain, such lands and rights and interests therein, including lands under water and riparian rights and to acquire such personal property as it may deem necessary in connection with the furnishings of services authorized by this article and to hold and dispose of all real and personal property under its control; providing, however, nothing herein contained shall authorize the power of eminent domain to be exercised beyond the limits of the unit.

(4)

To make and execute contracts and other instruments necessary or convenient to the exercise of its powers.

(5)

To employ and fix the compensation of employees of the unit.

(6)

To authorize compensation for members of an advisory board for per diem, travel, and other reasonable expenses for meetings, hearings, and other official business, consistent with section 112.061, Florida Statutes.

(7)

To contract for the services of engineers, attorneys, accountants, financial, or other consultants and such other agents as the board of county commissioners may require or deem necessary to accomplish the purposes of the unit.

(8)

To borrow money and accept gifts; to convey real or personal property; to apply for and use grants or loans of money or other property from the United States, the State of Florida, a local unit of government or any other person for any unit purposes of the Bahia Oaks Municipal Service Taxing Unit for Street Lighting and to enter into agreements required in connection therewith; and to hold, use, and dispose of such monies or property for any unit purposes in accordance with the terms of the gift or grant, loan, or agreement relating thereto.

(9)

To acquire, construct, operate, maintain, equip, improve, extend, enlarge, or improve capital projects within or without the Bahia Oaks Municipal Service Taxing Unit for Street Lighting to perform the specialized public function or services herein provided.

(10)

To maintain an office at such place or places as it may designate within or without such unit.

(11)

To adopt by-laws, rules and regulations, resolutions and orders for its own proceedings.

(12)

To make use of any public easements, dedications to public use, plat reservations of specific public purposes within the boundaries of the Bahia Oaks Municipal Service Taxing Unit for Street Lighting for those purposes authorized by the unit.

(13)

To lease as lessor or lessee, to or from any person, firm, corporation, association or body, public or private, any projects of the type that the Bahia Oaks Municipal Service Taxing Unit for Street Lighting is authorized to undertake any facilities or properties of any nature for the use of the unit to carry out any of the purposes of this article as now in effect or hereafter amended.

(14)

To issue general obligation bonds, certificates, warrants, notes or other evidences of indebtedness as hereinafter provided; to levy such tax as may be authorized; and to establish a budget and a fiscal year.

(15)

To issue general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, special assessment bonds or combination thereof to finance the cost of capital improvement projects authorized by the article as now in effect or hereafter amended; the procedure for issuing such revenue or assessment bonds or the levying of special assessments shall be in the manner provided by law.

(16)

To levy and assess per parcel special assessments authorized by law to pay the cost of such specialized public functions or services as are provided for in the article as now or hereafter amended.

(17)

To contract with municipalities, cities, towns, counties, or other political subdivisions, public corporations, or persons; to provide or receive such specialized public functions or services.

(18)

To provide for an advisory council and appoint its members. The composition of the advisory council and the terms of office for its members shall be set forth in the resolution providing for such advisory council.

(Ord. No. 97-26, § 3, 12-2-97)