Alabama § 37-5-3 - Purpose and General Powers.

§ 37-5-3. Purpose and General Powers.

A district shall be created for the purpose of conducting and operating a utility and, to carry out such purpose, shall have power and authority to acquire, construct, reconstruct, operate, maintain, extend or improve any utility within or without the district and to furnish, deliver and sell to the public and to any municipality and to the state and any public institution heat, light and power service and any other service, commodity or facility which may be produced or furnished in connection therewith. For said purposes the district is granted and shall have and exercise the right freely to use and occupy any public highway, street, way or place reasonably necessary to be used or occupied for the maintenance and operation of such utility or any part thereof, subject to such local regulations as may be imposed in connection therewith by any regulations of the governing body of the municipality in which such highway, street, way or place is located. Any district created pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall be vested with all the powers necessary and requisite for the accomplishment of the purpose for which such district is created, capable of being delegated by the legislature. No enumeration of particular powers created in this chapter shall be construed to impair or limit any general grant of power contained in this chapter nor to limit any such grant to a power or powers of the same class or classes as those enumerated. The district is empowered to do all acts necessary, proper or convenient in the exercise of the powers granted under this chapter. Any district created pursuant to this statute shall have the power:

(1) To sue and be sued.

(2) To have a seal.

(3) To acquire by purchase, gift, devise, lease or exercise of the power of eminent domain or other mode of acquisition, hold and dispose of real and personal property of every kind within or without the district, subject to mortgages or any other liens.

(4) To make and enter into contracts, conveyances, mortgages, deeds of trust, bonds or leases.

(5) To incur debts, to borrow money, to issue negotiable bonds and to provide for the rights of holders thereof.

(6) To fix, maintain and collect rates and charges for any service.

(7) To pledge all or any part of its revenues.

(8) To make such covenants in connection with the issuance of bonds or to secure the payment of bonds that a private business corporation can make under the general laws of the state, notwithstanding that such covenants may operate as limitations on the exercise of any power granted by this section.