South Carolina § 59-53-53 - Borrowing by area commissions; special fees; disposing of excess real property.

§ 59-53-53. Borrowing by area commissions; special fees; disposing of excess real property.

(A) The area commission of any technical education institution under the jurisdiction of the South Carolina technical education system may borrow for capital improvements from a federal or other lending agency an amount not to exceed its ability to repay the loan through the imposition of a special fee. The terms of the loan may not exceed forty years. An area commission may issue covenants, enter into mortgages, and grant liens limiting the sale or use of certain parcels of real or personal property in its possession when required as a condition of accepting a grant, loan, or donation for specified capital improvement projects.

To amortize the loan, a special fee must be imposed within the limits established by the state board, the proceeds of which must be deposited in a special account to be used for payment of the loan in accordance with the terms negotiated by the commission and the lender. No funds other than the revenue from the special fee may be pledged for payment of the loan.

(B) The governing body for each technical college shall review the real property titled in the name of its institution to determine if such property is in excess of the institution's anticipated needs and is available for disposal. All real properties determined to be in excess may be disposed of with the approval of the State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education, the State Fiscal Accountability Authority or the Department of Administration, as appropriate, and the Joint Bond Review Committee. The proceeds of such sales are to be disposed of as follows:

(1) if the property was acquired by gift, or through tuition, student fees, county funds, or earned income, the proceeds may be retained by the selling institution for use in accord with established needs;

(2) if the property was acquired through state appropriations, state capital improvement bonds, or formula funds, the proceeds shall revert to the state general fund.

The responsibility for providing any necessary documentation including, but not limited to, documenting the fund source of any real property proposed for sale rests with each respective institution.

HISTORY: 1978 Act No. 646 SECTION 6; 1988 Act No. 676, SECTION 2; 1998 Act No. 419, Part II, SECTION 10A.