Section 6-4-7. General powers

   The authority shall have all of the powers necessary, proper, or convenient to carry out and effectuate the purposes and provisions of this chapter. The powers enumerated in this Code section are cumulative of and in addition to each other and other powers granted elsewhere in this chapter and no such power limits or restricts any other power of the authority. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the powers of the authority shall include the powers:

   (1) To bring and defend actions;

   (2) To adopt and amend a corporate seal;

   (3) To make and execute contracts, agreements, and other instruments necessary, proper, or convenient to exercise the powers of the authority and to further the public purpose for which the authority is created, including, but not limited to, contracts for construction of projects, leases of projects, operation of projects, sale of projects, agreements for loans to finance projects, and contracts with respect to the use of projects, including negotiated contracts with air carriers for the use of projects;

   (4) To plan, survey, subdivide, improve, administer, construct, erect, acquire, own, repair, remodel, maintain, add to, extend, improve, equip, operate, and manage projects, as defined in Code Section 6-4-3, to be located on property owned or leased by the authority; the cost of any such project shall be paid from its income, from any grant from the United States government or any agency or instrumentality thereof, or from any grant from this state;

   (5) In connection with any project, to acquire by purchase, lease, condemnation, or otherwise and to hold, lease, and dispose of real and personal property of every kind and character or any interest therein in furtherance of its corporate purposes;

   (6) In connection with any project, to acquire in its own name by purchase, on such terms and conditions and in such manner as it may deem proper or by condemnation in accordance with any and all existing laws applicable to the condemnation of property for public use, real property or rights or easements therein or franchises necessary or convenient for its corporate purposes; and to use the same so long as its corporate existence shall continue and to lease or make contracts with respect to the use of or to dispose of the same in any manner it deems to the best advantage of the authority, the authority being under no obligation to accept and pay for any property condemned under this chapter or under Code Section 6-2-20 except from the funds provided under the authority of this chapter; and, in any proceedings to condemn, such order may be made by the court having jurisdiction of the action or proceedings as may be just to the authority and to the owners of the property to be condemned; and no property shall be acquired under this chapter upon which any lien or other encumbrance exists unless at the time such property is so acquired a sufficient sum of money be deposited in trust to pay and redeem such lien or encumbrance in full;

   (7) To adopt regulations and fix, alter, charge, negotiate, and collect fares, rates, fees, tolls, and other charges for the use of such projects; fix penalties for the violation of said regulations; and establish liens to enforce payment of said charges, fees, and tolls, subject to existing contracts; to make such contracts, leases, or conveyances as the legitimate and necessary purposes of this chapter shall require, including, but not limited to, contracts with private parties for the operation or lease or assignment to private parties for operation, space, area, improvements, and equipment on such projects, provided in each case that in so doing the public is not deprived of its rightful, equal, and uniform use thereof;

   (8) To finance, by loan, grant, lease, or otherwise, and to construct, erect, assemble, purchase, acquire, own, repair, remodel, renovate, rehabilitate, modify, maintain, extend, improve, install, sell, equip, expand, add to, operate, or manage projects and to pay the cost of any project from the proceeds of revenue bonds, notes, or other obligations of the authority or any other funds of the authority or from any contributions or loans by persons, corporations, partnerships, limited or general, or other entities, all of which the authority is empowered to receive, accept, and use;

   (9) To borrow money to further or to carry out its public purpose and to execute revenue bonds, notes, other obligations, leases, trust indentures, trust agreements, agreements for the sale of its revenue bonds, notes, or other obligations, loan agreements, mortgages, deeds to secure debt, trust deeds, security agreements, assignments, and such other agreements or instruments as may be necessary or desirable, in the judgment of the authority, to evidence and to provide security for such borrowing;

   (10) To accept loans and grants, either or both, of money, materials, or property of any kind from the United States government or the State of Georgia or any political subdivision, authority, agency, or instrumentality of either of them, upon such terms and conditions as the United States government or the State of Georgia or such political subdivision, authority, agency, or instrumentality of either of them shall impose;

   (11) To hold, use, administer, and expend such sum or sums as may hereafter be received as income or gifts or as may be appropriated by authority of the General Assembly for any of the purposes of the authority;

   (12) To issue revenue bonds, notes, or other obligations of the authority and use the proceeds thereof for the purpose of paying or loaning the proceeds thereof to pay all or any part of the cost of any project and otherwise to further or carry out the public purpose of the authority and to pay all costs of the authority incident to, or necessary and appropriate to, furthering or carrying out such purpose;

   (13) To make application directly or indirectly to any federal, state, county, or municipal government or agency or to any other source, public or private, for loans, grants, guarantees, or other financial assistance in furtherance of the authority's public purposes and to accept and use the same upon such terms and conditions as are prescribed by such federal, state, county, or municipal government or agency or other source;

   (14) To enter into agreements with the federal government or any agency or corporation thereof to use the facilities of the federal government or agency or corporation thereof in order to further or carry out the public purposes of the authority;

   (15) To extend credit or make loans to any person, corporation, partnership, limited or general, or other entity for the costs of any project, which credit or loans may be evidenced or secured by loan agreements, notes, mortgages, deeds to secure debt, trust deeds, security agreements, assignments, or other instruments or by rentals, revenues, fees, or charges, upon such terms and conditions as the authority shall determine to be reasonable in connection with such extension of credit or loans, including provision for the establishment and maintenance of reserve funds, and, in the exercise of powers granted in connection with any project, the authority shall have the right and power to require the inclusion in any such loan agreement, note, mortgage, deed to secure debt, trust deed, security agreement, assignment, or other instrument of such provisions or requirements for guarantee of any obligations, insurance, construction, use, operation, maintenance, and financing of a project and such other terms and conditions as the authority may deem necessary or desirable;

   (16) As security for repayment of any revenue bonds, notes, or other obligations of the authority, to pledge, mortgage, convey, assign, hypothecate, or otherwise encumber any property of the authority, including, but not limited to, real property, fixtures, personal property, and revenues or other funds; and to execute any lease, trust indenture, trust agreement, agreement for the sale of the authority's revenue bonds, notes, or other obligations, loan agreement, mortgage, deed to secure debt, trust deed, security agreement, assignment, or other agreement or instrument as may be necessary or desirable in the judgment of the authority to secure any such revenue bonds, notes, or other obligations, which instruments or agreements may provide for foreclosure or forced sale of any property of the authority upon default in any obligation of the authority, either in payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest or in the performance of any term or condition contained in any such agreement or instrument. The State of Georgia on behalf of itself and each county, municipal corporation, political subdivision, or taxing district therein waives any right the state or such county, municipal corporation, political subdivision, or taxing jurisdiction may have to prevent the forced sale or foreclosure of any property of the authority upon such default and agrees that any agreement or instrument encumbering such property may be foreclosed in accordance with law and terms thereof;

   (17) To receive and use the proceeds of any tax levied by the State of Georgia or any county or municipality thereof to pay the costs of any project or for any other purpose for which the authority may use its own funds pursuant to this chapter;

   (18) To receive and administer gifts, grants, and devises of money and property of any kind and to administer trusts;

   (19) To use any real property, personal property, or fixtures or any interest therein; to rent or lease such property to or from others or make contracts with respect to the use thereof; or to sell, lease, exchange, transfer, assign, pledge, or otherwise dispose of or grant options for any such property in any manner as it deems to be to the best advantage of the authority and the public purpose thereof;

   (20) To acquire, accept, or retain equitable interests, security interests, or other interests in any real property, personal property, or fixtures by loan agreement, note, mortgage, deed to secure debt, trust deed, security agreement, assignment, pledge, conveyance, contract, lien, loan agreement, or other consensual transfer in order to secure the repayment of any moneys loaned or credit extended by the authority;

   (21) To appoint, select, and employ officers, agents, and employees, including engineers, surveyors, architects, urban or city planners, construction experts, fiscal agents, attorneys, and others and to fix their compensation and pay their expenses;

   (22) To make, contract for, or otherwise cause to be made long-range plans or proposals for projects authorized in Code Section 6-4-2 within the service area, in cooperation with those political subdivisions within which such projects are located or are proposed to be located;

   (23) By or through its authorized agents or employees, to enter upon any lands, waters, and premises in the state for the purpose of making surveys, soundings, drillings, and examinations as the authority may deem necessary or convenient for the purposes of this chapter; and such entry shall not be deemed a trespass. The authority shall, however, make reimbursement for any actual damages resulting from such activities;

   (24) To make reasonable regulations for installation, construction, maintenance, repairs, renewal, and relocation of pipes, mains, conduits, cables, wires, towers, poles, and other equipment and appliances of any public utility in, on, along, over, or under any project;

   (25) To exercise any power granted by laws of the State of Georgia to public or private corporations which is not in conflict with the Constitution and laws of Georgia; and

   (26) To do all things necessary, proper, or convenient to carry out the powers conferred by this chapter, including the adoption of rules and regulations.

Code 1981, § 6-4-7, enacted by Ga. L. 1992, p. 1615, § 1.