                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMISSION (§ 15.2-4705)

The commission shall have the following powers and duties:

1. To construct, reconstruct, alter, improve, and expand any public mass transit
system or highway located within the district that is located in the county that
comprises the district and that was not financed under the authority provided by
the Commonwealth of Virginia Transportation Facilities Bond Act of 1979.

2. To acquire by gift, purchase, lease, in-kind contribution to construction
costs, or otherwise any public mass transit system or highway transportation
improvements in the district and to sell, lease as lessor, transfer, or dispose
of any part of any transportation improvements in such manner and upon such
terms as the commission may determine to be in the best interests of the
district. However, prior to disposing of any such property or interest therein,
the commission shall conduct a public hearing regarding such disposition. At the
hearing, the residents and owners of property within the district shall have an
opportunity to be heard. At least 10 days&#8217; notice of the time and place of
such hearing shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the
district, as prescribed by the commission. Such public hearing may be adjourned
from time to time.

3. To negotiate and contract with any person, authority, transportation
district, or state or federal agency or instrumentality with regard to any
matter necessary and proper to provide any public mass transit system or highway
transportation facility, including the financing, acquisition, construction,
reconstruction, alteration, improvement, expansion, or maintenance of any
transportation improvements in the district. No such contract shall extend for a
period that exceeds 30 years.

4. To enter into a continuing service contract for a purpose authorized by this
chapter and to make payments of the proceeds received from the special taxes
levied pursuant to &#xA7; 15.2-4706, together with any other revenues, for the
payment of installments due under that service contract. The district may apply
such payments annually during the term of that service contract in an amount
sufficient to make the installment payments due under that contract, subject to
the limitation imposed by &#xA7; 15.2-4706, but payments for any such service
contract shall be conditioned upon the receipt of services pursuant to the
contract. Such a contract may not obligate a locality to make payments for
services of the district.

5. To accept the allocations, contributions, or funds of, or to reimburse from,
any available source, including any person, authority, transportation district,
or state or federal agency or instrumentality, for either the whole or any part
of the costs, expenses, and charges incident to the acquisition, construction,
reconstruction, maintenance, alteration, improvement, and expansion of any
transportation improvements in the district.

6. To contract for the extension and use of any transportation improvements into
territory outside of the local district on such terms and conditions as the
commission determines.

7. To employ and fix the compensation of personnel who may be deemed necessary
for the construction, operation, or maintenance of any transportation
improvements in the district.

8. To have prepared an annual audit of the district&#8217;s financial
obligations and revenues and, upon review of such audit, to request a tax rate
adequate to provide tax revenues that, together with all other revenues, are
required by the district to fulfill its annual obligations.

HISTORY: 1997, c. 587.