(1) The county commission is hereby authorized to provide by resolution at one time or from time to time for the issuance of either water revenue bonds, sewer revenue bonds, or general obligation bonds of the county for the purpose of paying all or any part of the cost of any one or more of the following:
(a) A water supply system or systems;
(b) Extensions and additions thereto;
(c) Water system improvements;
(d) A sewage disposal system or systems;
(e) Extensions and additions thereto; and
(f) Sewer improvements.
The bonds of each issue shall be dated, shall bear interest at such rate or rates not exceeding 7.5 percent per annum, shall mature at such time or times not exceeding 50 years from their date or dates as may be determined by the county commission, and may be made redeemable before maturity at the option of the county at such price or prices and under such terms and conditions as may be fixed by the county commission prior to the issuance of the bonds.
(2) The county commission shall determine the form of the bonds including any interest coupons to be attached thereto, and the manner of the execution of the bonds and shall fix the denomination or denominations of the bonds and place or places of payment of principal or interest which may be at any bank or trust company within or without the state. In case any officer whose signature or facsimile of whose signature shall appear on any bonds or coupons shall cease to be such officer before the delivery of such bonds, such signature or such facsimile shall nevertheless be valid and sufficient for all purposes the same as if the officer had remained in office until such delivery.
(3) All bonds issued under the provisions of this chapter shall have and are hereby declared to have all the qualities and incidents of negotiable instruments. Bonds may be issued in coupon or in registered form or both as the county commission may determine and provision may be made for the registration of any coupon bonds as to principal alone and also as to both principal and interest and for the reconversion into coupon bonds of any bonds registered as to bond principal and interest.
(4) No sale of bonds shall be made at a price so low as to require the payment of interest on the money received therefor at more than 7.5 percent per annum computed with relation to the absolute maturity of the bonds in accordance with the standard tables of bond values, excluding, however, from such computations the amount of any premium to be paid on redemption of any bonds prior to maturity. Prior to the preparation of definitive bonds, the county may, under like restrictions, issue interim receipts or temporary bonds with or without coupons exchangeable for definitive bonds when such bonds have been executed and are available for delivery. The county commission may also provide for the replacement of any bonds which shall become mutilated or be destroyed or lost.
(5) Bonds may be issued under the provisions of this chapter without obtaining the consent of any commission, board, bureau or agency of the state and without the proceeding or happening of any other condition or thing than those proceedings, conditions or things which are specifically required by this chapter.
(6) The proceeds of such bonds shall be used solely for the payment of costs of the water supply system or systems or the water system improvements or the sewage disposal system or systems or the sewer improvements, for the purchase, construction or reconstruction of which such bonds shall have been authorized, and shall be disbursed in such manner and under such restrictions, if any, as the county commission may provide in the authorizing resolution. If the proceeds of such bonds, by error of estimates or otherwise shall be less than such costs, additional bonds may in like manner be issued to provide the amount of such deficit and unless otherwise provided in the authorizing resolution shall be deemed to be of the same issue and shall be entitled to payment from the same fund without preference or priority of the bonds first issued for the same purpose. If the proceeds of the bonds of any issue shall exceed the amount required for the purpose for which such bonds shall have been issued, the surplus shall be paid into the fund provided under the provisions of this chapter for the payment of principal of and the interest on such bonds.
History.—s. 6, ch. 29837, 1955; s. 5, ch. 67-547; ss. 3, 4, ch. 73-302; s. 4, ch. 80-98; s. 864, ch. 95-147.