The commission shall have the following powers and duties with respect to the district:
1. To construct, reconstruct, alter, improve, expand, provide financial assistance to (including making loans), and operate transportation facilities in the district for the use and benefit of the public in the district.
2. To acquire by gift, purchase, lease, in-kind contribution to construction costs, or otherwise any transportation facilities in the district and to sell, lease as lessor, transfer, or dispose of any part of any transportation facilities 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 with respect to 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' 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 transportation facility, including the financing, acquisition, construction, reconstruction, alteration, improvement, or expansion of any transportation facility in the district.
4. To accept the allocations, contributions, or funds of, or to reimburse from, any available source, including any person, corporation, 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, expansion, and operation or maintenance of any transportation facilities in the district.
5. To enforce the collection of any delinquent rates, fees, costs, or other charges for the use of transportation facilities against any person, corporation, authority, or federal agency using the facilities. The charges made for the use of any such facility shall be collectible by distress, levy, garnishment, attachment, or as otherwise permitted by law.
6. To enter into a continuing service contract for a purpose authorized by this article and to make payments of the proceeds received from the special taxes levied pursuant to this article, 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, subject to the limitation imposed by § 15.2-4806, 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 county to make payments for services.
7. Upon the written request of the advisory board, to contract for the extension and use of any transportation facility into territory outside of the district on such terms and conditions as the commission may determine.
8. To employ and fix the compensation of personnel who may be deemed necessary for the construction, operation, or maintenance of any transportation facility.
9. To have prepared an annual audit of the district'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.
1997, c. 587.