Section 19-31-23 - District authorized to issue bonds, notes, and other evidences of debt; public hearing before issuing bonds or entering into contribution agreement with public entity; notice; investment of monies not immediately needed(1) The district may issue and sell from time to time bonds, notes, negotiable notes, tax anticipation notes, bond anticipation notes, other fund anticipation notes, renewal notes, refunding bonds, interim certificates, certificates of indebtedness, certificates of participation, debentures, warrants, commercial paper or other obligations or evidences of indebtedness to provide funds for and to fulfill and achieve its public purpose or corporate purposes, as set forth in this chapter, including, but not limited to, the payment of all or a portion of the costs of a project, to provide amounts necessary for any corporate purposes, including incidental expenses in connection with the issuance of the obligations, the payment of principal and interest on the obligations of the district, the establishment of reserves to secure such obligations, and all other purposes and expenditures of the district incident to and necessary or convenient to carry out its public functions or corporate purposes, and any credit enhancement for such obligations.(2) Before the issuance of any bonds as authorized under this chapter, the district shall hold a public hearing on the advisability of the indebtedness. Notice of the hearing must be published twice in a newspaper having general circulation in each county where the district is located. The final publication of notice must be at least ten (10) days before the public hearing. The district shall give, by United States first-class mail, written notice of the public hearing to all qualified voters in the district. The notice must be addressed to "Property Owner" and mailed by United States first-class mail to the current address of the owner, as reflected on tax rolls of property located in the district.(3)(a) If a district proposes to enter into a contribution agreement with a public entity for any bond issue, the public entity shall hold a public hearing on the advisability of the contribution agreement for any bonds the district proposes to enter.(b) Notice of the hearing must be published twice in a newspaper having general circulation in each county where the public entity is located. The final publication of notice must be at least ten (10) days before the public hearing.(c) The notice must state the following: (i) Time and place of the hearing;(ii) General nature of the proposed improvement;(iii) Estimated cost of the improvement;(iv) Boundaries of the public improvement district;(v) Proposed method of assessment;(vi) Proposed amount and term of indebtedness;(vii) Name of the public entity entering into the contribution agreement; and(viii) Proposed amount of contribution by the public entity.(d) The hearing may be adjourned from time to time until the governing body of the public entity makes findings by resolution as to the following: (i) Advisability of the improvement;(ii) Nature of the improvement;(iii) Estimated cost of the improvement;(iv) Boundaries of the public improvement district;(v) Method of assessment;(vi) Market value of real property within the district determined in accordance with paragraph (c) of this subsection; and(vii) Terms of the contribution agreement.(e) As provided in subsection (3)(d)(vi) of this section, the governing body of the public entity shall obtain an appraisal in accordance with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice, with special consideration given to the Income Approach to Value using a discounted cash flow analysis of the entire commercial, residential or industrial subdivision. The appraisal must satisfy all parties to the contribution agreement that the value of the property in the district will be sufficient to ensure payment of any obligation to which a public entity is subject.(4) Except as may otherwise be provided by the district, all obligations issued by the district shall be negotiable instruments and payable solely from the levy of any special assessment by the district or from any other sources whatsoever that may be available to the district but shall not be secured by the full faith and credit of the state or the county or municipality that created the district.(5) Obligations shall be authorized, issued and sold by a resolution or resolutions of the district adopted as provided in this chapter. Such bonds or obligations may be of such series, bear such date or dates, mature at such time or times, bear interest at such rate or rates, including variable, adjustable, or zero interest rates, be payable at such time or times, be in such denominations, be sold at such price or prices, at public or private negotiated sale, after advertisement as is provided for in Section 17-21-53(2) for and in connection with any public sale, be in such form, carry such registration and exchangeability privileges, be payable at such place or places, be subject to such terms of redemption and be entitled to such priorities on the income, revenue and receipts of, or available to, the district as may be provided by the district in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance and sale of the bonds or obligations of the district.(6) The obligations of the district shall be signed by such directors or officers of the district by either manual or facsimile signatures as shall be determined by resolution or resolutions of the district, and shall have impressed or imprinted thereon the seal of the district or a facsimile thereof.(7) Any obligations of the district may be validly issued, sold and delivered notwithstanding that one or more of the directors or officers of the district signing such obligations or whose facsimile signature or signatures may be on the obligations shall have ceased to be such director or officer of the district at the time such obligations shall actually have been delivered.(8) Obligations of the district may be sold in such manner and from time to time as may be determined by the district to be most beneficial, and the district may pay all expenses, premiums, fees or commissions that it deems necessary or advantageous in connection with the issuance and sale thereof, subject to the provisions of this chapter.(9) The district may authorize the establishment of a fund or funds for the creation of a debt service reserve, a renewal and replacement reserve or such other funds or reserves as the district may approve with respect to the financing and operation of any project and as may be authorized by any bond resolution, trust agreement, indenture of trust or similar instrument or agreement pursuant to the provisions of which the issuance of bonds or other obligations of the district may be authorized.(10) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, but subject to any agreement with bondholders or noteholders, monies of the district not required for immediate use, including proceeds from the sale of any bonds, notes or other obligations, may be invested in the following:(a) Obligations of any municipality, the State of Mississippi or the United States of America;(b) Obligations of which the principal and interest are guaranteed by the State of Mississippi or the United States of America;(c) Obligations of any corporation wholly owned by the United States of America;(d) Obligations of any corporation sponsored by the United States of America which are, or may become, eligible as collateral for advances to member banks as determined by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System;(e) Obligations of insurance firms or other corporations whose investments are rated "A" or better by recognized rating companies;(f) Certificates of deposit or time deposits of qualified depositories of the State of Mississippi as approved by the State Depository Commission, secured in such manner, if any, as the commission determines appropriate;(g) Contracts for the purchase and sale of obligations of the type described in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this subsection;(h) Repurchase agreements secured by obligations described in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this subsection; and(i) Money market funds, the assets of which are required to be invested in obligations described in paragraphs (a) through (f) of this subsection.(11) Any cost, obligation or expense incurred for any of the purposes specified in this chapter shall be a part of the project costs and may be paid or reimbursed as such out of the proceeds of bonds or other obligations issued by the district.(12) Neither the directors of the board nor any person executing the bonds shall be personally liable for the bonds or be subject to any personal liability by reason of the issuance thereof. No earnings or assets of the district shall accrue to the benefit of any private persons. However, the limitation of liability provided for in this subsection shall not apply to any gross negligence or criminal negligence on the part of any director or person executing the bonds.(13) The district may avail itself of the provisions of Sections 31-13-1 through 31-13-11.(14) This chapter constitutes full and complete authority for the issuance of bonds and the exercise of the powers of the district provided herein. No procedures or proceedings, publications, notices, consents, approvals, orders, acts or things by the board or any board, officers, commission, department, agency or instrumentality of the district, other than those required by this chapter, shall be required to perform anything under this chapter, except that the issuance or sale of bonds pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall comply with the general law requirements applicable to the issuance or sale of bonds by the district. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to authorize the district to utilize bond proceeds to fund the ongoing operations of the district.(15) Before incurring any debt as provided in subsection (1) of this section, the district may, but shall not be required to, secure an agreement from one or more developers obligating such developer or developers:(a) To effect the completion of all or any portion of a project at no cost to the district;(b) To pay all or any portion of the real property taxes due on the project in a timely manner; and(c) To maintain and operate all or any portion of the buildings or other facilities or improvements of the project in such a manner as to preserve property values. No breach of any such agreement shall impose any pecuniary liability upon a district or any charge upon its general credit or against its taxing powers.
Additionally, the district may enter into an agreement with the developer under which the developer may construct all or any part of the project with private funds in advance of issuance of bonds and may be reimbursed by the district for actual costs incurred by the developer upon issuance and delivery of bonds and receipt of the proceeds, conditioned upon dedication of the project by the developer to the district, a governmental agency, a county or a municipality to assure public use and access. This condition shall not apply to the privately owned portion of a project for which the Mississippi Development Authority has issued a certificate of convenience and necessity pursuant to the Regional Economic Development Act.
As used in this section, the term "developer" means any entity or natural person which enters into an agreement with a district whereby the developer agrees to construct, operate and maintain or procure the construction, operation and maintenance of a project or projects, or portions thereof, upon land within the district.
Laws, 2002, ch. 499, § 12; Laws, 2007, ch. 405, § 3; Laws, 2012, ch. 468, § 6, eff. 4/24/2012.