(1) The district is authorized to prescribe, fix, establish, and collect rates, fees, rentals, or other charges, hereinafter sometimes referred to as “revenues,” and to revise the same from time to time, for the facilities and services furnished by the district, within the limits of the district, including, but not limited to, recreational facilities, water management and control facilities, and water and sewer systems; to recover the costs of making connection with any district facility or system; and to provide for reasonable penalties against any user or property for any such rates, fees, rentals, or other charges that are delinquent.

(2) No such rates, fees, rentals, or other charges for any of the facilities or services of the district shall be fixed until after a public hearing at which all the users of the proposed facility or services or owners, tenants, or occupants served or to be served thereby and all other interested persons shall have an opportunity to be heard concerning the proposed rates, fees, rentals, or other charges. Rates, fees, rentals, and other charges shall be adopted under the administrative rulemaking authority of the district, but shall not apply to district leases. Notice of such public hearing setting forth the proposed schedule or schedules of rates, fees, rentals, and other charges shall have been published in a newspaper in the county and of general circulation in the district at least once and at least 10 days prior to such public hearing. The rulemaking hearing may be adjourned from time to time. After such hearing, such schedule or schedules, either as initially proposed or as modified or amended, may be finally adopted. A copy of the schedule or schedules of such rates, fees, rentals, or charges as finally adopted shall be kept on file in an office designated by the board and shall be open at all reasonable times to public inspection. The rates, fees, rentals, or charges so fixed for any class of users or property served shall be extended to cover any additional users or properties thereafter served which shall fall in the same class, without the necessity of any notice or hearing.

(3) Such rates, fees, rentals, and charges shall be just and equitable and uniform for users of the same class, and when appropriate may be based or computed either upon the amount of service furnished, upon the number of average number of persons residing or working in or otherwise occupying the premises served, or upon any other factor affecting the use of the facilities furnished, or upon any combination of the foregoing factors, as may be determined by the board on an equitable basis.

(4) The rates, fees, rentals, or other charges prescribed shall be such as will produce revenues, together with any other assessments, taxes, revenues, or funds available or pledged for such purpose, at least sufficient to provide for the items hereinafter listed, but not necessarily in the order stated:

(a) To provide for all expenses of operation and maintenance of such facility or service;

(b) To pay when due all bonds and interest thereon for the payment of which such revenues are, or shall have been, pledged or encumbered, including reserves for such purpose; and

(c) To provide for any other funds which may be required under the resolution or resolutions authorizing the issuance of bonds pursuant to this act.

(5) The board shall have the power to enter into contracts for the use of the projects of the district and with respect to the services and facilities furnished or to be furnished by the district.

History.—s. 2, ch. 80-407; s. 10, ch. 91-308.