19-3531. Powers of the board. For the purpose of providing a water supply for the public water supply districts, municipalities, and publicly and privately owned water distribution companies within the said county, the district, and on its behalf the board shall have the following powers, authorities and privileges:

(1) To have perpetual existence;

(2) To accept by gift or grant from any person, firm, corporation, public or private, trust or foundation, or this state or any other state or any political subdivision or municipality thereof, or from the United States, any funds or property or any interest therein for the uses and purposes of the district and to hold title thereto in trust or otherwise and to bind the district to apply the same according to the terms of such gift or grant;

(3) To sue and be sued, and be a party to suits, actions and proceedings;

(4) To contract and be contracted with and to enter into franchises, contracts and agreements with this or any other state or the United States or any municipality, political subdivision or district thereof, or any of their agencies or instrumentalities, or any public or private person, partnership, association, or corporation of this state or of any other state or of the United States, and this state and any such municipality, political subdivision, district, or any of their agencies or instrumentalities, and any such public or private person, partnership, association, or corporation are hereby authorized to enter into contracts and agreements with such district for any term of years not exceeding forty (40) for the planning, development, construction, acquisition, or operation of any facility or for any common or other service rendered to, for, or by said district;

(5) To borrow money and evidence the same by warrants, notes, or bonds as hereinafter provided in this act, and to refund the same by the issuance of refunding obligations;

(6) To acquire by purchase or lease, construct, install, and operate reservoirs, pipelines, wells, check dams, pumping stations, water purification plants, and other facilities for the production, wholesale distribution, and utilization of water, to own and hold such real and personal property as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of its organization;

(7) To have the general management, control, and supervision of all the business, affairs, property, and facilities of the district, and to establish regulations relating thereto and the construction, installation, operation, and maintenance of district improvements therein;

(8) To hire and retain agents, employees, engineers and attorneys and to determine their compensation. The board shall select and appoint a general manager of the district and his term of office shall be during the pleasure of said board, who shall be not less than thirty (30) years of age and with training and experience in the supervision and administration of water systems, who shall manage and control the water system under the general supervision of said board. All employees, servants and agents of the district shall be under the immediate control and management of said general manager. The general manager shall perform all such other duties as may be prescribed by said board and shall give the board a good and sufficient surety company bond in a sum to be set and approved by the board conditioned upon the satisfactory performance of his duties. The board may also require that any other employees be bonded in such amount as they shall determine. The cost of said bonds shall be paid out of the funds of the said district;

(9) To have and exercise the power of condemnation in the manner provided by article 5 of chapter 26 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated to take any property within or without the district necessary to the exercise of the powers herein granted;

(10) The board shall have the sole discretion of determining what facilities are to be initially acquired, constructed and operated by the district and the area of the county within which the district will render its services. Likewise, the board shall have the sole discretion of determining what additions, extensions or enlargements shall be made to the facilities of the district and the board shall not be required or obligated to own or operate facilities to serve any area of the district which, in the board's opinion, is not economically feasible to serve;

(11) To adopt and amend rules and regulations not in conflict with the constitution and laws of this state, necessary for the carrying on of the business, objects and affairs of the board and of the district, and to refer to the proper authorities for prosecuting any infraction thereof detrimental to the district;

(12) To fix rates for the sale of water and provide for the collection of said rates. The rates or charges so fixed shall, at all times, be reasonable, but in determining the reasonableness of rates or charges, the board shall take into consideration the sum or sums required to retire outstanding bonds of the district and the interest accruing thereon, the need for the extension of mains, repairs, depreciation, enlargement of plant, adequate service, obsolescence, overhead charges, operating expenses and the need of an operating fund out of which the district may protect itself in emergencies and out of which the incidental expenses of the district may readily be met;

(13) To lay, maintain and repair pipelines in public highways, roads, streets, and alleys within or without the district, but the same shall be done under reasonable rules and regulations of governmental bodies having jurisdiction of such public places. In the construction of ditches, laying of mains, filling of ditches after mains are laid, connection of service pipes and repairing of lines, due regard must be taken of the rights of the public in its use of thoroughfares and the equal rights of other utilities thereto;

(14) To have and exercise all rights and powers necessary or incidental to or implied from the specific powers granted herein. Such specific powers shall not be considered as a limitation upon any power necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this act.

History: L. 1961, ch. 473, § 10; L. 1965, ch. 185, § 1; June 30.