159D-45. Bonds and notes.

(a) The agency is authorized to provide for the issuance, at one time or from time to time, of bonds, or notes in anticipation of the issuance of bonds, of the agency to carry out and effectuate its corporate purposes. The principal of and the interest on such bonds or notes shall be payable solely from funds provided under this Article for such payment. Any such notes may be made payable from the proceeds of bonds or renewal notes or, in the event bond or renewal note proceeds are not available, such notes may be paid from any available revenues or other funds provided therefor. The bonds or notes of each issue shall be dated and may be made redeemable before maturity at the option of the agency at such price or prices and upon such terms and conditions as may be determined by the agency. The bonds may also be made payable from time to time on demand or tender for purchase by the owner upon such terms and conditions as may be determined by the agency. Any such bonds or notes shall bear interest at such rate or rates (including variable rates) as may be determined by the Local Government Commission with the approval of the agency. Notes shall mature at such time or times not exceeding 10 years from their date or dates and bonds shall mature at such time or times not exceeding 40 years from their date or dates, as may be determined by the agency. The agency shall determine the form and manner of execution of the bonds or notes, including any interest coupons to be attached thereto, and shall fix the denomination or denominations and the place or places of payment of principal and interest, which may be any bank or trust company within or without the State. In case any officer whose signature or a facsimile of whose signature appears on any bonds or notes or coupons attached to them ceases to be that officer before their delivery, the signature or facsimile shall nevertheless be valid and sufficient for all purposes the same as if the officer had remained in office until delivery. The agency may also provide for the authentication of the bonds or notes by a trustee or fiscal agent. The bonds or notes may be issued in coupon or in registered form, or both, as the agency may determine, and provision may be made for the registration of any coupon bonds or notes as to principal alone and also as to both principal and interest, and for the reconversion into coupon bonds or notes of any bonds or notes registered as to both principal and interest, and for the interchange of registered and coupon bonds or notes. No bonds or notes may be issued by the agency under this Article unless the issuance thereof is approved by the Local Government Commission.

(b) The agency shall file with the Secretary of the Local Government Commission an application requesting approval of the issuance of the bonds or notes. The application must include any information and documents concerning the proposed financing and prospective borrower, vendee or lessee required by the Secretary.

In determining whether a proposed bond or note issue should be approved, the Local Government Commission may consider, in addition to the criteria and requirements in this Article, the effect of the proposed financing upon any scheduled or proposed sale of tax-exempt obligations by the State or any of its agencies or departments or by any unit of local government in the State.

The Local Government Commission shall approve the issuance of the bonds or notes if, upon the information and evidence it receives, it finds that the proposed financing will effectuate the purposes of this Article.

Upon the filing with the Local Government Commission of a resolution of the agency requesting that its bonds or notes be sold, the bonds or notes may be sold in such manner, either at public or private sale, and for such price as the Local Government Commission determines to be for the best interests of the agency and to effectuate best the purposes of this Article, as long as the sale is approved by the agency.

(c) The proceeds of any bonds or notes shall be used solely for the purposes for which issued and shall be disbursed in such manner and under such restrictions, if any, as the agency may provide in the resolution authorizing the issuance of, or any trust agreement securing, the bonds or notes.

(d) Prior to the preparation of definitive bonds, the agency may, under like restrictions, issue interim receipts or temporary bonds, with or without coupons, exchangeable for definitive bonds, when the bonds have been executed and are available for delivery. The agency may also provide for the replacement of any bonds or notes which become mutilated or are destroyed or lost.

(e) Bonds or notes may be issued under the provisions of this Article without obtaining, except as otherwise expressly provided in this Article, the consent of any department, division, commission, board, body, bureau or agency of the State, and without any other proceedings or the happening of any conditions or things other than those proceedings, conditions or things specifically required by this Article and the provisions of the resolution authorizing the issuance of, or any trust agreement securing, the bonds or notes.

(f) Before the issuance of bonds pursuant to this Article to finance a project, the Agency shall hold a public hearing with respect to the proposed project and the issuance of the bonds to finance the proposed project. The public hearing may be held at any location designated by the Agency, including at the offices of the Agency in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The public hearing may be conducted by the Agency or by a hearing officer designated by the Agency to conduct public hearings. Notice of the public hearing must be published at least once in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the county where the proposed project is to be located not less than 14 days before the public hearing. The notice must describe generally the bonds proposed to be issued and the proposed project, including its general location, and any other information the Agency considers appropriate. A copy of the notice of public hearing must be mailed to the clerk of the Board of Commissioners of the county in which the proposed project is to be located and to the governing body of any city or town in which the proposed project is to be operated.

(g) A county or city that receives an allocation to issue recovery zone facility bonds within the meaning of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009 to finance recovery zone property may designate the agency as the governmental entity authorized to issue recovery zone facility bonds.