(A) There is committed to the district the functions of constructing, operating, maintaining, improving, and extending a fire protection and fire control district. To that end the commission is empowered as follows:

(1) have perpetual succession;

(2) sue and be sued;

(3) adopt, use, and alter a corporate seal;

(4) make bylaws for the management and regulations of its affairs;

(5) acquire, purchase, hold, use, lease, mortgage, sell, transfer, and dispose of any property, real, personal, or mixed, or any interest therein, and to acquire easements or other property rights necessary for the operation of its stated functions;

(6) enter into contracts for the purchase of water and for maintenance of water pipes, hydrants, valves, and all equipment necessary to provide water for protection against and control of fire;

(7) appoint officers, agents, employees, and servants, prescribe their duties, fix their compensation, and determine if and to what extent they must be bonded for the faithful performance of their duties;

(8) make contracts for construction, engineering, and other services;

(9) purchase that firefighting equipment as the commission deems necessary for controlling fires and furnishing fire protection in the district;

(10) select the sites or places within the area where the firefighting equipment must be kept;

(11) provide personnel, voluntary or otherwise, necessary to man this equipment;

(12) provide and supervise the training of any volunteers used in manning this equipment with the end that the equipment must be fully utilized for the protection and control of fire within the district;

(13) be responsible for the upkeep, maintenance, and repairs of the trucks and other firefighting equipment and to make regular inspection of all equipment and operations;

(14) promulgate those regulations as it considers necessary and proper to ensure that the equipment is utilized for the best advantage of the area;

(15) construct, if necessary, buildings to house the equipment provided for herein;

(16) borrow in anticipation of taxes on those terms and for such a period as the governing body of Florence and Darlington counties considers most beneficial. The indebtedness must be evidenced by a note or notes issued by the members of the commission and the county treasurers of Florence and Darlington counties. The full faith, credit, and taxing power of the commission is hereby irrevocably pledged for the payment of the indebtedness; provided, that in no event shall the credit of Florence and Darlington counties be obligated for any indebtedness of the commission; and

(17) do all other acts necessary or convenient to carry out any function or power granted to the district.

(B) The commission is vested with the power to raise funds for discharging the duties vested in it by levying a tax for the benefit of the district. The commission shall notify the auditors and treasurers of Florence and Darlington counties of any desired tax not to exceed thirteen mills for the year 2014. Thereafter, the authorized millage levy for any year shall be at the discretion of the commission, subject to all applicable provisions of law. The millage levy shall be uniform throughout the district, and they shall assess and collect the tax as requested and the treasurers shall hold the funds and disburse them as directed by the commission. All such taxes shall constitute a lien upon the property against which the same are levied, on a parity with the lien of county taxes, and the provisions of law relating to penalties for the nonpayment or tardy payment of county taxes, and the provisions relating to sale of property for delinquent county taxes shall apply to taxes levied pursuant to this article.

(C) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 6-1-320, the commission is authorized to impose a millage levy after 2014 it considers appropriate and necessary for the operation of the district above that permitted by Section 6-1-320 upon a favorable vote of the registered electors of the district in a referendum called for this purpose by the commission held pursuant to the provisions and requirements of Sections 6-11-271 and 6-11-273.

HISTORY: 2014 Act No. 183 (H.5225), Section 1, eff May 28, 2014; 2015 Act No. 89 (H.3670), Section 3, eff July 7, 2015.

Validity

For validity of this section, see County of Florence v. West Florence Fire District, 422 S.C. 316, 811 S.E.2d 770 (2018).

Editor's Note

2015 Act No. 89, Section 6, provides as follows:

"SECTION 6. The provisions of this act shall expire five years from its effective date."

Effect of Amendment

2015 Act No. 89, Section 3, in (C), inserted "held pursuant to the provisions and requirements of Sections 6-11-271 and 6-11-273".