2023 Tennessee Code › Title 7 - CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENTS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL FUNCTIONS AND ENTITIES (§§ 7-1-101 — 7-91-104) › LOCAL GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS (§§ 7-51-201 — 7-69-116) › Chapter 52 - MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC PLANTS (§§ 7-52-101 — 7-52-611) › Part 1 - MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC PLANT LAW OF 1935 (§§ 7-52-101 — 7-52-135) › Section 7-52-117 - Powers of superintendent

(a)
The superintendent shall have charge of all actual construction, the immediate management and operation of the electric plant and the enforcement and execution of all rules, regulations, programs, plans and decisions made or adopted by the supervisory body.
(b)
The superintendent shall appoint all employees and fix their duties and compensation, excepting that the appointment of all technical consultants and advisers and legal assistants shall be subject to the approval of the supervisory body.
(c)
Subject to §
7-52-132
, the superintendent, with the approval of the supervisory body, may acquire and dispose of all property, real and personal, necessary to effectuate the purposes of this part. The title of such property shall be taken in the name of the municipality.
(d)
The superintendent shall let all contracts, subject to the approval of the supervisory body, but may, without such approval, obligate the electric plant on purchase orders up to an amount to be fixed by the supervisory body, but not to exceed one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000). The superintendent shall let all other contracts with the approval of the supervisory body or pursuant to a purchasing policy or other delegation of authority adopted by the supervisory body. Work or construction exceeding in cost the amount specified in this subsection (d) must, before a contract is let or work is done, be advertised by the superintendent for bids as required by applicable law; provided, that the supervisory body may reject any and all bids.
(e)
The superintendent shall make and keep full and proper books and records, subject to the supervision and direction of the supervisory body.
(f)
If the supervisory body has jurisdiction over other utility systems, and the superintendent of the plant serves in a similar role for such other utility systems, then this section applies to all purchases of services or property, whether real or personal, all leases and lease-purchases, all contracts, and the disposition of all property for the other utility systems. As used in this subsection (f), "other utility systems" means waterworks, sewerage works, gas, telecommunications, cable television, internet, or broadband systems.
(g)
(1)
In addition to the powers provided to boards of public utilities operating pursuant to this section, the authorization set forth in this section supplements the authorization provided to a municipal electric system or other similar system that operates an electric, waterworks, sewerage works, gas, telecommunications, cable television, internet, or broadband facility pursuant to otherwise applicable law, and applies to the extent provided by the supervisory body for the system or, if there is no supervisory body, by the legislative body of the municipality.
(2)
Subdivision (g)(1) does not supersede any authority, limitation, or requirement established by the legislative body of the municipality in accordance with the charter of the municipality.
(h)
For the purposes of this section, "superintendent" includes a designee of the superintendent or another officer or person as may be authorized by the superintendent of the electric system.
Amended by 2023 Tenn. Acts, ch. 276,s 3, eff. 4/28/2023.
Acts 1935, ch. 32, § 14; C. Supp. 1950, § 4708.14; Acts 1969, ch. 179, § 1; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 6-1517; Acts 1989, ch. 286, § 1; 1997 , ch. 531, § 7.