2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 8. Municipal Corporations › Article 38. Municipal Economic Opportunity Development Districts › §8-38-10. Ordinance to Create District as Approved by Development Office and Authorized by the Legislature

(a) General. -- If an economic opportunity development district project has been approved by the Executive Director of the Development Office and the levying of a special district excise tax for the district has been authorized by the Legislature, all in accordance with this article, the municipality may create the district by ordinance entered of record as provided in article one of this chapter: Provided, That the municipality may not amend, alter or change in any manner the boundaries of the economic opportunity development district authorized by the Legislature. In addition to all other requirements, the ordinance shall contain the following:
(1) The name of the district and a description of its boundaries;
(2) A summary of any proposed services to be provided and capital improvements to be made within the district and a reasonable estimate of any attendant costs;
(3) The base and rate of any special district excise tax that may be imposed upon sales by businesses for the privilege of operating within the district, which tax shall be passed on to and paid by the consumer, and the manner in which the taxes will be imposed, administered and collected, all of which shall be in conformity with the requirements of this article; and
(4) The district board members' terms, their method of appointment and a general description of the district board's powers and duties, which powers may include the authority:
(A) To make and adopt all necessary bylaws and rules for its organization and operations not inconsistent with any applicable laws;
(B) To elect its own officers, to appoint committees and to employ and fix compensation for personnel necessary for its operations;
(C) To enter into contracts with any person, agency, government entity, agency or instrumentality, firm, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company or corporation, including both public and private corporations, and for-profit and not-for-profit organizations and generally to do any and all things necessary or convenient for the purpose of promoting, developing and advancing the purposes described in section two of this article;
(D) To amend or supplement any contracts or leases or to enter into new, additional or further contracts or leases upon the terms and conditions for consideration and for any term of duration, with or without option of renewal, as agreed upon by the district board and any person, agency, government entity, agency or instrumentality, firm, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company or corporation;
(E) To, unless otherwise provided in, and subject to the provisions of any contracts or leases to operate, repair, manage, and maintain buildings and structures and provide adequate insurance of all types and in connection with the primary use thereof and incidental thereto to provide services, such as retail stores and restaurants, and to effectuate incidental purposes, grant leases, permits, concessions or other authorizations to any person or persons upon the terms and conditions for consideration and for the term of duration as agreed upon by the district board and any person, agency, governmental department, firm or corporation;
(F) To delegate any authority given to it by law to any of its officers, committees, agents or employees;
(G) To apply for, receive and use grants-in-aid, donations and contributions from any source or sources and to accept and use bequests, devises, gifts and donations from any person, firm or corporation;
(H) To acquire real property by gift, purchase or construction or in any other lawful manner and hold title thereto in its own name and to sell, lease or otherwise dispose of all or part of any real property which it may own, either by contract or at public auction, upon the approval by the district board;
(I) To purchase or otherwise acquire, own, hold, sell, lease and dispose of all or part of any personal property which it may own, either by contract or at public auction;
(J) Pursuant to a determination by the district board that there exists a continuing need for development expenditures and that moneys or funds of the district are necessary therefor, to borrow money and execute and deliver the district's negotiable notes and other evidences of indebtedness therefor, on the terms as the district shall determine, and give security therefor as is requisite, including, without limitation, a pledge of the district's rights in its subaccount of the Economic Opportunity Development District Fund;
(K) To acquire (either directly or on behalf of the municipality) an interest in any entity or entities that own any real property situate in the district, to contribute capital to any entity or entities and to exercise the rights of an owner with respect thereto; and
(L) To expend its funds in the execution of the powers and authority given in this section, which expenditures, by the means authorized in this section, are hereby determined and declared as a matter of legislative finding to be for a public purpose and use, in the public interest and for the general welfare of the people of West Virginia, to alleviate and prevent economic deterioration and to relieve the existing critical condition of unemployment existing within the state.
(b) Additional contents of ordinance. -- The municipality's ordinance shall also state the general intention of the municipality to develop and increase services and to make capital improvements within the district.
(c) Mailing of certified copies of ordinance. -- Upon enactment of an ordinance establishing an economic opportunity development district excise tax, a certified copy of the ordinance shall be mailed to the State Auditor, as ex officio the chief inspector and supervisor of public offices, the State Treasurer and the Tax Commissioner.