General powers.

The district shall have, and the board may exercise by majority vote, the following powers:

(1) To sue and be sued in the name of the district, to adopt and use a seal and authorize the use of a facsimile thereof, and to make and execute contracts and other instruments necessary or convenient to the exercise of its powers.

(2) To provide for a pension or retirement plan for its employees. In accordance with s. 215.425, the board may provide for an extra compensation program, including a lump-sum bonus payment program, to reward outstanding employees whose performance exceeds standards, if the program provides that a bonus payment may not be included in an employee’s regular base rate of pay and may not be carried forward in subsequent years.

(3) To contract for the services of consultants to perform planning, engineering, legal, or other professional services.

(4) To borrow money and accept gifts, to apply for and use grants or loans of money or other property from the United States, the state, a unit of local government, or any person for any district purposes and enter into agreements required in connection therewith, and to hold, use, sell, and dispose of such moneys or property for any district purpose in accordance with the terms of the gift, grant, loan, or agreement relating thereto.

(5) To adopt resolutions and procedures prescribing the powers, duties, and functions of the officers of the district; the conduct of the business of the district; the maintenance of records; and the form of other documents and records of the district. The board may also adopt ordinances and resolutions that are necessary to conduct district business, if such ordinances do not conflict with any ordinances of a local general purpose government within whose jurisdiction the district is located. Any resolution or ordinance adopted by the board and approved by referendum vote of district electors may only be repealed by referendum vote of district electors.

(6) To maintain an office at places it designates within a county or municipality in which the district is located and appoint an agent of record.

(7) To acquire, by purchase, lease, gift, dedication, devise, or otherwise, real and personal property or any estate therein for any purpose authorized by this act and to trade, sell, or otherwise dispose of surplus real or personal property. The board may purchase equipment by an installment sales contract if funds are available to pay the current year’s installments on the equipment and to pay the amounts due that year on all other installments and indebtedness.

(8) To hold, control, and acquire by donation or purchase any public easement, dedication to public use, platted reservation for public purposes, or reservation for those purposes authorized by this act and to use such easement, dedication, or reservation for any purpose authorized by this act consistent with applicable adopted local government comprehensive plans and land development regulations.

(9) To lease as lessor or lessee to or from any person, firm, corporation, association, or body, public or private, any facility or property of any nature for the use of the district when necessary to carry out the district’s duties and authority under this act.

(10) To borrow money and issue bonds, revenue anticipation notes, or certificates payable from and secured by a pledge of funds, revenues, taxes and assessments, warrants, notes, or other evidence of indebtedness, and mortgage real and personal property when necessary to carry out the district’s duties and authority under this act.

(11) To charge user and impact fees authorized by resolution of the board, in amounts necessary to conduct district activities and services, and to enforce their receipt and collection in the manner prescribed by resolution and authorized by law. However, the imposition of impact fees may only be authorized as provided by s. 191.009(4).

(12) To exercise the right and power of eminent domain, pursuant to chapter 73 or chapter 74, over any property within the district, except municipal, county, state, special district, or federal property used for a public purpose, for the uses and purposes of the district relating solely to the establishment and maintenance of fire stations and fire substations, specifically including the power to take easements that serve such facilities consistent with applicable adopted local government comprehensive plans and land development regulations.

(13) To cooperate or contract with other persons or entities, including other governmental agencies, as necessary, convenient, incidental, or proper in connection with providing effective mutual aid and furthering any power, duty, or purpose authorized by this act. The district has, and the board may exercise, all powers and duties provided in s. 163.01, chapter 189, and this chapter, including such powers within or without the district’s boundary, in cooperation with another governmental agency when such agency shares such powers in common with the district.

(14) To assess and impose upon real property in the district ad valorem taxes and non-ad valorem assessments as authorized by this act.

(15) To impose and foreclose non-ad valorem assessment liens as provided by this act or to impose, collect, and enforce non-ad valorem assessments pursuant to chapter 197.

(16) To select as a depository for its funds any qualified public depository as defined in s. 280.02 which meets all the requirements of chapter 280 and has been designated by the Chief Financial Officer as a qualified public depository, upon such terms and conditions as to the payment of interest upon the funds deposited as the board deems just and reasonable.

(17) To provide adequate insurance on all real and personal property, equipment, employees, volunteer firefighters, and other personnel.

(18) To organize, participate in, and contribute monetarily to organizations or associations relating to the delivery of or improvement of fire control, prevention, emergency rescue services, or district administration.

(19) To provide housing or housing assistance for its employed personnel whose total annual household income does not exceed 140 percent of the area median income, adjusted for family size.