(a) This section shall apply only to the Town of Sardis in Etowah County.
(b) The municipal corporation of the Town of Sardis in Etowah County shall have the right to establish, purchase, construct, maintain, and operate a nonexclusive television cable system and to furnish television cable service to their residents and residents of surrounding unincorporated areas of Etowah County not then served by an existing cable television system or systems.
(c) The municipal corporation is authorized to construct, lease, purchase, or otherwise acquire television lines or cables for the furnishing of television service from any point in this state or any other state to the municipal corporation and surrounding territory.
(d) For the purposes of this section such municipal corporation may exercise the right of eminent domain. Such eminent domain proceedings shall be conducted in the manner now provided by law.
(e)(1) In payment of the purchase, construction, acquisition, extension, or maintenance of such television cable system, the municipal corporation may issue its bonds in the manner provided by law.
(2) Such municipal corporation, in order to secure the prompt and faithful payment of the principal and interest of all debts, bonds, or other evidences of indebtedness incurred or issued by it for the construction, acquisition, extension, or maintenance of a television cable system may execute a mortgage or deed of trust upon any or all of such system and all property used in connection therewith, including the franchise or any part thereof.
(3) Such mortgage or deed of trust may contain such terms, conditions, covenants, and warranties for the protection of the municipal corporation and holders of such bonds or securities issued by such municipal corporation and holders of such bonds or securities issued by such municipal corporation as may be determined and agreed upon by the governing body of the municipal corporation and persons, firms, or corporations owning such debts, bonds, or securities.
(4) Such mortgages may provide that in the event of the foreclosure of such mortgage or deed of trust, that the purchaser at such foreclosure sale may acquire the right, privilege, and franchise of operating such system as may be so sold or conveyed, and such purchaser or his or her vendee may have the right, authority, and privilege to carry on and operate such system in the same manner, on the same terms, and to the same extent as the municipal corporation is authorized to operate until the municipal corporation may redeem such system from such mortgage sale.
(5) Such mortgage or deed of trust may provide that during the ownership of the system by the municipal corporation, its control of the service of the system shall not be diminished or interfered with by the grant of any other franchise for the operation of any other plant or system for similar purposes; and that such rates and charges shall be established and maintained as are sufficient to meet the costs of operation and maintenance; and such municipal corporation may pledge all of the receipts, earnings, and revenues from the operation of the system for the payment of the debts, bonds, or other evidences of indebtedness secured by such mortgages or deeds of trust.
(f) The municipal corporation furnishing television cable service pursuant to this section shall have the right to mutually agree with any person furnishing television cable service to the public in this state to interconnect the television cable, lines, facilities, or systems furnishing such service with, or otherwise make available such cables, lines, facilities, or systems to the municipal corporation’s television cable, lines, facilities, or system in order to provide a continuous line of communication for the municipal corporation’s subscribers.
(g) The municipal corporation shall have all the power and authority necessary and proper to the exercise of the powers conferred on it by this section and in effectuating the purposes of this section.
(h) For the transaction of business pursuant to this section, the municipal corporation shall be exempt from the jurisdiction and control of the Alabama Public Service Commission with respect to such business.