Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 6a - Executive Offices
Section 18r - Regional 911 Emergency Communication District; Powers

Section 18R. A regional 911 emergency communication district, established under section 18Q, shall be a public employer and body politic and corporate with the power to:
(a) adopt a name and a corporate seal and the engraved or printed facsimile of such seal appearing on a bond or note of the district shall have the same legal effect as a seal would have if it were impressed thereon;
(b) construct or site, equip, administer, operate and maintain a regional 911 emergency communication center for the benefit of the district's member municipalities;
(c) purchase or lease land or building space for the district;
(d) employ an executive director, who shall possess the education, training and experience to perform the duties required of the position and such other employees as it considers necessary to operate the district and to establish the duties, compensation, benefits and other terms and conditions of employment of additional personnel;
(e) adopt an annual operating budget that shall be approved by the finance advisory subcommittee;
(f) enter into any contracts and agreements necessary for the exercise of the district's powers and functions, including contracts and agreements to purchase equipment, buildings, supplies, materials and services; provided, however, that the district may enter into contracts and agreements for 911 emergency services with non-member municipalities and governmental bodies and other persons or entities;
(g) incur debt for a term not exceeding 25 years to acquire land, buildings and equipment to construct or site and maintain a regional 911 emergency communication center; provided, however, that written notice of the amount of the debt and of the general purposes for which it would be authorized shall first be given by the district board to the finance advisory subcommittee for approval, which shall require a majority vote. The finance advisory subcommittee shall vote on the proposed debt within 14 days of receiving notice. If the finance advisory subcommittee approves the debt, the debt may be authorized by the district board and written notice of the amount of the debt and of its general purposes shall be given to the city council and to the board of selectmen or town council of each member municipality not later than 7 days after the date on which the debt was authorized by the district board. No debt shall be incurred until the expiration of 60 days from the date the debt was authorized by the district board. If, prior to the expiration period, the city council or the board of selectmen or town council of any member municipality votes to disapprove of the amount authorized by the district board, the debt shall not be incurred;
(h) issue bonds and notes in the name and upon the full faith and credit of the district; provided, however, that written notice of the amount of the bonds or notes and of the general purposes for which they would be authorized shall be provided to the finance advisory subcommittee for approval, which shall require a majority vote; provided, further, that if the finance advisory subcommittee votes to approve the bonds or notes, the bonds or notes shall be signed by the chairman and the treasurer of the district board; provided, further, that the chairman, by a writing bearing the chairman's written signature and filed in the office of the treasurer which writing shall be open to public inspection, may authorize the treasurer to cause to be engraved or printed on bonds or notes a facsimile of such chairman's signature, and such facsimile signature so engraved or printed shall have the same validity and effect as the chairman's written signature. Each issue of bonds or notes shall be a separate loan;
(i) sue and be sued, only to the same extent and upon the same conditions that a municipality may be sued;
(j) receive and disburse funds for any district purpose;
(k) incur short-term debt in anticipation of revenue to be received from member municipalities;
(l) assess member municipalities for any district expenses;
(m) apply for and receive any grants or gifts for the district purposes;
(n) engage legal counsel; and
(o) submit an annual report to each member municipality, which report shall contain a detailed financial statement and a statement showing the method by which the annual charges assessed against each municipality were computed.

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