Sec. 8. (a) The governing bodies of two (2) or more municipalities may, by resolution or ordinance, determine that it is in their best interests to create a joint agency, for the purpose of undertaking the planning, financing, ownership, and operation of a project or projects to supply electric power and energy for their present or future needs. Any joint agency created under this chapter shall be a body corporate and politic and a political subdivision of the state, and in exercising its powers under this chapter, it shall be deemed to be exercising a part of the sovereign powers of the state. The activities of the joint agency in carrying out the purposes of this chapter shall constitute state action. A joint agency created under this chapter is considered a governmental entity for purposes of IC 34-13-3.

(b) In determining whether or not the creation of a joint agency is in their best interests, the governing bodies shall consider the following:

(1) Whether cost reduction, efficiencies, or other advantages may be realized by creating a joint agency.

(2) Whether better financial market acceptance may result if a joint agency is responsible for issuing all of the bonds for the project or projects in a timely and orderly manner and with uniform credit ratings as opposed to multiple municipalities making separate issues of bonds.

If each governing body determines that it is in the best interests of the municipality to create a joint agency, each governing body shall adopt a mutually acceptable resolution or ordinance so finding (which need not prescribe in detail the basis for the determination), which shall set forth the names of the municipalities proposed to be members of the joint agency and shall authorize any two (2) or more of such municipalities to enter into a contract for the creation of the joint agency. After the execution of the contract, each municipality shall cause notice of the execution of the contract to be given to the presiding officer of the governing body of the municipality. The governing body shall thereupon appoint in writing one (1) commissioner of the joint agency.

(c) The appointed commissioners shall convene and issue a statement containing:

(1) a brief description of the resolution creating the joint agency;

(2) the name of the agency;

(3) the participating municipalities; and

(4) the names and addresses of the appointed commissioners.

The commissioners shall file copies of the statement with the commission, the secretary of state, and with the recorder of each county in which the member municipal utilities provide service.

(d) The joint agency shall consist of a board of commissioners. The governing body of each municipality shall appoint one (1) commissioner who may be an officer or employee of the municipality or a member or employee of the board described in IC 8-1.5-3-3(a). The appointment of a commissioner shall be made by resolution or ordinance. Each commissioner shall have not less than one (1) vote and may have such number of additional votes as a majority of the members of the joint agency shall determine. Each commissioner shall serve at the pleasure of the governing body by which the commissioner was appointed. A person may not serve as a commissioner on behalf of more than one (1) municipality at the same time. Each appointed commissioner before entering upon the commissioner's duties shall take and subscribe to an oath before a person authorized by law to administer oaths to execute the duties of the commissioner's office faithfully and impartially, and a record of the oath shall be filed with the governing body of the appointing municipality and entered in its minutes.

(e) The board of commissioners of the joint agency shall annually elect, from among its membership, a chairman and a vice chairman. It shall also annually elect another person or persons, who may be commissioners, as treasurer and secretary. It may also annually elect, if desired, one (1) or more assistant secretaries. The office of treasurer may be held by the secretary or an assistant secretary. The board of commissioners may also appoint additional officers. The secretary or assistant secretary of the joint agency shall keep a record of its proceedings, and the secretary shall be the custodian of all records, books, documents, and papers filed with the joint agency, the minute book or journal of the joint agency, and its official seal. Either the secretary or an assistant secretary of the joint agency may cause copies to be made of all minutes and other records and documents of the joint agency and may give certificates under the official seal of the joint agency to the effect that such copies are true copies, and all persons dealing with the joint agency may rely upon such certificates.

(f) A majority of the commissioners of a joint agency constitute a quorum. A vacancy in the board of commissioners of the joint agency shall not impair the right of a quorum to exercise all the rights and perform all the duties of the joint agency. Any action taken by the joint agency under this chapter may be authorized by resolution at any regular or special meeting, and each resolution takes effect immediately and need not be published or posted. A contract that is approved by a resolution of the board of commissioners may provide that an action may be taken under a delegation provision in the contract if the action taken is consistent with prudent utility practice. A majority of the votes which the convened commissioners are entitled to cast shall be sufficient to take any action or to pass any resolution, so long as the convened commissioners are entitled to cast a majority of the total number of votes held by the full board.

(g) Except as provided in this subsection, no commissioner of a joint agency may receive from the joint agency any compensation for the performance of the commissioner's duties under this chapter. However, each commissioner may be paid the commissioner's necessary expenses incurred while engaged in the performance of the commissioner's duties. In addition, a municipality may pay the commissioner it appoints up to fifteen dollars ($15) per day for each day or fraction of a day the commissioner is engaged in the performance of duties under this chapter, but only if the commissioner is not a person holding a lucrative office.

(h) The board of commissioners of the joint agency may create an executive committee of the board of commissioners. The board may provide for the composition of the executive committee. The executive committee shall have and shall exercise such of the powers and authority of the board of commissioners during the intervals between the board's meetings as shall be prescribed in the bylaws of the joint agency. The terms of office of the members of the executive committee and the method of filling vacancies on the executive committee shall be fixed by the bylaws of the joint agency.

(i) Additional municipalities may join a joint agency upon such terms and conditions as shall be provided in the contract for the creation of the joint agency.

As added by Acts 1980, P.L.68, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.90-1985, SEC.1; P.L.82-1988, SEC.3; P.L.81-1997, SEC.3; P.L.36-2017, SEC.3; P.L.136-2018, SEC.56.