3-502. Airport authority; created; board; members; expenses; delegation of authority; period of corporate existence; jurisdiction.

(1) Any city may create an airport authority to be managed and controlled by a board. The board, when and if appointed, shall have full and exclusive jurisdiction and control over all facilities owned or thereafter acquired by such city for the purpose of aviation operation, air navigation, and air safety operation.

(2) The Cities Airport Authorities Act shall not become operative as to any city unless the mayor and city council in their discretion activate the airport authority by the mayor appointing and the council approving the board members as provided in this section. Each such board shall be a body corporate and politic, constituting a public corporation and an agency of the city for which such board is established.

(3) Each board in cities of the primary, first, and second classes and in villages shall consist of five members to be appointed by the mayor with the approval of the city council to serve until their successors elected pursuant to section 32-547 take office. Members of such board shall be residents of the city for which such authority is created. Any vacancy on such board shall be filled by appointment by the mayor, with the approval of the city council, to serve the unexpired portion of the term. A member of such board may be removed from office for incompetence, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office. An action for the removal of such officer may be brought, upon resolution of the city council, in the district court of the county in which such city is located.

(4) Each board in cities of the metropolitan class shall consist of five members who shall be nominated by the mayor and approved by the city council and shall serve for terms of five years. Any vacancy on such board shall be filled by appointment by the mayor, with the approval of the city council, and such appointee shall serve the unexpired portion of the term of the member whose office was vacated. Any member of such board may be removed from office by the mayor, for incompetence, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office, with the consent and approval of the city council.

(5) The members of the board hereby created shall not be entitled to compensation for their services but shall be entitled to reimbursement of expenses paid or incurred in the performance of the duties imposed upon them by the Cities Airport Authorities Act, to be paid as provided in section 23-1112 for county officers and employees. A majority of the members of the board then in office shall constitute a quorum. The board may delegate to one or more of the members, or to its officers, agents, and employees, such powers and duties as it may deem proper.

(6) The board and its corporate existence shall continue only for a period of twenty years from the date of appointment of the members thereof and thereafter until all its liabilities have been met and its bonds have been paid in full or such liabilities and bonds have otherwise been discharged. When all liabilities incurred by the authority of every kind and character have been met and all its bonds have been paid in full or such liabilities and bonds have otherwise been discharged, all rights and properties of the authority shall pass to and be vested in the city. The authority shall have and retain full and exclusive jurisdiction and control over all projects under its jurisdiction, with the right and duty to charge and collect revenue therefrom, for the benefit of the holders of any of its bonds or other liabilities. Upon the authority's ceasing to exist, all its remaining rights and properties shall pass to and vest in the city.

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Annotations

This section gives an airport authority full jurisdiction over all aspects of getting an aircraft and its occupants safely into and out of an airport. Professional Firefighters of Omaha v. City of Omaha, 243 Neb. 166, 498 N.W.2d 325 (1993).

The word airport herein means an airport qualified and licensed for public use. Elliott v. City of Plattsmouth, 187 Neb. 165, 188 N.W.2d 684 (1971).

Under former law the word airport in this section means an airport qualified and licensed for public use. Bruns v. City of Seward, 186 Neb. 658, 185 N.W.2d 853 (1971).

Airport authority's existence dependent upon city which created it and is an agency of that city, existence of airport authority does not prevent parent city from being annexed. Airport Authority of City of Millard v. City of Omaha, 185 Neb. 623, 177 N.W.2d 603 (1970).