Upon the creation of a regional arts and cultural district and upon the qualifying of its board of trustees and the election of a president and a vice-president, the district shall exercise in its own name all the rights, powers, and duties vested in and conferred upon it by this chapter. A regional arts and cultural district:

(A) May sue or be sued in its corporate name;

(B) May make contracts in the exercise of the rights, powers, and duties conferred upon it;

(C) May adopt and alter a seal and use that seal by causing it to be impressed, affixed, reproduced, or otherwise used, but failure to affix the seal shall not affect the validity of any instrument;

(D) May make, adopt, amend, and repeal bylaws for the administration of its affairs and rules for the administration and operation of any artistic or cultural facilities under its control and for the exercise of all of its rights of ownership in those facilities, provided, however, that it may not be directly involved in any programatic activities;

(E) May make grants, on such terms and conditions as it may deem advisable, to any arts or cultural organization within its district as provided in section 3381.17 of the Revised Code;

(F) May fix, alter, and collect rentals and other charges for the use of any artistic or cultural facilities under its control, to be determined exclusively by it for the purpose of providing for the payment of the expenses of the district, the acquisition, construction, equipping, improvement, extension, repair, maintenance, renovation, enlargement, administration, and operation of artistic or cultural facilities under its control, and the payment of principal and interest on its obligations, and fulfilling the terms of any agreements made with the purchasers or holders of any such obligations, or with any person or political subdivision;

(G) Shall have jurisdiction, control, possession, and supervision over the use and disposition of all property, rights, licenses, moneys, contracts, accounts, liens, books, records, or other property rights and interests conveyed, delivered, transferred, or assigned to it;

(H) May acquire, construct, improve, extend, repair, remodel, renovate, furnish, equip, enlarge, lease, or maintain artistic or cultural facilities within its territory as it considers necessary to accomplish the purposes of this chapter, and make charges for the use of artistic or cultural facilities;

(I) May levy and collect taxes as provided in section 3381.16 of the Revised Code;

(J) May issue bonds secured by its general credit as provided in section 3381.08 of the Revised Code;

(K) May hold, encumber, control, acquire by donation, purchase, construct, own, lease as lessee or lessor, use, and sell real and personal property, or any interest or right in real or personal property, within or without its territory;

(L) May employ or retain and fix the compensation of employees, agents, accountants, attorneys, and consultants or advisors necessary or desirable for the accomplishment of its purposes;

(M) May procure insurance against loss to it by reason of damages to its properties resulting from fire, theft, accident, or other casualties or by reason of its liability for any damages to persons or property;

(N) May maintain funds as it determines necessary or desirable for the efficient performance of its duties;

(O) May procure a policy or policies insuring members of its board of trustees, and its officers, employees, and agents, against liability on account of damages or injury to persons and property resulting from any act or omission of such person in the person's official capacity or resulting solely out of the person's service to the district;

(P) May receive and expend gifts, grants, bequests, or devices, or grants, including, but not limited to, grants of public funds.

Effective Date: 11-07-1979; 09-29-2005.