§329.3. St. Mary Levee District Board of Commissioners; powers and duties

            A. The management and control of the district shall be vested in the board of commissioners of the St. Mary Levee District. In addition to any other powers and duties provided by law, including the power of taxation as provided for in the Constitution of Louisiana, the board shall have the authority to establish, construct, operate or maintain flood control works as they relate to hurricane protection, tidewater flooding, saltwater intrusion and conservation.

            B. The board may enter into contracts and agreements of any nature for the purposes of this Chapter with any person or persons, corporation, association, or other entity, including public corporations, port authorities, the state and agencies thereof, levee districts, parishes, other political subdivisions, the United States government and agencies thereof, or any combination thereof, or with instrumentalities of any kind to carry out the purposes of and the powers granted in this Chapter.

            C. The board may enter into contracts or other agreements with any person or entity concerning the providing of lands, servitudes, rights-of-way, and relocations, and may engage jointly in the exercise of any power to include the construction, operation, and maintenance of any facilities and improvements for the purpose of the projects under this Chapter.

            D. The board shall have the authority to establish, construct, operate or maintain flood control works of all types as they relate to hurricane protection, tidewater flooding, saltwater intrusion and conservation, either in cooperation with one or more parishes, municipalities, or other special districts within its territorial jurisdiction, or upon its own undertaking.

            E. The board may buy and sell property, make and execute all contracts, and perform any and all things necessary to carry out the objects of this Chapter, subject to the limitations and duties provided in this Section.

            F. For flood and hurricane protection purposes, the board may acquire property by expropriation prior to judgment, in accordance with the provisions of Part V of this Chapter.

            G. The board may issue bonds or other debt obligations to construct, acquire, extend, or improve any flood control works authorized by law and to pledge to the payment of the principal and interest of such bonds or debt instruments the proceeds of any district tax or other revenues.

            H. The board may enter into an intergovernmental agreement with the Atchafalaya Basin Levee District to reimburse the Atchafalaya Basin Levee District for levee district expenditures made in St. Mary Parish for the benefit of St. Mary Parish.

            I.(1) On August 15, 2010, ownership of the following property situated in St. Mary Parish and belonging to the Atchafalya Basin Levee District shall be transferred to the St. Mary Levee District: (a) immovable property; (b) any mineral lease of the levee district on property situated in St. Mary Parish that is not in production or has been in production for more than ten years prior to the date of the transfer; (c) leases, servitudes, rights-of-way, and other property interests that are not mineral leases; and (d) books, records, and documents.

            (2) The transfer of ownership set forth in this Subsection shall occur by operation of law and shall be complete without the necessity of any other act, instrument, or deed. However, the St. Mary Levee District shall confect instruments as necessary for filing, recordation, or other purposes, showing the transfer of the property or property interest.

            (3) The transfer of the property or property interest shall relieve the Atchafalya Basin Levee District from liability for the property or property interest.

            J.(1) All rights and obligations, including but not limited to those belonging to the town of Berwick, the city of Morgan City, and the parish of St. Mary, arising from any and all contractual agreements, including "Acts of Assurances" and "Agreements for Local Cooperation", with the United States Department of the Army and relating to levee, floodwall, and floodgate property, exclusive of drainage pumps, situated within St. Mary Parish, are hereby transferred to the St. Mary Levee District.

            (2) The transfer of all rights and obligations set forth in this Subsection shall occur by operation of law and shall be complete without the necessity of any other act, instrument, or deed.

            K. The board shall have the authority to serve as the sole nonfederal, local sponsor for all federal levees, floodwalls, and flood control structures situated within St. Mary Parish.

            Acts 2007, No. 259, §1, eff. July 1, 2007; Acts 2010, No. 1020, §1; Acts 2015, No. 177, §1.