Title 56. Public Service Companies
Chapter 16. Telephone Cooperatives Act
§ 56-495. Powers granted corporation.
Each corporation formed under this chapter shall have power to do any and all acts or things necessary or incidental for carrying out the purpose for which it was formed, including, but not limited to:
1. To furnish or provide telephone service or any of the facilities necessary therefor in connection with the furnishing or providing of such service with others both within and without this Commonwealth and to provide such services or facilities as may be incidental or related to providing telephone service.
2. To sue and be sued.
3. To have a seal and alter the same at pleasure.
4. To acquire, hold and dispose of property, real and personal, tangible and intangible, or interests therein and to pay therefor in cash or property or on credit, and to secure and procure payment of all or any part of the purchase price thereof on such terms and conditions as the board shall determine.
5. To acquire, own and dispose of shares or interests in other entities engaged in communications businesses.
6. To render service and to acquire, own, operate, maintain and improve a system or systems.
7. To accept gifts or grants of money, or property, real or personal, from any person, municipality or federal agency and to accept voluntary and uncompensated services.
8. To sell, lease, mortgage or otherwise encumber or dispose of all or any part of its property, as hereinafter provided.
9. To contract debts, borrow money and to issue or assume the payment of bonds, and other obligations.
10. To fix, maintain and collect reasonable fees, rents, tolls and other charges for services rendered.
11. To exercise all the powers set forth in § 56-49, including the power of eminent domain as prescribed for other public service corporations by general law.
12. To issue nonassessable nonvoting common and preferred capital stock and pay annually noncumulative dividends thereon not exceeding four percent and no cooperative operating hereunder shall pay annually more than four percent interest on membership capital.
13. To perform any and all of the foregoing acts and to do any and all of the foregoing things under, through or by means of its own officers, agents and employees, or by contracts with any person, federal agency or municipality.
1950, p. 592; 1956, c. 434; 1989, c. 185; 2001, c. 386.
