2.2-2534 - (Expires July 1, 2011) Powers and duties of the Commission.
§ 2.2-2534. (Expires July 1, 2011) Powers and duties of the Commission.
A. The Commission shall have the following powers and duties:
1. Accept, execute, and administer any trust in which it may have an interestunder the terms of the instrument creating the trust;
2. Establish and administer agreements with public or private agencies inorder to achieve its goals;
3. Rent, lease, including the execution of leases with option to purchase,buy, own, acquire, and dispose of such property, real and personal, as theCommission deems proper to carry out any of the purposes and provisions ofthis article;
4. Finance, fund, plan, establish, construct, enlarge, extend, equip, update,and maintain buildings, structures, and facilities that are necessary ordesirable to achieve its goals;
5. Operate, manage, and oversee the retail sales, demonstration, performance,and interpretation of artisan, musical, or other cultural activities, foodand visitor services, and other functions as may be necessary or desirable toachieve its goals;
6. Employ and compensate such employees and agents as the Commission deemsnecessary. The Commission may appoint an executive director who shall beauthorized to employ such staff as necessary to enable the Commission toachieve its goals. The Commission shall determine the duties of such staffand fix salaries and compensation from such funds as may be received;
7. Borrow and seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations frompublic or private sources;
8. Manage the operations of any existing or new facility in accordance withthe provisions of this section;
9. Facilitate the sustainability of economic development initiatives relatingto the cultural heritage of Southwest Virginia by providing financialresources and technical assistance to organizations and venues thatcontribute to achieving the goals of the Commission;
10. Serve as a resource and referral center by maintaining and disseminatinginformation about Southwest Virginia cultural heritage efforts and venues;
11. Develop specific goals and initiatives intended to improve the quality oflife and entrepreneurial opportunities in Southwest Virginia, in coordinationwith the Virginia Tourism Corporation, the Virginia Department of Housing andCommunity Development, Southwest Virginia tourism, and economic developmentorganizations, local governments, and other entities; and
12. Submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an annual report forpublication as a report document as provided in the procedures of theDivision of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislativedocuments and reports. The chairman shall submit to the Governor and theGeneral Assembly an annual executive summary of the interim activity and workof the Commission no later than the first day of each regular session of theGeneral Assembly. The executive summary shall be submitted for publication asa report document as provided in the procedures of the Division ofLegislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents andreports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.
B. The Commission may establish nonprofit, nonstock corporations underChapter 10 (§ 13.1-801 et seq.) of Title 13.1 as public instrumentalitiesexercising public and essential governmental functions to assist theCommission in (i) encouraging the economic development of Southwest Virginiathrough the expansion of cultural heritage ventures and initiatives relatedto tourism and other asset-based enterprises, including the SouthwestVirginia Artisan Center, the Crooked Road, Round The Mountain, and relatedcultural heritage organizations and venues that promote entrepreneurial andemployment opportunities, and (ii) conducting other activities useful incarrying out the provisions of this article.
The board of directors of any such corporation shall be composed of thechairman of the Commission and eight persons appointed by the Commission. Theterms of the members of any corporation established shall be four years.
The Commission shall require any such corporation to report to it at leastannually on its activities.
(2008, cc. 654, 659.)