TITLE 2

Transportation

Aeronautics

CHAPTER 9. Airports of Political Subdivisions

Subchapter IV. Joint Operations

§ 941. Definitions.

For purposes of this subchapter, unless another intention appears or the context otherwise requires:

(1) “Governing body” of a political subdivision means, as to the State, the Department of Transportation.

(2) “This State” is included in “political subdivision.”

Code 1935, c. 167;  45 Del. Laws, c. 300, §  11(2);  2 Del. C. 1953, §  941;  57 Del. Laws, c. 671, §  1360 Del. Laws, c. 503, §  26

§ 942. Power, rights and authority.

(a) All powers, rights and authority granted to any political subdivision in this chapter may be exercised and enjoyed by 2 or more of them, or by this State and 1 or more political subdivisions, acting jointly, either within or without the territorial limits of either or any of them and within or without this State, or by this State or any political subdivision acting jointly with any other state or political subdivision thereof, whether within or without this State, provided the laws of the other state permit such joint action.

(b) All the powers conferred upon political subdivisions in this chapter, if not otherwise conferred by law, are conferred upon this State when acting jointly with any political subdivision or subdivisions.

Code 1935, c. 167;  45 Del. Laws, c. 300, §  11(1), (2);  2 Del. C. 1953, §  942; 

§ 943. Agreement for; contents.

(a) Any 2 or more political subdivisions may enter into agreements with each other, duly authorized by ordinance or resolution, as may be appropriate, for joint action pursuant to this subchapter. Concurrent action by the governing bodies of the political subdivisions involved shall constitute joint action.

(b) Each such agreement shall specify its term; the proportionate interest which each political subdivision shall have in the property, facilities and privileges involved, and the proportion of preliminary costs, costs of acquisition, establishment, construction, enlargement, improvement and equipment, and of expenses of maintenance, operation and regulation to be borne by each, and make such other provisions as may be necessary to carry out this subchapter. It shall provide for amendments thereof and for conditions and methods of termination; for the disposition of all or any part of the property, facilities and privileges jointly owned if the property, facilities and privileges, or any part thereof, shall cease to be used for the purposes herein provided or if the agreement shall be terminated, and for the distribution of the proceeds received upon any such disposition, and of any funds or other property jointly owned and undisposed of, and the assumption or payment of any indebtedness arising from the joint venture which remains unpaid, upon any such disposition or upon a termination of the agreement.

Code 1935, c. 167;  45 Del. Laws, c. 300, §  11(3), (4);  2 Del. C. 1953, §  943; 

§ 944. Governing board; membership, organization and powers.

(a) Political subdivisions acting jointly as authorized in this subchapter shall create a board from the inhabitants of such political subdivisions for the purpose of acquiring property for, establishing, constructing, enlarging, improving, maintaining, equipping, operating and regulating the airports and other air navigation facilities and airport protection privileges to be jointly acquired, controlled and operated. The board shall consist of members to be appointed by the governing body of each political subdivision involved, the number to be appointed by each to be provided for by the agreement for the joint venture. Each member shall serve for such time and upon such terms as to compensation, if any, as may be provided for in the agreement.

(b) Each board shall organize, select officers for terms to be fixed by the agreement, and adopt and from time to time amend rules of procedure.

(c) Each board may exercise, on behalf of the political subdivisions acting jointly by which it is appointed, all the powers of each of such political subdivisions granted by this chapter, except as herein provided. Real property, airports, restricted landing areas, air protection privileges or personal property costing in excess of a sum to be fixed by the joint agreement, may be acquired, and condemnation proceedings may be instituted, only by authority of the governing bodies of each of the political subdivisions involved. The total amount of expenditures to be made by the board for any purpose in any calendar year shall be determined by the political subdivisions involved by the approval by each on or before the preceding December 1st of a budget for the ensuing calendar year. Rules and regulations provided for by paragraph (2) of § 909 of this title shall become effective only upon approval of each of the appointing governing bodies. No real property and no airport, other air navigation facility, or air protection privilege, owned jointly, shall be disposed of by the board, by sale, lease or otherwise, except by authority of all the appointing governing bodies, but the board may lease space, area or improvements and grant concessions on airports for aeronautical purposes or purposes incidental thereto, subject to subdivision (3) of § 909 of this title.

Code 1935, c. 167;  45 Del. Laws, c. 300, §§  11(5)-(7);  2 Del. C. 1953, §  944; 

§ 945. Ordinances.

Each political subdivision, acting jointly with another, pursuant to this chapter, may enact, concurrently with the other political subdivisions involved, such ordinances as are provided for by subdivision (2) of § 909 of this title, and to fix by such ordinances penalties for the violation thereof, which ordinances, when so concurrently adopted, shall have the same force and effect within the political subdivisions and on any property jointly controlled by them or adjacent thereto, whether within or without the territorial limits of either or any of them, as ordinances of each political subdivision involved, and may be enforced in any one of the political subdivisions in like manner as are its individual ordinances. The consent of the Department of Transportation to any such ordinance, where the State is a party to the joint venture, shall be equivalent to the enactment of the ordinance by a political subdivision. The publication provided for in subdivision (2) of § 909 of this title, shall be made in each political subdivision involved in the manner provided by law or charter for publication of its individual ordinances.

Code 1935, c. 167;  45 Del. Laws, c. 300, §  11(8);  2 Del. C. 1953, §  945;  57 Del. Laws, c. 671, §  1360 Del. Laws, c. 503, §  26

§ 946. Condemnation.

Condemnation proceedings shall be instituted, in the names of the political subdivisions jointly, and the property acquired shall be held by the political subdivisions as tenants in common. Sections 905 and 906 of this title shall apply to such proceedings.

Code 1935, c. 167;  45 Del. Laws, c. 300, §  11(9);  2 Del. C. 1953, §  946; 

§ 947. Joint funds.

(a) For the purpose of providing funds for necessary expenditures in carrying out the joint operations, a joint fund shall be created and maintained, into which each of the political subdivisions involved shall deposit its proportionate share as provided by the joint agreement, such funds to be provided for by bond issues, tax levies and appropriations made by each political subdivision in the same manner as though it were acting separately under the authority of this chapter, and into which shall be paid the revenues obtained from the ownership, control and operation of the airports and other air navigation facilities jointly controlled, to be expended as provided in § 926 of this title. Revenues in excess of cost of maintenance and operating expenses of the joint properties shall be divided as provided in the original agreement for the joint venture.

(b) All disbursements from the joint fund shall be made by order of the board in accordance with such rules and regulations and for such purposes as the appointing governing bodies, acting jointly, shall prescribe.

Code 1935, c. 167;  45 Del. Laws, c. 300, §  11(10), (11);  2 Del. C. 1953, §  947; 

§ 948. Specific performance of joint agreements.

Specific performance of the provisions of any joint agreement entered into as provided for in § 943 of this title may be enforced as against any party thereto by the other party or parties thereto.

Code 1935, c. 167;  45 Del. Laws, c. 300, §  11(12);  2 Del. C. 1953, §  948;