Section 7. - Purposes and Powers.

The Authority is hereby granted the following rights and powers and shall have and may exercise all powers necessary or appurtenant, convenient or incidental to the carrying out of the powers enumerated in this act: (a) To sue and be sued, implead, complain and defend in all courts. (b) To adopt, use and alter at will, a corporate seal. (c) To acquire, purchase, hold, own, operate and lease and use any franchises, property, real, personal or mixed, tangible or intangible or any interest therein necessary or desirable for carrying out the purposes of the authority and this act and to sell, lease, transfer and dispose of any property or interest therein at any time acquired by it. If the authority leases any real property to another agency, firm, corporation, or individual, it shall cause said lease or leases to be recorded with the clerk of the circuit court as a matter of public record. The authority shall not sell real property for less than the appraised value as recorded by the property appraiser for Duval County, unless approved by the council of the City of Jacksonville. If there is no recorded appraised value, then the authority shall request the property appraiser for Duval County to provide an appraisal prior to the sale of the real property. (d) Provide at one time or from time to time for the issuance of bonds, revenue certificates or other obligations of the authority, as hereinafter provided. (e) To enter into and make leases, either as lessee or lessor, for such period or periods of time and under such terms and conditions as the authority shall determine. Such leases may be entered into for buildings, structures, facilities, equipment, machinery, furniture, fixtures and any and all other real and personal property of any nature whatsoever constructed or acquired or to be constructed or acquired by the authority or by any other person, firm, corporation (profit or nonprofit), trust, foundation, partnership, estate or governmental agency, or may be entered into for lands owned by the authority where the lessee of said lands agrees as a consideration for said lease to construct or acquire buildings, structures or facilities on said lands which will become the property of the authority under such terms, rentals and other conditions as the authority shall deem proper. (f) To construct, improve, maintain, enlarge, extend, repair and operate hospitals, clinics, out-patient departments, educational facilities of all types and other appurtenant facility or facilities related thereto. (g) To fix, alter, charge, establish and collect rates, fees, rentals and other charges for the services of the facilities of the authority or any part thereof, at reasonable and uniform rates to be determined exclusively by the authority for the purposes of carrying out the provisions of this act. (h) To make contracts of every kind and nature and to execute all instruments necessary or convenient for the carrying on of its business. (i) Without limitation of the foregoing, to borrow money and accept grants, contributions or loans from, and to enter into contracts, leases or other transactions with the United States government or any agency thereof, the County of Duval, the City of Jacksonville, or with any other public body of any nature whatsoever. (j) To have the power of eminent domain, such power to be exercised in the manner provided by law for the State of Florida, or agencies or instrumentalities thereof. (k) To pledge, hypothecate or otherwise encumber all or any part of the revenues of the authority as security for all or any of the obligations issued by the authority. (l) To employ an executive director, physicians, surgeons, accountants, attorneys, bacteriologists, chemists, contractors, engineers, architects, superintendents, nurses, technicians, managers, construction and financial experts, radiologists, or any other person or persons skilled in hygiene or medical research, and such other employees and agents as may in the judgment of the authority, be necessary, and fix their compensation. (m) To receive and accept grants, gifts and donations from any person, firm, trust, foundation, corporation (whether profit or nonprofit), partnership, estate or governmental agency. (n) To do all acts and things necessary or convenient in the carrying out of the powers granted herein. (Laws of Fla., Ch. 67-1308; Laws of Fla., Ch. 67-1330; Laws of Fla., Ch. 77-542; Laws of Fla., Ch. 80-498, § 2)