Public providers may borrow for cable and telecommunications projects, issue bonds or similar debt, and secure them with revenues or a mortgage/deed of trust, subject to a 30-year maturity cap.
(a) In order to provide funds for payment of the costs of the acquisition, establishment, purchase, construction, maintenance, enlargement, extension, lease, or improvement of cable systems, telecommunications equipment, and telecommunications systems, public providers, within the limitations applicable under the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, may become indebted in an amount not to exceed the costs and the costs incurred in issuing the indebtedness and, in evidence thereof, issue the public provider’s bonds or other evidences of indebtedness, as the case may be, in the manner, tenor, and form as may be otherwise provided by law, for the issuance of the public provider’s warrants, bonds, or other evidences of indebtedness generally. The warrants, bonds, or other evidences of indebtedness issued pursuant to this section shall be payable solely from the revenues derived or to be derived from the operation of the systems or equipment and shall not have a maturity longer than 30 years from the date thereof. (b) In order to further secure the prompt and faithful payment of the principal of and interest on all of the warrants, bonds, or other evidences of indebtedness, the public provider may execute a mortgage or deed of trust upon any or all of its cable system, telecommunications equipment, or telecommunications system and all property used in connection therewith, including the franchise or any part thereof. (c) Any mortgage or deed of trust given by the public provider pertaining to its cable system, telecommunications equipment, or telecommunications system may contain terms, conditions, covenants, and warranties for the protection of the public provider and holders of the warrants, bonds, or other evidences of indebtedness issued by the public provider as may be determined and agreed upon by the governing body of the public provider and the persons, firms, or corporations acquiring such warrants, bonds, or other evidences of indebtedness. (d) The mortgage or deed of trust may provide that in the event of the foreclosure of the mortgage or deed of trust, the purchaser at foreclosure sale may acquire the right, privilege, and franchise of operating the cable system, telecommunications equipment, or telecommunications system that may be so sold or conveyed, and the purchaser or purchaser’s vendee may have the right, authority, and privilege to carry on and operate the cable system, telecommunications equipment, and telecommunications system, in the same manner, on the same terms, and to the same extent as the public provider is authorized to operate same until the public provider may redeem the cable system, telecommunications equipment, or telecommunications system from a mortgage sale. (e) The mortgage or deed of trust may provide that rates and charges shall be established and maintained sufficient to meet the costs of operation and maintenance and that the public provider may pledge all of the receipts, earnings, and revenues from the operation of the cable system, telecommunications equipment, or telecommunications system for the payment of the warrants, bonds, or other evidences of indebtedness secured thereby.