The district and its board of commissioners have corporate powers to run public cemeteries, but the board may not expropriate property.
§135.2. Corporate status; powers and duties A. The Sweet Lake - Grand Lake Community Cemetery District shall constitute a body corporate in law, with all the powers of a corporation. The district, through its board of commissioners, shall have the power and right to sue and be sued, and to do and perform any and all acts in its corporate capacity and in its corporate name which are necessary and proper for carrying out the purposes and object for which it is created. B. The district, through its board of commissioners, may exercise all powers necessary or convenient for carrying out its purposes, including but not limited to the following: (1) The board may acquire, establish, operate, and maintain one or more public cemeteries within the district. However, the board shall have no authority to expropriate property. (2) The board may incur debt and contract obligations. (3) The board may establish all rules and regulations it deems necessary for any public cemetery acquired, established, operated, or maintained by the district. (4) The board may employ a sexton and other employees and fix and pay their compensation. (5) The board may contract with respect to any land acquired by it for cemetery purposes with any person on such terms and conditions and for such period of time as will, in the discretion of the board, assure the proper care, maintenance, and control of the public cemeteries located in the district. (6) The board may establish lots, plots, or any interment spaces within its public cemeteries and issue permits for the interment therein of deceased persons or sell any lot, plot, or interment space to the public at terms fixed by the board, to be used and maintained exclusively for such purposes and subject to the laws of this state and ordinances of the parish. C. The board shall construct and maintain the necessary roads and streets and shall provide for proper drainage in all public cemeteries in the district. The board shall provide upkeep and maintenance for public cemeteries in the district. D. For purposes of this Chapter, a public cemetery shall include any cemetery owned by a municipality, by the parish, or by the district. Acts 2003, No. 541, §1; Acts 2022, No. 574, §1.