The board of governors has powers over prison farming programs, land transactions, prison financing, prisoner work on public projects, and sale or lease of surplus prison land, and it also has several accounting and approval duties.
§805. Powers and duties of board of governors The board of governors: (1) May inaugurate, conduct, and carry on farming vocational training programs, and other operations on behalf of the prison on property owned or leased by the prison for these purposes. (2) Shall keep an accurate account of all revenues derived from the sale of the products of the labor of the prisoners. The accounts shall show the amount of money received from the sale of produce, the date of the sale, the name of the purchaser, and any other data which will enable the public to be in touch with its affairs. (3) May acquire land by donation, purchase, or lease for multiparish prison farms. All purchases of real estate shall be ratified by a majority of the governing authorities of the parishes within the multiparish prison area on the basis of their assessed valuation. Whenever the purchase price is on terms of credit the land shall be the only security and the parishes involved shall not be liable for any part of the unpaid purchase price. The board of governors may remove any buildings or improvements on land acquired by them. (4) May build, with the approval of the governing authorities of the parishes composing the multiparish prison area, jails or other places of imprisonment on the property of the multiparish prison whenever they deem it advisable. They may dedicate a sum not to exceed one-half of one mill on the dollar assessment per year for a period of not more than ten years out of the regular alimony for this purpose. Their dedication of the money may be evidenced by certificates of indebtedness, payable annually with interest payable semi-annually, not to exceed the market rate of percent per annum, redeemable on maturity out of any excess revenues that may develop. No building shall be constructed on land not fully paid for. (5) May grant security for debts incurred in the acquisition of lands for the multiparish prison for making improvements on the lands, for purchasing machinery, tools, equipment, or other property for the establishment, maintenance, operation, and administration of the multiparish prison or for obtaining funds to pay and extinguish any debt or debts incurred in the acquisition of the lands or the improvement thereof, by granting mortgages upon the immovable property of the district, where title thereto is in the public, mortgages upon its movables, or crop pledges and pawns upon the crops of the prison farms. The acts of security shall stipulate that in case of default in the payment of any debt, secured thereby or any part of a debt, the property securing the debt shall be subject to seizure and sale with benefit of appraisement, in the same manner as private property subject to encumbrance may be seized and sold, notwithstanding the title of the property securing the debt is vested in the public. No security shall be granted unless sanctioned by the governing authorities of the parishes composing the multiparish prison area by ordinance or resolution fixing the maximum of the debt to be secured. The board of governors, the governing authorities of the parishes within the multiparish prison area, or the multiparish prisons shall never be obligated beyond the value of the property offered as security. (6) Shall fix the salary to be paid the secretary and treasurer of the board of governors and shall fix the amount of bond with legal surety which the treasurer shall give, conditioned on a faithful accounting for all money and property entrusted to his care. (7) May permit use of prisoners on public works at the request of any public body within the multiparish prison area, but only with the approval and under the supervision of the committing district judge having jurisdiction over the prisoners. The judge shall have full authority to recall any prisoner at any time. (8)(a) May sell, dispose of, or lease any land owned by the multiparish prison which for any reason can no longer be used, or which is unused, or is unnecessary or unsuitable in the operations of the said multiparish prison. (b) The board of governors of said multiparish prisons may lease said land upon such terms and conditions as may be most advantageous to the prison, but said lease shall not exceed five years. (c) Should any multiparish prison lands be offered for sale, the board of governors thereof shall cause to be published for thirty days in the official journal of the parish in which said land is located, an advertisement setting forth a description of the land to be sold, and the time, place and terms of the sale. (d) The land so advertised shall be sold by the sheriff of the parish where the land is located. The sale shall be at the principal door of the courthouse, between the hours of 11:00 o'clock A.M. and 4:00 o'clock P.M., and shall be to the last and highest bidder, except that the board of governors of the multiparish prison shall have the right to reject any and all bids. Should a bid be accepted for the sale of said land, then and in that event said board of governors, under the authority of a proper resolution, shall make and deliver to the purchaser a valid deed conveying title thereto. Amended by Acts 1954, No. 521, §1; Acts 1958, No. 449, §1; Acts 1970, No. 461, §1.