§7-22-23. Joint economic opportunity development districts.

(a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that the citizens of the state would benefit from coordinated road construction efforts by county commissions and municipalities.

(b) Notwithstanding any other section of this code to the contrary, any two or more county commissions, any two or more municipalities, or any combination thereof, may: (1) Create a combined economic opportunity development district; (2) propose joint applications for the districts; (3) enter into one or more intergovernmental agreements between themselves and/or the Commissioner of Highways to share: (A) Project expenses; and (B) certain excise tax collections, on a pro rata or other basis, to facilitate construction of projects within the combined economic opportunity development district and to jointly take such other actions as are authorized in the County Economic Opportunity Development District Act.

(c) When a project begins in one county and ends in another county of this state, the county commission of each county included in a multicounty project may, by resolution, adopt a written intergovernmental agreement with each county and/or the Commissioner of Highways regarding the proposed multicounty project. When the project begins or passes through the corporate limits of a municipality, the governing body of that municipality may by resolution adopt a written intergovernmental agreement with the county or counties in which the project is located.

(d) No county commission or municipality may withdraw from an intergovernmental agreement if bonds or notes, remain outstanding the proceeds of which were used to finance construction of the project for which the written intergovernmental agreement was executed.

(e) No withdrawing county commission or municipality is entitled to the return of any money or property advanced to the project.

(f) Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, any county commission or municipality that creates an economic opportunity development district may enter into one or more intergovernmental agreements with one or more other counties or municipalities that also create an economic opportunity development district to finance, in whole or in part, one or more projects, to pool tax increment and other revenues to finance, in whole or in part, contiguous projects on a cash basis or to pay debt service on bonds or notes.

(g) The obligations of the parties under any intergovernmental agreement executed pursuant to this article is not debt within the meaning of sections six or eight, article X of the Constitution of West Virginia.

(h) Any intergovernmental agreement must be approved by resolution adopted by a majority vote of the county commission of each county participating in the agreement, by a majority vote of the governing body of each municipality participating in the agreement and by the Commissioner of Highways.

(i) The Commissioner of Highways is authorized to enter into intergovernmental agreements with county commissions and municipalities of this state, or with the federal government or any agency thereof, respecting the financing, planning, and construction of state roads and bridges, including related infrastructure if any, constructed, in whole or in part, pursuant to this article.