The charter may confer on the regional council any of the following powers:

(1)        To apply for, accept, receive, and dispense funds and grants made available to it by the State of North Carolina or any agency thereof, the United States of America or any agency thereof, any unit of local government (whether or not a member of the council), and any private or civic agency.

(2)        To employ personnel.

(3)        To contract with consultants.

(4)        To contract with the State of North Carolina, any other state, the United States of America, or any agency thereof, for services.

(5)        To study regional governmental problems, including matters affecting health, safety, welfare, education, recreation, economic conditions, regional planning, and regional development.

(6)        To promote cooperative arrangements and coordinated action among its member governments.

(7)        To make recommendations for review and action to its member governments and other public agencies which perform functions within the region in which its member governments are located.

(7a)      For the purpose of meeting the regional council’s office space and program needs, to acquire real property by purchase, gift, or otherwise, and to improve that property. The regional council may pledge real property as security for indebtedness used to finance acquisition of that property or for improvements to that real property, subject to approval by the Local Government Commission as required under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 159-153 A regional council may not exercise the power of eminent domain.

(7b)      To carry out the powers, duties, and responsibilities granted pursuant to Chapter 157 of the N.C. Gen. Stat. except the power of eminent domain. This subdivision does not apply to cities with a population of greater than 250,000 according to the latest federal decennial census.

(8)        (See Editor’s Note) Any other powers that are exercised or capable of exercise by its member governments and desirable for dealing with problems of mutual concern to the extent such powers are specifically delegated to it from time to time by resolution of the governing board of each of its member governments which are affected thereby, provided, that no regional council of governments shall have the authority to construct or purchase buildings, or acquire title to real property, except for the purposes permitted under subdivision (7a) of this section or in order to exercise the authority granted by Chapter 260 of the Session Laws of 1979.

(9)        (See Editor’s Note) Any other powers that are exercised or capable of exercise by its member governments and desirable for dealing with problems of mutual concern to the extent such powers are specifically delegated to it from time to time by resolution of the governing board of each of its member governments which are affected thereby, provided, that no regional council of governments shall have the authority to construct or purchase buildings, or acquire title to real property, except for the purposes permitted under subdivision (7a) of this section or in order to exercise the authority granted by Chapter 260 of the Session Laws of 1979, or the powers, duties, and responsibilities granted to the regional council pursuant to Chapter 157 of the N.C. Gen. Stat.. Nothing in this subdivision permits a regional council to exercise the power of eminent domain. This subdivision does not apply to cities with a population of greater than 250,000 according to the latest federal decennial census. ?(1971, c. 698, s. 1; 1975, c. 517, ss. 1, 2; 1979, c. 902; 2005-290, s. 1; 2006-211, s. 1; 2017-178, ss. 2, 3.)