(A) The department of development shall develop and promote plans and programs designed to assure that state resources are efficiently used, economic growth is properly balanced, community growth is developed in an orderly manner, and local governments are coordinated with each other and the state, and for such purposes may do all of the following:

(1) Serve as a clearinghouse for information, data, and other materials that may be helpful or necessary to persons or local governments, as provided in section 122.073 of the Revised Code;

(2) Prepare and activate plans for the retention, development, expansion, and use of the resources and commerce of the state, as provided in section 122.04 of the Revised Code;

(3) Assist and cooperate with federal, state, and local governments and agencies of federal, state, and local governments in the coordination of programs to carry out the functions and duties of the department;

(4) Encourage and foster research and development activities, conduct studies related to the solution of community problems, and develop recommendations for administrative or legislative actions, as provided in section 122.03 of the Revised Code;

(5) Serve as the economic and community development planning agency, which shall prepare and recommend plans and programs for the orderly growth and development of this state and which shall provide planning assistance, as provided in section 122.06 of the Revised Code;

(6) Cooperate with and provide technical assistance to state departments, political subdivisions, regional and local planning commissions, tourist associations, councils of government, community development groups, community action agencies, and other appropriate organizations for carrying out the functions and duties of the department of development or for the solution of community problems;

(7) Coordinate the activities of state agencies that have an impact on carrying out the functions and duties of the department of development;

(8) Encourage and assist the efforts of and cooperate with local governments to develop mutual and cooperative solutions to their common problems that relate to carrying out the purposes of this section;

(9) Study existing structure, operations, and financing of regional or local government and those state activities that involve significant relations with regional or local governmental units, recommend to the governor and to the general assembly such changes in these provisions and activities as will improve the operations of regional or local government, and conduct other studies of legal provisions that affect problems related to carrying out the purposes of this section;

(10) Create and operate a division of community development to develop and administer programs and activities that are authorized by federal statute or the Revised Code;

(11) Until October 15, 2007, establish fees and charges, in consultation with the director of agriculture, for purchasing loans from financial institutions and providing loan guarantees under the family farm loan program created under sections 901.80 to 901.83 of the Revised Code;

(12) Provide loan servicing for the loans purchased and loan guarantees provided under section 901.80 of the Revised Code as that section existed prior to October 15, 2007;

(13) Until October 15, 2007, and upon approval by the controlling board under division (A)(3) of section 901.82 of the Revised Code of the release of money to be used for purchasing a loan or providing a loan guarantee, request the release of that money in accordance with division (B) of section 166.03 of the Revised Code for use for the purposes of the fund created by section 166.031 of the Revised Code.

(14) Allocate that portion of the national recovery zone economic development bond limitation and that portion of the national recovery zone facility bond limitation that has been allocated to the state under section 1400U-1 of the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. § 1400U-1. If any county or municipal corporation waives any portion of an allocation it receives under division (A)(14) of this section, the department may reallocate that amount. Any allocation or reallocation shall be made in accordance with this section and section 1400U-1 of the Internal Revenue Code.

(B) The director of development may request the attorney general to, and the attorney general, in accordance with section 109.02 of the Revised Code, shall bring a civil action in any court of competent jurisdiction. The director may be sued in the director’s official capacity, in connection with this chapter, in accordance with Chapter 2743 of the Revised Code.

(C) The director shall execute a contract pursuant to section 187.04 of the Revised Code with the nonprofit corporation formed under section 187.01 of the Revised Code, and may execute any additional contracts with the corporation providing for the corporation to assist the director or department in carrying out any duties of the director or department under this chapter, under any other provision of the Revised Code dealing with economic development, or under a contract with the director, subject to section 187.04 of the Revised Code.