The authority shall have, in addition to any other powers conferred in this article, the following powers:

(1) To have a seal and alter the same at its pleasure;

(2) To acquire by purchase, exchange, lease, or otherwise and to hold, lease, and dispose of, in any manner, real and personal property of every kind and character for its corporate purposes;

(3) To appoint such additional officers, who need not be members of the authority, as the authority deems advisable; to employ such experts, agents, and employees as may be in its judgment necessary to carry on properly the business of the authority; to fix the compensation for such officers, experts, agents, and employees and to promote and discharge same; provided, however, that the total compensation paid such persons shall not exceed the sum of $100,000.00 per year;

(4) To make such contracts and agreements as the legitimate and necessary purposes of this article shall require, to execute and perform lease contracts for projects as permitted by this article, and to make all other contracts and agreements as may be necessary to the proper performance of any action permitted by this article;

(5) To build, rebuild, relocate, construct, reconstruct, surface, resurface, lay out, grade, repair, improve, widen, straighten, operate, own, maintain, lease, and manage projects located on property conveyed to the authority as authorized in Code Section 32-10-5, and to pay the cost in whole or in part of any such action or actions from the proceeds of bonds;

(6) To borrow money for any of its corporate purposes and to issue bonds for such purposes as provided in Code Section 32-10-30;

(7) To exercise any power granted to private corporations not in conflict with the Constitution and laws of Georgia nor with other provisions of this article;

(8) By or through its agents or employees, to enter upon any lands, waters, and premises in the state for the purpose of making surveys, soundings, drillings, and examinations as the authority may deem necessary or convenient for the purposes of this article; and such entry shall not be deemed a trespass. The authority shall, however, make reimbursement for any actual damage resulting from such activities;

(9) To make reasonable regulations for the installation, construction, maintenance, repair, renewal, removal, and relocation of pipes, mains, conduits, cables, wires, poles, towers, tracts, and other equipment and appliances of any public utility in, on, along, over, and under any project;

(10) To do and perform all things necessary or convenient to carry out the powers conferred upon the authority by this article; and

(11) To prescribe rules and regulations as approved by the department for the operation of each project constructed under this article, including rules and regulations to ensure maximum use of each such project.