§ 117‑31.  Power of Rural Electrification Authority to prosecute requested investigations.

In investigating the application filed with the Rural Electrification Authority under the provisions of G.S. 117‑30 of this Article, the Rural Electrification Authority shall have the authority to employ such personnel as shall be necessary to conduct surveys; to contact the telephone companies serving the general area for the purpose of arranging for extension of telephone service by such companies to such community or communities; to make estimates of the cost of the extension of telephone service to such community or communities; to call upon the Utilities Commission of the State to fix such rates as will be applicable to such service; to secure for such community or communities any assistance which may be available from the federal government by gift or loan or in any other manner; to investigate all applications for the creation of telephone membership corporations and determine and pass upon the question of granting authority to form such corporation; to provide forms for making such applications, and to do all things necessary to a proper determination of the question of the establishment of such telephone membership corporations in keeping with the provisions of this Article; to act as agent for any such telephone membership corporation in securing loans or grants from any agency of the United States government; to prescribe rules and regulations and the necessary blanks for such membership corporations in making applications for grants or loans from any agency of the United States government; to do all other acts and things which may be necessary to aid the rural communities in North Carolina in securing telephone service. (1945, c. 853, s. 3.)