Without limiting or restricting the general powers conferred by this article, the Council may do any of the following:

      (a)      Adopt and have a common seal, and alter it at pleasure;

      (b)      Sue. However, the Council shall have the immunity from liability described under § 5-505 of the Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article;

      (c)      Adopt bylaws and make rules and regulations for the conduct of its business;

      (d)      Make and enter into all contracts or agreements necessary or incidental to the performance of its duties;

      (e)      For the purposes of this article, borrow money and apply for and accept advances, loans, grants, contributions, and any other form of assistance from the federal government, the State, or other public body, or from any sources, public or private. Also, it may:

            (1)      Give security as may be required and enter into and carry out contracts or agreements; and

            (2)      Include in any contract for financial assistance with the federal government those conditions imposed pursuant to federal laws as are reasonable and appropriate, and which are not inconsistent with the purposes of this article;

      (f)      Reevaluate the general development plan for the development of the region at least every 4 years, following the election of State and local officials;

      (g)      Review any applications to agencies of the State or federal government for loans or grants-in-aid for projects by governmental subdivisions within the region;

      (h)      Review local plans, proposals for projects, and ordinances having an impact outside the boundaries of the local government, subdivisions, and within the region;

      (i)      Employ a director, engineers, attorneys, planners, consultants, and other employees, and prescribe their powers and duties and fix their compensation;

      (j)      Prepare studies of the region's resources with respect to existing and emerging problems of industry, commerce, transportation, population, housing, agriculture, public services, local governments, and any other matters which are relevant to regional planning;

      (k)      Collect, process, and analyze at regular intervals the social and economic statistics for the region which are necessary to planning studies and make the results available to the general public;

      (l)      Participate with other government agencies, educational institutions, and private organizations in the coordination of the research activities;

      (m)      Cooperate with and provide planning assistance to county, municipal, and other local governments, instrumentalities, or planning agencies within the region, and coordinate regional area planning with planning activities of the State and of the counties, municipalities, special districts, or other local governmental units within the region as well as neighboring regions and with the programs of federal departments and agencies;

      (n)      Provide information to the following as indicated:

            (1)      To officials in State departments, agencies, and instrumentalities;

            (2)      To federal, and local governments;

            (3)      To the public at large, in order to foster public awareness and understanding of the objectives of the comprehensive plan and the functions of regional and local planning, and in order to stimulate public interest and participation in the orderly, integrated development of the region; and

      (o)      Execute any instruments and perform any acts or things necessary, convenient, or desirable for its purposes or to carry out the powers expressly given in this article.