Except as otherwise provided in this chapter or as otherwise prohibited by law, any county or incorporated municipality of the State of Alabama may enter into a written contract with any one or more counties or incorporated municipalities for the joint exercise of any power or service that state or local law authorizes each of the contracting entities to exercise individually. For purposes of this chapter, it is sufficient if each of the contracting entities has the authority to exercise or perform the power or service which is the subject of the contract regardless of the manner in which the power or service shall be exercised or performed, provided that at least one of the contracting parties has the authority to exercise the power or service in the manner agreed upon by the parties. The joint contract may provide for the power or service to be exercised by one or more entities on behalf of the others or jointly by the entities.

Any contract entered into pursuant to this chapter shall be in writing. The contract shall specify the duration of the contract, which shall not exceed three years. The parties may renew the contract for another term of not more than three years on the same or amended terms by the same method by which the original contract was adopted. Any party to the contract shall have the power to refuse to renew the contract. The refusal shall not affect the authority of the remaining parties to enter into a contract with each other with the same or similar terms of the original contract as provided in this chapter. The contract shall also specify the purpose of the contract; the method to be used to partially or completely terminate the contract; the method to be used to dispose of any property belonging to the parties as a result of the contract upon termination of the contract; the manner of financing the joint undertaking and of establishing and creating a budget for the undertaking, except that no party to the contract shall have any power to incur any debt which shall become the responsibility of any other contracting party; and any other matter necessary and proper to jointly exercise the contract.

No contract entered into pursuant to this chapter shall take effect until the contract has been approved by the governing body of each of the contracting municipalities or counties. Approval by a county governing body shall be by adoption of a resolution and approval by a municipal governing body shall be by adoption of an ordinance of general and permanent operation.

The contracting parties may specify the method or methods which shall be used to implement the contract.

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to authorize the joint exercise of the power to levy taxes or to zone real property. Additionally, nothing in this chapter shall be construed to authorize the joint exercise of the power to tax, the power to exercise planning authority, or the power to zone real property in the unincorporated areas of a county unless authorized by act of the Legislature. Notwithstanding this prohibition, counties and municipalities may contract with each other to zone flood prone areas as mandated by the federal government pursuant to Title 11, Chapter 19.

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to affect or alter any other law which authorizes joint cooperative power between any public entities and this chapter shall be supplemental to these laws.

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter and as limited by the contract between the contracting parties, any entity which contracts to perform or exercise any service or power pursuant to this chapter shall have the full power and authority to act within the jurisdiction of all contracting entities to the extent necessary to carry out the purposes of the contract. Each municipality or county which is a party to the contract shall adopt all ordinances, resolutions, or policies necessary to authorize the other contracting entities to carry out their contractual duties and responsibilities.

The provisions of this chapter are not applicable to contracts for the collection, transportation, storage, or disposal of solid waste.