1763 - General powers and duties of authority.
§ 1763. General powers and duties of authority. The members of the authority shall have the power to: 1. Elect from among its members annually a chairman, vice-chairman to serve in the absence of the chairman, a secretary and assistant-secretary to serve in the absence of the secretary. The first election shall be held at the time of the first meeting of the members of the authority. 2. Provide for the management of the hospital, including the appointment of an administrator or superintendent or other executive officer of the authority in charge of the hospital, or other specially qualified personnel, who shall serve at the pleasure of the board, and enter into contracts at its option providing such personnel and services. 3. To make effective the organization of the district and the operations of the authority, prepare an agreement for execution by the governing boards of the participating municipalities, and the authority, fixing and determining by formula or otherwise the amounts to be paid by each participating municipality to the authority for hospital service. The amounts to be paid may be based upon the ratio which the equalized assessed valuation of each municipality bears to the total equalized assessed valuation of all of the participating municipalities for the year in which the initial organization meeting is held, except that the city of Salamanca may bear a greater proportion and the remaining municipalities a lesser proportion if fixed in said agreement. Such agreement shall be subject to the approval of the governing board of each participating municipality and the authority, and may be amended from time to time as may be necessary by such governing boards and the authority. The agreement may also contain other matters pertaining to the organization and operation of the district, but not contradictory to the terms of this statute. To enter into agreements and amendments thereto with the municipalities to provide hospital, medical and surgical care and treatment on behalf of such municipalities, fixing the terms and conditions upon which the same shall be provided and containing provisions relating to any other matters pertaining to the operation of the hospital and the facilities thereof not inconsistent with the provisions of this act. 4. Erect a new hospital and other necessary buildings and, from time to time, an additional medical building, receive the title by deed from the city of Salamanca to the existing Salamanca city hospital now being operated by the Salamanca hospital district, and make all necessary improvements and repairs and alter such existing property. In the event that a new hospital is erected, occupied and operated, the authority shall thereafter convey to the city of Salamanca without consideration, the Salamanca City Hospital property which it has received from the city of Salamanca. The conveyance from the city of Salamanca to the Salamanca hospital district shall contain a provision for such re-conveyance upon the building of a new hospital. 5. Receive and take over and assume title to the Salamanca hospital district "as is" including its equipment, books of account, revenues, charges, interest in bank deposits and special funds, memorials, trust funds, and all other assets and liabilities. 6. Determine the number and employ all persons necessary for the proper operation and management of the district hospital. All personnel shall be subject to the civil service law, except those performing management or other services under contract, and shall be under the jurisdiction of the municipal civil service commission of the city of Salamanca which shall certify all civil service payrolls.7. Fix the salary and wage and hours and terms of employment of all officers and employees, including maintenance when the same may be deemed appropriate and necessary by the authority. 8. Provide for the medical care and treatment of all persons admitted to the hospital, and to make the rules and regulations governing such admittances and treatment and care and to fix appropriate charges. 9. Provide for a medical staff for the treatment of patients and to make rules and regulations for such staff or authorize such staff to make such rules and regulations subject to approval of the authority. 10. Have the general superintendance, management and control of any hospital under its jurisdiction and of the grounds, buildings, officers, employees and patients thereof; and of all matters relating to the government, discipline, contracts and fiscal concerns thereof; and make such rules and regulations and by-laws as may seem to them necessary for carrying into effect the purpose of such hospital. 11. Provide the method and appoint the person or persons in charge, of purchasing all necessary equipment, furniture, appliances, fixtures, food, services and all other things needed for the proper operation of said hospital and for the care and treatment of patients and for the use of the officers and employees thereof. 12. Maintain an effective inspection of said hospital, and keep itself informed of the affairs and management thereof. 13. Hold at least one meeting each month of the members of the authority, and provide for regular and special meetings of the authority. The annual meeting shall be held during the month of January as determined by the authority. 14. Keep in a book provided for that purpose a proper record of its proceedings to be known as its minute book, which shall be open at all times to the inspection of its members. Such record of proceedings shall be open at all times for the inspection of duly authorized representatives of the state department of health and of other state departments or agencies authorized by law to inspect such records. 15. Approve all bills and accounts, including salaries and wages, and record the same in its minute book, and provide for their payment. 16. Appoint a treasurer, or deputy treasurer to act in his or her absence, who shall keep a proper record as directed by the authority of the bills and accounts and pay the same as approved by the authority, and who shall make such reports as directed by the authority, which shall be at least once each month. 17. Make an annual report of the operations of the hospital, the number of patients received, the annual income and operating expenses, the amount of bonds, notes and other obligations and interest to be retired and paid, and other pertinent matters to, and of the amount of the annual contribution required of, the city of Salamanca and of the participating towns, with such reports to be directed to the mayor of said city and to the supervisor of said towns respectively. 18. Provide for ambulance service to bring patients to or remove them from said hospital, either by itself or by contract with the city of Salamanca, or another municipality in the district or with a private concern, and to adopt a schedule of appropriate charges and provide for the collection of the same. Any such contract may provide for the purchase of equipment, hiring and payment of necessary employees, establishment of a schedule of charges and collection of the same, payment by the hospital of said collections or other costs to the city of Salamanca, or other municipality or private concern, supplying the service, reimbursement to said supplier, and for coverage with insurance or by existing provisions of law of all employees engaged in, and persons using such service, and other necessary matters.19. Institute actions at law and inequity for the collection of claims and obligations due to the hospital from any and all causes, or for the enforcement of any cause of action, and to prosecute, compromise or settle such claims, obligations and causes of action, or to defend against causes of action, and to retain counsel to act for it in any such litigation. 20. To have a seal. 21. To acquire, hold and dispose of personal property at its pleasure. 22. To acquire in the name of the authority, by purchase, grant, lease, gift or condemnation, real property or rights or easements necessary or convenient for its corporate purposes and to sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of any such property not needed for its corporate purposes. The authority may exercise the power of condemnation pursuant to the provisions of the condemnation law. 23. To accept gifts, devises, grants, or contributions from the United States, the state of New York, or any agency or instrumentality of either of them, or any county or municipality or from a corporation, or any person, by conveyance, bequest or otherwise, and to expend the proceeds for any purpose of the authority, and to enter into a contract with the United States, the state of New York, or an agency or instrumentality of either of them, or any participating municipality, to accept gifts, devises, grants, loans or contributions for the furtherance of any purpose of the authority, including the building and equipment of a new hospital, on such terms and conditions as may be agreed upon between the authority and any such legal entity, and to invest moneys as authorized by the general municipal law in capital reserve funds or otherwise. 24. To designate the depositories of its money. 25. To do all things necessary or convenient to carry out its purposes and exercise the powers expressly given in this title. 26. Enter into a contract or contracts with the county of Cattaraugus, for the joint use of facilities and equipment in a new hospital. 27. Perform all acts and do all things permitted and authorized by the public authorities law. 28. Plans for the construction of a new hospital or for the improvement, repair or alteration of existing buildings of the district hospital shall be subject to the approval of the state department of health. 29. The hospital and its facilities shall be subject to inspection by duly authorized representatives of the state department of health, who shall be given access on demand to all records, reports, books, papers and accounts of the hospital.