If an agreement under section 749.16 of the Revised Code concerns or includes participation of a joint township hospital district, or of a county, in the maintenance and operation of a municipal hospital, the municipal corporation may establish a board of governors to exercise, subject to such further limitations as are imposed by the agreement, the powers vested in the board of hospital commissioners, provided that any such limitations shall not deny the board of governors the authority to retain counsel, to institute legal action in its own name, or to employ any other lawful means, for the collection of delinquent accounts. The board of governors may include in its membership representatives of a participating district who are electors of the district, or of a participating county who are electors of that county or an adjacent county, as are provided for in the agreement.

Except as otherwise provided in this section, the municipal members of the board of governors shall consist of the mayor and at least three resident freeholders of the municipal corporation, at least one of whom shall be a doctor of medicine, to be appointed by the mayor with the consent of the legislative authority. However, if necessary to secure qualified individuals to serve on the board of governors, the municipal members of the board may be residents of the county in which the municipal corporation is located or of an adjacent county.

The term of office of municipal members of the board of governors shall be as provided in section 749.05 of the Revised Code and vacancies on the board with respect to those members shall be filled as provided in that section. Unless otherwise provided in the agreement, any vacancy on the board with respect to a member appointed by a participating joint township hospital district or county shall be filled by the appointing body not later than ninety days after the vacancy occurs and if the vacancy remains unfilled on that date, the remaining members of the board, by majority vote, shall appoint an individual to fill the vacancy. Unless otherwise provided in the agreement, vacancies on the board with respect to any other members shall be filled by the remaining members of the board, by majority vote. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration date of the term for which the member's predecessor was appointed shall hold office as a member for the remainder of that term.

The board of governors, subject to the terms of the agreement, shall establish regulations and elect officers as its members determine. The members shall be entitled to the compensation for their services provided by the agreement.

Members of the board of governors may attend board meetings by means of communications equipment authorized under this section by rule of the board, including by video conference or teleconference. Notwithstanding division (C) of section 121.22 of the Revised Code, board members who attend a board meeting by means of authorized communications equipment shall be considered present in person at the meeting, shall be permitted to vote, and shall be counted for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present at the meeting.

The board of governors shall maintain a record of any vote or other action taken at a board meeting conducted by means of authorized communications equipment. The record also shall identify the members attending the board meeting by means of authorized communications equipment.

The board of governors shall adopt rules designating the communications equipment that is authorized for use during board meetings. The board also shall adopt rules that establish procedures and guidelines for using authorized communications equipment during board meetings and that ensure verification of identity of any board members attending board meetings by such means.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, SB 235, §1, eff. 3/28/2017.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.127, HB 487, §101.01, eff. 9/10/2012.

Effective Date: 09-16-1957; 04-27-2005; 01-18-2007