18-8-104. Hospital generally under control of board of trustees; appointment, powers and duties of trustees; incorporation; use of funds for erection of hospital; term of lease; consolidation of hospitals; acquisition of land; removal of board member; filling of vacancies.

(a) The erection, management and control of the county memorial hospital, county memorial hospital fund and all property and funds received for the benefit of the hospital shall be by a board of trustees composed of at least five (5) but not more than eleven (11) competent and responsible citizens of the county appointed by the board of county commissioners. The number of members of any board of trustees shall be an odd number determined by the county commissioners. The first board of trustees, or additional members to a board of trustees, as soon as appointed shall draw lots for the purpose of determining the term of each member of the board. Up to two (2) members of the original board or additional members of the board shall serve for a term of one (1) year, up to two (2) for a term of two (2) years, up to two (2) for a term of three (3) years, up to two (2) for a term of four (4) years and up to two (2) for a term of five (5) years after their appointment. Terms thereafter shall be five (5) years, consecutively staggered. Each trustee shall serve until the first Monday of July following the expiration of their term and the board of county commissioners annually at their meeting in June shall appoint a successor to the trustee or trustees whose term expires. As soon as the original board has determined the terms of its members they shall organize by electing a president, secretary and treasurer of the board. As soon as they are organized they shall file with the county clerk and the secretary of state a certificate showing their organization, for which filing no fee or charge shall be paid. Upon filing the certificate the board of trustees is a body corporate with power to sue and be sued under the name of "Board of Trustees of the Memorial Hospital of .... County". No individual member of the board of trustees is personally liable for any action or procedure of the board. The corporation has perpetual existence and it is not necessary to file any other or further certificate than that filed upon the original organization of the board of trustees.

(b) Annually upon the appointment of a new member of the board, the trustees shall meet and organize by electing a president, secretary and treasurer. Each member of the board shall serve without compensation and the treasurer of the board shall give bond in such amount and with such sureties as approved by the board of county commissioners conditioned for the faithful performance of his duties and the full accounting for all monies received as treasurer. The board may allow and pay to the secretary such reasonable compensation as they deem proper for secretarial, accounting and other services required of him in addition to his general duties as a member of the board.

(c) The hospital shall be erected and maintained on lands whose title is in the county or upon which the county has a lease for the term of ninety-nine (99) years. If any county hospital is already owned and maintained by the county, the board of county commissioners may permit the erection of the county memorial hospital upon the grounds already owned and used as a county hospital with any additional grounds deemed necessary and may transfer the management and control of the old hospital to the board of trustees of the memorial county hospital so that the old and the new may be consolidated and operated, controlled and maintained as a single hospital. If any county is without title to sufficient land for the county hospital it may acquire necessary lands by gift, purchase or condemnation under the procedure authorized in exercising the right to eminent domain.

(d) Subject to constitutional limitations, in addition to any other securities the legislature authorizes or has authorized by law for investment, any funds of the hospital may be invested by the hospital board in any security which has been recommended by an investment advisor registered under the Uniform Investment Advisor's Act of 1940 as amended, or any bank exercising its trust powers, and approved by the board. In approving securities for the investment under this subsection, the board shall be subject to and act in accordance with the provisions of the Wyoming Uniform Prudent Investor Act. The provisions of this subsection shall not be construed to authorize the use of any revenues generated from taxes to engage in any activity authorized under W.S. 18-8-301(a).

(e) The county commissioners may remove any member of the board of trustees for just cause without a public hearing unless the trustee requests a public hearing. Vacancies on the board of trustees shall be filled by the county commissioners for the balance of the unexpired term created by the vacancy.