19-4625. Termination of operation; procedure; election; disposition of property; abolition of board; transfer of moneys to county. Any commission may close and terminate operation of a county hospital in accordance with the following provisions:

(a) Whenever the commission maintaining and operating the hospital shall determine, by resolution, that it is in the best interest of the county that operation of the hospital should be closed and terminated, or whenever a petition signed by not less than 5% of the qualified electors of a county requesting that operation of the hospital be closed and terminated is filed with the county clerk, there shall be submitted a proposition authorizing the same to the qualified electors of the county at the next regular county election or, if no regular county election is to be held within six months from the date of adoption of the resolution or filing of the petition, at a special election called for the purpose of submitting such proposition. If a majority of the votes cast on the proposition are in favor thereof, the commission shall perform all acts necessary to close and terminate the operation of the county hospital.

(b) If a majority of the votes cast at the election are in favor of the proposition submitted under the provisions of subsection (a), the commission may sell or donate and transfer and convey such hospital and all real and personal property owned by such county and used in connection with the operation of the hospital to a city in or near which the hospital is located subject to the approval and acceptance of such city, or to a hospital district established for such purpose, or to a nonprofit corporation to be owned, managed, maintained and operated as a hospital by such city, hospital district or corporation, or may dispose of all such real and personal property as authorized by law for the disposition of other county property. If the proposition submitted under subsection (a) fails to receive a majority of the votes cast in favor thereof, the county hospital shall be continued in operation.

(c) The commission and the board shall continue to pay the normal and usual operating expenses of the hospital, including such maintenance and repairs as are certified by the state fire marshal or the secretary of health and environment as being necessary for the safety of persons admitted to the hospital, until such time as operation of the hospital is terminated.

(d) The board of any hospital closed under the provisions of this section, is hereby abolished. The balance of any moneys remaining in any fund of the county hospital after termination of its operation and after payment and performance of any obligation thereof shall be transferred to the county general fund. Any records of a county hospital remaining after the closing and termination of operation thereof shall be transferred to the custody of the county clerk.

History: L. 1984, ch. 98, § 25; July 1.