Section 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.