Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1910-10-05
COUNTY HOSPITAL Law
Full Text of New Statute Governing
County Hospitals.
Every Voter Should Read the New
Iowa County Hospital Law, So
as to Thoroughly Under
stand the Proposition.


stand the Proposition.
In order that the people of Win
neshiek county may have a clear
understanding of the legal status of
the new hospital proposition, we
publish below the new county hos
pital law. which we hope will be
given a careful reading:
An Act to enable counties to es-
tablish and maintain public hos
pitals, levy a tax and issue bonds
therefore, elect hospital trustees,
maintain training schools for nurs-
es, provide suitable means for the
care of tuberculous persons, and to
make possible the ultimate es-
tablishment of an adequate supply
Of hospitals with equal rights to all
and special privileges to none.
Be it enacted by the General AS
sembly of the State of Iowa:
County Hospital-How Established.
Any county may establish a pub
lie hospital in the following man
ner: Whenever the board of super
visors Of any county shall be pre-
sented with a petition signed by two
hundred (20O resident freeholders
OF such county, one hundred and
fifty (150) Of whom shall be resi-
dents of the city, town or village
where it is proposed to locate such
public hospital, asking that an an
nual tax be levied for the establish
ment and maintenance of a public
hospital at place in the county
named therein, and shall specify in
their petition the maximum amount
of money proposed to be expended
In purchasing or building said hos
pita1, such board of supervisors
SHALL submit the question to the
qualified electors of the county at
the next general election to be held
In the county or at a special elec-
ton called for that purpose, first
giving 80 days notice thereof in one
or more newspapers published
therein, and by posting such notice,
written or printed, in each township
Of the county. which notice shall
include the text Of the petition and
state the amount of tax to be levied
upon the assessed property of the
said county, which tax shall not
exceed two (2) mills on the dollar,
for period Of time not exceeding
twenty (20) years and be for the
issue of county bonds to provide
funds for the purchase of the site
or sites and the erection thereon OF
a public hospital, and hospital
buildings; and for the support of
same; which said election shall be
held at the usual places in such
county for electing county officers,
the vote to be canvassed in the
same manner as that for county
officers.
Question Submitted-Hospita Fund
The board of supervisors of such
county shall submit to the qualified
electors thereof, at a regular or
special election, the question wheth-
er there shall be levied upon the
assessed property of such county a
tax Of. -. mills on the dollar for
the purchase of real estate for hos
pital purposes, for the construction
of hospital buildings, and for main
tanning same, or for either or all Of
such purpose.
II the majority of the votes cast
at such election on the proposition
SO submitted shall be in favor of q
mill tax for a bond issue for a
public hospital and for maintenance
of same. the board of supervisors
shall levy the tax so authorized,
which shall be collected in the same
manner as other taxes are collected
and credited to the hospital fund.-"
and shall be paid out on the order
of the hospital trustees for the pur-
poses authorized by this act and for
no other purposes whatever.
Hospital Trustees, Appointment,
Election, Terms.
Should majority of all the votes
cast upon the question be in favor
of establishing such county public
hospital. the board of supervisors
shall proceed at once to appoint
trustees chosen from the citizens at
large with reference to their fitness
to such Office. three CD of whom
may be women, all residents of the
county. not more than four (D Of
said trustees residents Of the city.
town or village in which said hos
pital is to be located who shall con-
stitute a board of trustees for said
public hospital. The said trustees
shall hold their Offices until the
next following general election,
when seven ca hospital trustees
shall be elected and hold their Of
fees, two CD for two (2) years,
two CD for four (4) years. three
(3) for six (6) years, and who shall
by lot determine their respective
terms. At each subsequent general
the offices of the trustees
whose terms of Office are about to
expire shall be filled by the nomin-
alton and election of hospital trus-
tees in the same manner as other Of
ficers are elected. none Of whom
shall be practicing physicians.
Hospital Board. Organization, Pow
ers and Duties.
The said trustees shall within ten
days after their appointment or
qualify by taking the oath
of civil officers and organize as
board of hospital trustees by the
election of one Of their number az