HB 1453

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to the North Sumter County Hospital
3District; providing a popular name; providing district
4purpose; providing district boundaries; providing for a
5board of trustees as the governing body of the district;
6prescribing the powers and duties of the board; providing
7for compensation and meetings of the board; authorizing
8the board to levy and collect an annual ad valorem tax
9upon taxable property within the district; providing for a
10referendum; providing for purpose of the tax; providing
11for a method for such levy; providing for an annual
12report; providing for financial disclosure; providing for
13liens and foreclosure of liens; providing for
14severability; providing an effective date.
15
16Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
17
18     Section 1.  Establishment of district; boundaries.--
19     (1)  This act may be referred to by the popular name the
20?North Sumter County Hospital District Act.?
21     (2)  There is created and established as an independent
22special taxing district of the state a hospital district in
23Sumter County to be known as the ?North Sumter County Hospital
24District,? which shall comprise and include the territory within
25Sumter County described as follows:
26
27BEGIN AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF SECTION 1, TOWNSHIP
2818 SOUTH, RANGE 23 EAST, AND RUN SOUTH ALONG THE
29EASTERLY BOUNDARY OF RANGE 18 EAST (SAID BOUNDARY
30BEING THE EAST LINE OF SAID SUMTER COUNTY) TO THE
31CENTERLINE OF STATE ROAD NO. 44; THENCE WESTERLY ALONG
32THE CENTERLINE OF STATE ROAD NO. 44 TO ITS
33INTERSECTION WITH THE CENTERLINE OF COUNTY ROAD C-44A;
34THENCE NORTHWESTERLY ALONG THE CENTERLINE OF COUNTY
35ROAD C-44A TO ITS INTERSECTION WITH THE CENTERLINE OF
36COUNTY ROAD C-139; THENCE NORTH ALONG THE CENTERLINE
37OF COUNTY ROAD C-139 TO ITS INTERSECTION WITH THE
38CENTERLINE OF COUNTY ROAD C-466A; THENCE NORTH ALONG
39THE CENTERLINE OF COUNTY ROAD C-462 AND ITS NORTHERLY
40EXTENSION TO THE CENTERLINE OF COUNTY ROAD C-121;
41THENCE NORTH ALONG THE CENTERLINE OF COUNTY ROAD 121
42TO THE NORTH LINE OF THE FAIRWAYS AT ROLLING HILLS,
43PLAT BOOK 4, PAGE 88, PUBLIC RECORDS OF SUMTER COUNTY,
44FLORIDA, EXTENDED WESTERLY; THENCE EAST ALONG SAID
45NORTH LINE AND ITS WESTERLY AND EXISTING EXTENSION TO
46THE EAST LINE OF SECTION 28, TOWNSHIP 18 SOUTH, RANGE
4723 EAST; THENCE NORTH ALONG SAID EAST LINE TO THE
48WATERS OF LAKE MIONA; THENCE WESTERLY AND NORTHERLY
49ALONG THE WATERS OF LAKE MIONA TO ITS INTERSECTION
50WITH THE EASTERLY EXTENSION OF THE NORTHERLY LINE OF
51RAVENSWOOD SUBDIVISION (UNRECORDED) LYING IN THE
52SOUTHEAST 1/4 OF THE SOUTHEAST 1/4 OF SECTION 20,
53TOWNSHIP 18 SOUTH, RANGE 23 EAST; THENCE WEST ALONG
54SAID NORTH LINE AND ITS EXTENSION TO THE CENTERLINE OF
55COUNTY ROAD 117; THENCE SOUTH ALONG THE CENTERLINE OF
56COUNTY ROAD 117 TO THE CENTERLINE OF COUNTY ROAD 114;
57THENCE WEST ALONG THE CENTERLINE OF COUNTY ROAD 114 TO
58THE CENTERLINE OF U.S. HIGHWAY 301; THENCE WEST ALONG
59THE CENTERLINE OF COUNTY ROAD 222 TO THE CENTERLINE OF
60COUNTY ROAD 223; THENCE NORTH ALONG THE CENTERLINE OF
61COUNTY ROAD 223 TO THE CENTERLINE OF COUNTY ROAD 466;
62THENCE WEST ALONG THE CENTERLINE OF COUNTY ROAD 466 TO
63THE CENTERLINE OF COUNTY ROAD 227; THENCE NORTH ALONG
64THE CENTERLINE OF COUNTY ROAD 227 TO THE SOUTH LINE OF
65SECTION 2, TOWNSHIP 18 SOUTH, RANGE 22 EAST; THENCE
66WEST ALONG THE SOUTH LINE OF SAID SECTION 2 AND THE
67SOUTH LINE OF SECTION 3, TOWNSHIP 18 SOUTH, RANGE 22
68EAST TO THE WEST LINE OF THE EAST 330.10 FEET OF SAID
69SECTION 3; THENCE NORTH ALONG SAID WEST LINE TO THE
70NORTH LINE OF TOWNSHIP 18 SOUTH SAID NORTH LINE BEING
71THE NORTHERLY BOUNDARY OF SUMTER COUNTY; THENCE EAST
72ALONG THE NORTH BOUNDARY OF TOWNSHIP 18 SOUTH AND
73ALONG THE NORTH BOUNDARY OF SUMTER COUNTY TO THE POINT
74OF BEGINNING.
75     Section 2.  Purpose of the district.--The purpose of the
76North Sumter County Hospital District as a governmental entity
77is to ensure continued hospital services for the residents of
78the North Sumter County Hospital District, referred to in this
79act as the ?district.?
80     Section 3.  Membership and organization of the governing
81board of the district.--
82     (1)  GENERAL.--
83     (a)  The North Sumter County Hospital District shall be
84governed by a board of trustees composed of five persons
85appointed by the Governor. The term of office of each trustee
86shall be 6 years and a trustee may serve more than one term. The
87initial terms shall be measured from the date this act becomes
88law. The trustees must reside in Sumter County. Each trustee
89shall serve until his or her successor is appointed and
90qualified. Any member of the board of trustees may be removed by
91the Governor at any time for cause, in which event such vacancy
92or vacancies thereby occurring shall be filled by appointment by
93the Governor. Vacant trustee seats created for reasons other
94than by removal shall be filled through appointment by the
95Governor; appointees shall serve until expiration of the term
96for which they are appointed.
97     (b)  The members of the board of trustees shall serve
98without pay. Each member shall give a bond to the Board of
99County Commissioners of Sumter County for the use and benefit of
100the North Sumter County Hospital District for the faithful
101performance of his or her duties in the sum of $1,000 with a
102surety company qualified to do business in this state as surety,
103which bond shall be approved and accepted by the Clerk of the
104Circuit Court of Sumter County. The premiums on such bond shall
105be paid by the district as part of the expenses of the district.
106     (c)  Three of the trustees shall constitute a quorum, and a
107vote of a majority of the trustees in attendance at a meeting is
108necessary for the transaction of any business of the district.
109The board of trustees may select from among its membership a
110chair, vice chair, secretary, and treasurer. The board of
111trustees shall cause true and accurate minutes and records to be
112kept of all business transacted by the board and shall keep
113full, true, and complete books of account and minutes, which
114minutes and books shall be open and subject to the inspection of
115the inhabitants of the district at all reasonable times during
116normal business hours. Any person desiring to do so may obtain a
117copy of the minutes and books of accounts or such portions
118thereof as he or she may desire upon payment of the costs of
119reproduction.
120     (2)  ANNUAL MEETING.--The annual meeting shall be held
121during the month of January of each year at such time and place
122within the district as is determined by the board of trustees.
123Notice of the date, time, and place of the annual meeting shall
124be published in a daily newspaper of general circulation, in a
125section other than the legal advertisement or classified
126advertisement section, in the North Sumter County Hospital
127District once per week for 2 consecutive weeks. The date of the
128first publication of such notice must be at least 15, and not
129more than 30, days before the annual meeting. The agenda at the
130annual meeting of the board of trustees shall include, but is
131not limited to:
132     (a)  Call to order.
133     (b)  Presentation and approval of minutes of the last
134annual meeting and of any special meeting held since that
135meeting.
136     (c)  Financial report.
137     (d)  Presentation of the annual report of the board of
138trustees.
139     (e)  Transaction of any business that may properly be
140brought before the board.
141     (f)  Election of officers of the board of trustees.
142     (3)  SPECIAL MEETINGS.--Special meetings of the board of
143trustees may be called at any time by the chair or upon the
144written request of four members of the board of trustees.
145Notices of special meetings of the board of trustees shall be by
146publication in a newspaper of general daily circulation in the
147North Sumter County Hospital District at least 7 days before
148such meeting, stating the date and place and general matters of
149the business to be considered.
150     Section 4.  Powers, functions, and duties.--
151     (1)  EMINENT DOMAIN.--The North Sumter County Hospital
152District, through its board of trustees, has the power of
153eminent domain.
154     (2)  GENERAL POWERS.--The Board of Trustees of the North
155Sumter County Hospital District has all the powers of a body
156corporate, including the power to sue and be sued under the name
157of the North Sumter County Hospital District; to contract and be
158contracted with; to adopt and use a common seal; and to acquire,
159purchase, hold, lease, and convey such real and personal
160property as the board of trustees deems proper or expedient to
161carry out the purposes of this act.
162     (3)  AD VALOREM TAXATION.--The Board of Trustees of the
163North Sumter County Hospital District may levy an ad valorem tax
164in the district of up to 1 mill on the dollar of the value of
165all nonexempt property within that area of Sumter County which
166comprises the North Sumter County Hospital District, provided,
167however, that the hospital district shall have no authority to
168levy such ad valorem tax unless such authority has been approved
169in a referendum by a majority vote of the electors residing
170within the district voting on the question. Such referendum
171shall be held not later than December 31, 2006, and conducted
172upon a resolution adopted by the board of trustees and in
173accordance with applicable Florida Statutes. Such tax shall be
174paid into the district fund.
175     (4)  TAX PROCEEDS TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS FOR HEALTH
176CARE PURPOSES.--All future tax proceeds generated from within
177the North Sumter County Hospital District, less one-half of the
178amount reserved annually by the board to pay for the maintenance
179and services for the board, shall be paid by the Board of
180Trustees to the Villages Tri-County Medical Center, Inc., and
181the Villages Regional Hospital Foundation, Inc., in such
182proportional distribution as the board, in its sole discretion,
183deems appropriate, upon the written request by the Villages Tri-
184County Medical Center, Inc., and the Villages Regional Hospital
185Foundation, Inc., respectively, that the funds are needed for
186healthcare purposes, provided, however, that the Villages Tri-
187County Medical Center, Inc., shall receive not less than 80
188percent of such funds so distributed.
189     (5)  ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT.--The Villages Tri-County
190Medical Center, Inc., and the Villages Regional Hospital
191Foundation, Inc., shall file annual audited financial statements
192with the North Sumter County Hospital District.
193     (6)  COLLECTION OF TAXES.--It is the duty of the Property
194Appraiser of Sumter County to assess, and the Tax Collector of
195Sumter County to collect, the up to 1 mill tax levied by the
196Board of Trustees of the North Sumter County Hospital District
197upon the taxable property in the district. The tax collector
198shall collect such tax as levied by the board of trustees in the
199same manner as other taxes are collected and shall pay the same
200over to the Board of Trustees of the North Sumter County
201Hospital District within the time and in the manner prescribed
202by law for the payment of taxes to the county depository. It is
203the duty of the Department of Revenue to assess all such
204property in accordance with section 193.085, Florida Statutes.
205The amount of each county or state tax and the taxes for the
206district shall be assessed by the officer respectively as are
207county taxes upon such property, and such tax shall be remitted
208by the collecting officer to the Board of Trustees of the North
209Sumter County Hospital District. All such taxes shall be held by
210the Board of Trustees of the North Sumter County Hospital
211District and paid out by said board for purposes of this act.
212     (7)  EXPENSES.--The Board of Trustees of the North Sumter
213County Hospital District may pay from the funds of the district
214all expenses of the organization of such board of trustees and
215all expenses necessarily incurred in the development of the
216district, as well as all other reasonable and necessary
217expenses, including the fees and expenses of a certified public
218accountant and an attorney as needed in the transaction of the
219business of the district in carrying out and accomplishing the
220purposes of this act. The board shall include in its annual
221budget a reserve in an amount deemed necessary by the board for
222its yearly expenses.
223     (8)  FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE, NOTICE, AND REPORTING
224REQUIREMENTS.--At least once every year, the Board of Trustees
225of the North Sumter County Hospital District shall make and file
226with the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Sumter County a complete
227financial statement of all moneys received and distributed by
228the board since the development of the district as to the first
229statement so filed, and since the last statement so filed as to
230any other year. Such statements shall also show the several
231sources from which the funds were received and shall show the
232balance on hand at the time of the making of such statement. The
233statement shall show the complete statement of the financial
234condition of the district. Notice of the statement shall be
235filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Sumter County and
236published in a newspaper regularly published in Sumter County,
237and the statement shall be made available at all reasonable
238times to all residents of the district for their inspection. The
239Board of Trustees of the North Sumter County Hospital District
240shall comply with all financial disclosure and reporting
241requirements provided in general law.
242     (9)  PREPARATION OF BUDGET.--The Board of Trustees of the
243North Sumter County Hospital District shall prepare an annual
244balanced budget in accordance with generally accepted accounting
245practices and in the manner prescribed by section 189.418,
246Florida Statutes.
247     (10)  LIENS AND FORECLOSURES.--Liens and foreclosure of
248liens resulting from failure to pay ad valorem taxation shall be
249treated as liens and foreclosures resulting from other ad
250valorem taxes.
251     Section 5.  Amendments to the charter.--This act may only
252be amended by action of the Legislature.
253     Section 6.  Construction of act.--It is intended that the
254provisions of this act be liberally construed for accomplishing
255the purposes authorized and provided for by this act.
256     Section 7.  Comprehensive planning.--Except as may
257otherwise be required by general law, comprehensive planning is
258not required by this act.
259     Section 8.  If any provision of this act or its application
260to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity
261shall not affect other provisions or applications of the act
262which can be given effect without the invalid provision or
263application, and to this end the provisions of this act are
264declared severable.
265     Section 9.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.


CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.