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 within the North Sumter County
89Hospital District as defined in section 1. Each trustee
90shall serve until his or her successor is appointed and
91qualified. Any member of the board of trustees may be removed by
92the Governor at any time for cause, in which event such vacancy
93or vacancies thereby occurring shall be filled by appointment by
94the Governor. Vacant trustee seats created for reasons other
95than by removal shall be filled through appointment by the
96Governor; appointees shall serve until expiration of the term
97for which they are appointed.
98     (b)  The members of the board of trustees shall serve
99without pay. Each member shall give a bond to the Board of
100County Commissioners of Sumter County for the use and benefit of
101the North Sumter County Hospital District for the faithful
102performance of his or her duties in the sum of $1,000 with a
103surety company qualified to do business in this state as surety,
104which bond shall be approved and accepted by the Clerk of the
105Circuit Court of Sumter County. The premiums on such bond shall
106be paid by the district as part of the expenses of the district.
107     (c)  Three of the trustees shall constitute a quorum, and a
108vote of a majority of the trustees in attendance at a meeting is
109necessary for the transaction of any business of the district.
110The board of trustees may select from among its membership a
111chair, vice chair, secretary, and treasurer. The board of
112trustees shall cause true and accurate minutes and records to be
113kept of all business transacted by the board and shall keep
114full, true, and complete books of account and minutes, which
115minutes and books shall be open and subject to inspection at all
116reasonable times during normal business hours. Any person
117desiring to do so may obtain a copy of the minutes and books of
118accounts or such portions thereof as he or she may desire upon
119payment of the costs of reproduction.
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.
123The schedule and notice of this annual meeting shall be
124published as provided in section 189.417, Florida Statutes. The
125agenda at the annual meeting of the board of trustees shall
126include, but is not limited to:
127     (a)  Call to order.
128     (b)  Presentation and approval of minutes of the last
129annual meeting and of any special meeting held since that
130meeting.
131     (c)  Financial report.
132     (d)  Presentation of the annual report of the board of
133trustees.
134     (e)  Transaction of any business that may properly be
135brought before the board.
136     (f)  Election of officers of the board of trustees.
137     (3)  SPECIAL MEETINGS.--Special meetings of the board of
138trustees may be called at any time by the chair or upon the
139written request of four members of the board of trustees. The
140notice for any special meeting of the board of trustees shall be
141published as provided in section 189.417, Florida Statutes.
142     Section 4.  Powers, functions, and duties.--
143     (1)  EMINENT DOMAIN.--The North Sumter County Hospital
144District, through its board of trustees, has the power of
145eminent domain.
146     (2)  GENERAL POWERS.--The Board of Trustees of the North
147Sumter County Hospital District has all the powers of a body
148corporate, including the power to sue and be sued under the name
149of the North Sumter County Hospital District; to contract and be
150contracted with; to adopt and use a common seal; and to acquire,
151purchase, hold, lease, and convey such real and personal
152property as the board of trustees deems proper or expedient to
153carry out the purposes of this act.
154     (3)  AD VALOREM TAXATION.--The Board of Trustees of the
155North Sumter County Hospital District may levy an ad valorem tax
156in the district of up to 1 mill on the dollar of the value of
157all nonexempt property within that area of Sumter County which
158comprises the North Sumter County Hospital District, provided,
159however, that the hospital district shall have no authority to
160levy such ad valorem tax unless such authority has been approved
161in a referendum by a majority vote of the electors residing
162within the district voting on the question. Such referendum
163shall be held not later than December 31, 2006, and conducted
164upon a resolution adopted by the board of trustees and in
165accordance with applicable Florida Statutes. Such tax shall be
166paid into the district fund.
167     (4)  TAX PROCEEDS TO BE USED TO CONTRACT WITH HOSPITALS FOR
168HEALTH CARE SERVICES.--All future tax proceeds generated from
169within the North Sumter County Hospital District, less the
170amount reserved annually by the board, in its discretion, to pay
171for the maintenance and services of the board, shall be used to
172contract for health care services with any hospital within the
173North Sumter County Hospital District licensed pursuant to
174chapter 395, Florida Statutes. The North Sumter County Hospital
175District may also contract with any foundation associated with
176such hospital, provided, however, that any such foundation shall
177not receive more than 20 percent of any funds made available by
178the board to use for contracting for health care services.
179     (5)  ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT.--The Villages Tri-County
180Medical Center, Inc., and the Villages Regional Hospital
181Foundation, Inc., shall file annual audited financial statements
182with the North Sumter County Hospital District.
183     (6)  COLLECTION OF TAXES.--It is the duty of the Property
184Appraiser of Sumter County to assess, and the Tax Collector of
185Sumter County to collect, the up to 1 mill tax levied by the
186Board of Trustees of the North Sumter County Hospital District
187upon the taxable property in the district. The tax collector
188shall collect such tax as levied by the board of trustees in the
189same manner as other taxes are collected and shall pay the same
190over to the Board of Trustees of the North Sumter County
191Hospital District within the time and in the manner prescribed
192by law for the payment of taxes to the county depository. It is
193the duty of the Department of Revenue to assess all such
194property in accordance with section 193.085, Florida Statutes.
195The amount of each county or state tax and the taxes for the
196district shall be assessed by the officer respectively as are
197county taxes upon such property, and such tax shall be remitted
198by the collecting officer to the Board of Trustees of the North
199Sumter County Hospital District. All such taxes shall be held by
200the Board of Trustees of the North Sumter County Hospital
201District and paid out by said board for purposes of this act.
202     (7)  EXPENSES.--The Board of Trustees of the North Sumter
203County Hospital District may pay from the funds of the district
204all expenses of the organization of such board of trustees and
205all expenses necessarily incurred in the development of the
206district, as well as all other reasonable and necessary
207expenses, including the fees and expenses of a certified public
208accountant and an attorney as needed in the transaction of the
209business of the district in carrying out and accomplishing the
210purposes of this act. The board shall include in its annual
211budget a reserve in an amount deemed necessary by the board for
212its yearly expenses.
213     (8)  FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE, NOTICE, AND REPORTING
214REQUIREMENTS.--At least once every year, the Board of Trustees
215of the North Sumter County Hospital District shall make and file
216with the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Sumter County a complete
217financial statement of all moneys received and distributed by
218the board since the development of the district as to the first
219statement so filed, and since the last statement so filed as to
220any other year. Such statements shall also show the several
221sources from which the funds were received and shall show the
222balance on hand at the time of the making of such statement. The
223statement shall show the complete statement of the financial
224condition of the district. Notice of the statement shall be
225filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Sumter County and
226published in a newspaper regularly published in Sumter County,
227and the statement shall be made available at all reasonable
228times for inspection and copying. The Board of Trustees of the
229North Sumter County Hospital District shall comply with all
230financial disclosure and reporting requirements provided in
231general law.
232     (9)  PREPARATION OF BUDGET.--The Board of Trustees of the
233North Sumter County Hospital District shall prepare an annual
234balanced budget in accordance with generally accepted accounting
235practices and in the manner prescribed by section 189.418,
236Florida Statutes.
237     (10)  LIENS AND FORECLOSURES.--Liens and foreclosure of
238liens resulting from failure to pay ad valorem taxation shall be
239treated as liens and foreclosures resulting from other ad
240valorem taxes.
241     Section 5.  Amendments to the charter.--This act may only
242be amended by action of the Legislature.
243     Section 6.  Construction of act.--It is intended that the
244provisions of this act be liberally construed for accomplishing
245the purposes authorized and provided for by this act.
246     Section 7.  Comprehensive planning.--Except as may
247otherwise be required by general law, comprehensive planning is
248not required by this act.
249     Section 8.  If any provision of this act or its application
250to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity
251shall not affect other provisions or applications of the act
252which can be given effect without the invalid provision or
253application, and to this end the provisions of this act are
254declared severable.
255     Section 9.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.


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