A hospital district has all powers necessary and convenient to the acquisition, betterment, operation, maintenance, and administration of hospital facilities that its board of trustees considers necessary and expedient. In addition to the general grant of powers, a hospital district, acting by its board of trustees, may:
(1) employ nursing, administrative, and other personnel, legal counsel, engineers, architects, accountants, and other qualified persons, who may be paid for their services by monthly salaries, hourly wages, and pension benefits or by fees that may be agreed upon;(2) cause reports, plans, studies, and recommendations to be prepared;(3) lease, purchase, and contract for the purchase of real and personal property by option, contract for deed, or otherwise and acquire real or personal property by gift;(4) lease or construct, equip, furnish, and maintain necessary buildings and grounds;(5) adopt, by resolution, rules for the operation and administration of hospital facilities under its control and for the admission of persons to the facilities;(6) impose by resolution and collect charges for all services and facilities provided and made available by it;(7) subject to 15-10-420, levy taxes as prescribed in this part;(8) borrow money by the issuance of its bonds as prescribed in this part;(9) borrow money by the issuance of notes;(10) procure insurance against liability of the district or its officers and employees, or both, for torts committed within the scope of their official duties, whether governmental or proprietary, and against damage to or destruction of any of its facilities, equipment, or other property;(11) sell or lease any of its facilities or equipment as may be considered expedient;(12) cause audits to be made of its accounts, books, vouchers, and funds by competent public accountants; and(13) provide educational benefits to qualified individuals, including the payment of tuition, room and board, educational materials, and stipends and the repayment of student loans in return for an agreement by those persons to provide services to the district.En. Sec. 8, Ch. 155, L. 1953; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 257, L. 1969; R.C.M. 1947, 16-4308(part); amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 349, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 453, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 75, Ch. 584, L. 1999.