Any 2 or more counties within this state no one of which has a population of 1,000,000 or more persons may co-operate for the establishment, maintenance and operation of a joint county medical care facility. The board of supervisors of any county may appoint a committee to confer with a like committee similarly chosen by the board of supervisors in any other county or counties and may appoint a committee of 3 for the purpose of selecting a site for a joint county medical care facility. At such meeting the committees shall organize into a joint committee and shall select 1 of the members of such committee chairman and a second member secretary. A full report of the results of such meeting shall be made to the board of supervisors of each county concerned at the last ensuing meeting thereof. Thereupon each said board of supervisors shall have the power to take action with reference to the establishment, maintenance and operation of such joint county medical care facility, as is granted by the statutes of this state with reference to the construction of a medical care facility by a single county, in so far as such provisions are applicable.

    (1) If the county boards of commissioners of 2 or more counties determine, by separate action of each board, that a joint county medical care facility is to be constructed, each board shall appoint 3 members to serve as members of the board of trustees of the joint county medical care facility. Each county board of commissioners shall appoint trustees for identical terms. Until the effective date of the amendatory act that added subsection (2), each county board of commissioners shall appoint individuals who qualify as provided for the office of member of the county social welfare board. On and after the effective date of the amendatory act that added subsection (2), each county board of commissioners shall appoint individuals who qualify as provided in subsection (4). The board of trustees of the joint county medical care facility shall cooperate with the department of licensing and regulatory affairs in the construction and equipment of the facility.

    (2) For a joint county medical care facility that is in existence on the effective date of the amendatory act that added this subsection, within 30 days after the effective date of the amendatory act that added this subsection and subject to subsection (4), each county board of commissioners shall appoint 1 individual to serve as an additional member of the board of trustees of the joint county medical care facility. A member of the board of trustees of the joint county medical care facility who holds office on the effective date of the amendatory act that added this subsection may continue in office until he or she resigns or otherwise vacates the office or until the expiration of his or her term.

    (3) For a joint county medical care facility that is in existence on the effective date of the amendatory act that added this subsection, all of the following apply to the county board of commissioners responsible for filling a vacancy attributable to a member of the board of trustees who held that office on the effective date of the amendatory act that added this subsection:

    (a) The county board of commissioners shall appoint an individual to fill a vacancy attributable to each of the first 2 members of the board of trustees to vacate the office.

    (b) The county board of commissioners shall not appoint an individual to fill a vacancy attributable to the last of the 3 members of the board of trustees to vacate the office.

    (4) For an appointment under subsection (1) or (2) or for an appointment to fill a vacancy in the board of trustees of a joint county medical care facility, which appointment occurs after the effective date of the amendatory act that added this subsection, the county board of commissioners responsible for appointing the member or filling the vacancy shall appoint an individual who qualifies based upon criteria established by the county board of commissioners.

     The cost of establishment and construction of said county medical care facility shall be borne by each county in proportion to the assessed valuation of said county. The board of supervisors of each county becoming a party to the erection of a joint county medical care facility under the provisions of this act, may raise in any 1 year for construction or maintenance purposes a sum not exceeding .1 mill on each dollar of assessed valuation of said county. Such tax shall be regarded as a special tax, and moneys received therefrom shall be transmitted by the treasurer of the county in which it is collected to the treasurer of the county in which said joint county medical care facility is to be located and constructed. All such moneys shall be and remain in a special fund and shall be used solely for the purposes for which the tax is spread: Provided, however, That the money so received for construction purposes and not needed therefor, may be expended by the board of trustees for the maintenance and operation of said joint county medical care facility. Money expended for the construction, equipment and installation of equipment of any joint county medical care facility shall be paid out by the county treasurer having such fund in charge, on the order of the board of trustees of such joint county medical care facility. The maintenance and operation of such joint county medical care facility shall be borne by each county in proportion to the number of persons kept by each county in said medical care facility.

     Contracts for the construction and equipping of any joint county medical care facility to be erected under the provisions of this act, shall be let by the board of trustees of said joint county medical care facility subject to the approval of the state department of social welfare. Such work may be let as an entirety or in sections as may be deemed more advantageous. In all cases where the cost of construction exceeds the sum of $500.00, bids shall be advertised in 1 or more newspapers published and circulated within the counties concerned, not less than 2 weeks prior to the date when bids are to be received. Subject to the provisions of this act, the board of trustees of said joint county medical care facility may adopt reasonable rules and regulations concerning the manner of advertising for bids and the letting of contracts. In all cases, the right to reject any and all bids presented shall be reserved. Each contract let hereunder shall provide that the work shall be done subject to the approval of the state department of social welfare.

     The board of trustees shall make and publish rules and regulations governing the operation of joint county medical care facilities. It shall be the duty of the board of trustees and all employees to observe such rules and regulations. Wilful failure or refusal shall constitute grounds for removal. Subject to this act and to such rules and regulations such board of trustees shall operate the joint medical care facility under its charge and shall employ a superintendent and such other employees as may be necessary, and may fix the compensation thereof. Such compensation shall be paid out of the maintenance fund of the joint county medical care facility in the same manner as the salaries of other county employees are paid. Money to defray the expenses of maintenance shall be paid by the county treasurer having such fund in his custody on the warrant of the president of the board of trustees of the joint county medical care facility, and shall be countersigned by the secretary.

     Said board of trustees heretofore provided for shall be a corporation and shall possess the usual powers of a corporation for public purposes, and they shall have all powers conferred upon them as conferred upon the county social welfare boards, by the laws relating to the construction, operation and maintenance of county medical care facilities. All laws governing the construction, operation and maintenance of a county medical care facility are applicable to the construction, operation and maintenance of a joint county medical care facility, unless otherwise expressly provided in this act.