423 - Boards of visitors; general powers and duties.

§ 423. Boards of visitors; general powers and duties.  1. The board of  visitors  of  each  hospital in the department shall have the powers and  duties expressly conferred or imposed on it by  this  chapter  and  such  other  powers and duties, not inconsistent with law as may be prescribed  by rules of the commissioner.    2. Each board of visitors shall:    (a)  subject  to  such  rules  and  the  statutory   powers   of   the  commissioner,  take  care of the general interest of the institution and  see that its objective is carried into effect;    (b) maintain an effective inspection of  the  institution,  for  which  purpose the board, or a majority of its members, shall visit and inspect  the institution at least once every three months;    (c)  keep  in a book provided for that purpose, a fair and full record  of its activities, which shall be open at all times  to  the  inspection  and  examination  of  the  governor  or  of  any person appointed by the  governor or by either house of the legislature, or to  the  commissioner  or his authorized representatives;    (d)  enter  in  a  book, kept at the institution for that purpose, the  date of each visit of each visitor;    (e) investigate, hear and ascertain the  truth  of  all  charges  made  against  the  director  or other officer or employee of the institution,  issue subpoenas, take and hear testimony in respect to such charges  and  make  its  recommendations  thereon to the authority having the power to  discharge or remove. A witness attending  before  such  board  shall  be  entitled  to  the  same  fees  as  a witness attending before a court of  record or a judge thereof, which shall be paid  as  other  institutional  charges.