§3343. Powers and duties

A. The secretary-treasurer so elected shall be the custodian of all funds and securities belonging to the pension fund. He shall deposit such funds and securities in a depository designated by the board of trustees and shall disburse funds only upon vouchers signed by the secretary-treasurer and president. The secretary-treasurer shall give an annual surety bond, with a good and solvent corporate surety as surety on said bond, in a sum to be fixed by the board. The premiums for such bond shall be paid out of the cash held by the pension fund.

B. The board of trustees shall have exclusive control and management of the fund.

C. No debt, claim, pension, or benefit of any kind shall ever be paid until same has been duly approved by the president and secretary-treasurer. All such payments, after being approved, shall be paid by voucher signed by the president, and the secretary-treasurer.

D. The board shall meet upon call of the president, or two members of the board. Call, as used herein, shall mean due and timely notice given in writing or verbally to all board members.

E. The secretary-treasurer shall keep in books provided for the purpose a full and complete record of all proceedings of the board, particularly with reference to the investment of all funds as hereinafter provided, which proceedings shall be spread upon the minutes in full. He shall file and keep all correspondence of the board. He shall perform other such duties as may be assigned to him by the board. He shall maintain a record book showing the date each member entered the service of the Monroe fire department, showing all breaks or interruptions in continuity of service and the explanations of same, all for the purpose of perpetuating an intelligent service record of each employee of the fire department.

F. The president shall perform such duties as are customary to such offices.

G. The board of trustees shall have the power and it shall be its duty to:

(1) Make all rules and regulations necessary to the proper conduct of the business of the fund under the provisions of the law, which rules and regulations shall be adopted by, and with the consent of, a majority of the membership of the fire department present at any annual, special, or called meeting.

(2) Retain such legal, medical, clerical, or other help as may be necessary for the proper conduct of the affairs of the fund and make compensation for such services.

(3) Keep all necessary records of meetings and proceedings.

(4) The board shall, annually at the close of the fiscal year, cause to be posted in each station a recapitulation of the fund, prepared by a certified public accountant, showing the number of pensioners, amounts of disbursement, revenues received, cash on hand, and present investment of said fund. Special reports will be posted prior to annual meetings when requested by a majority of the board.

(5) The board of trustees may at any time after considering the probable current demands upon such fund, determine what portion of the cash account may be safely withdrawn for investment purposes and, having so determined, invest same in United States Government bonds, in stocks of building and loan associations or banks which are guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the Federal Savings & Loan Insurance Corporation, or in Louisiana state, parish, or municipal revenue bonds, not exceeding a limit of one hundred thousand dollars on any one issue. Said bonds and/or stocks shall be deposited in a designated safe depository. All income from such investments shall become a part of the pension fund.

Added by Acts 1982, No. 764, §1; Redesignated from R.S. 33:2173 by Acts 1991, No. 74, §3, eff. June 25, 1991.