Sec. 6.18. INVESTIGATION. (a) The board shall consider all applications for retirement and disability pensions, all applications for death benefits, and all elections to participate in DROP. The board shall give notice to persons applying for benefits, advising them of their right to appear before the board and offer such sworn evidence as they may desire. Any person claiming retirement, disability, or DROP benefits may appear before the board and offer testimony that is relevant to a contested application for a retirement pension, a disability pension, death benefits, or DROP benefits. The chairman of the board may issue process for witnesses, administer oaths to witnesses, and examine any witness as to any matter affecting benefits under any plan within the pension system. Process for witnesses shall be served by any method of serving process permitted by the state law in any civil judicial proceeding. A witness who fails or refuses to attend and testify may be compelled to attend and testify, as in any judicial proceeding. The board may seek assistance from any court of competent jurisdiction to further compel or sanction a witness who fails or refuses to attend and testify.

(b) Any person who is aggrieved by a determination of the board regarding a retirement pension, a disability pension, death benefits, or DROP benefits may appeal the board determination to a state district court in the city where the pension system is located by giving written notice of appeal. The notice shall contain a statement of the grounds and reasons why the party feels aggrieved. The notice shall be served personally on the executive director within 20 days after the date of the board's determination. After service of the notice, the party appealing shall file with the state district court a copy of the notice of intention to appeal, together with an affidavit of the party making service showing how, when, and on whom the notice was served.

(c) Within 30 days after the date of service of the notice of appeal on the board, the executive director shall make up and file with the state district court a transcript of all nonprivileged papers and proceedings in the case before the board. When the copy of the notice of appeal and the transcript has been filed with the court, the appeal is perfected, and the court shall docket the appeal, assign the appeal a number, fix a date for hearing the appeal, and notify both the appellant and the board of the date fixed for the hearing.

(d) At any time before the rendering of its decision on appeal, the court may require further or additional proof or information, either documentary or under oath. On rendition of a decision on appeal, the court shall give to each party to the appeal a copy of the decision of the case. The decision of the court is appealable in the same manner as are civil cases generally.

(e) As provided by Section 4.01 of this article, the board shall approve all money used for investigations. The board may request the investigative services of either the police or fire departments in connection with any matter arising under this section.