Section 219-R. Authorization to adopt supplemental award programs

1. No
  political subdivision shall be required to adopt  a  supplemental  award
  program. Any supplemental award program adopted pursuant to this section
  shall be governed by the provisions of this article.
    2.  (a) A political subdivision may adopt a supplemental award program
  for volunteer  firefighters  only  if  that  political  subdivision  has
  previously   established   a   service   award   program  for  volunteer
  firefighters under article eleven-A or eleven-AA of this chapter.
    (b) A political subdivision may adopt a supplemental award program for
  volunteer ambulance workers  only  if  that  political  subdivision  has
  previously  established  a service award program for volunteer ambulance
  workers under article eleven-AAA of this chapter.
    3. A supplemental award program may be adopted only in the same manner
  as the service  award  program  was  adopted  by  a  resolution  of  the
  governing board following the affirmative vote of at least sixty percent
  of the governing board and the approval of a proposition authorizing the
  adoption of the program at a referendum of the electors of the political
  subdivision.  A  proposition  for  the approval of such local resolution
  shall be submitted at the  next  general  election  of  state  or  local
  government  officers  held  in such local government not less than sixty
  days after the passage of such resolution.
    4. The resolution authorizing adoption of a supplemental award program
  shall state:
    (a) the amount of the contribution to the program to be  made  by  the
  sponsor  on behalf of each participant credited with at least one decade
  of service;
    (b) the maximum number of years for which service may be granted;
    (c) the date on which the proposition authorizing the adoption of  the
  program shall be submitted to referendum;
    (d) the date as of which the program shall take effect.
    5.  The proposition authorizing the adoption of the supplemental award
  program shall be submitted to referendum  in  the  same  manner  as  the
  service award program.
    6. The proposition shall state:
    (a)  the  estimated  annual  cost  of  the  supplemental service award
  program;
    (b) the portion of the estimated annual cost of the program,  if  any,
  to be paid by any other political subdivisions;
    (c) annual cost per participant;
    (d)  whether the program provides credit for years of service rendered
  by a participant preceding the  adoption  of  the  supplemental  service
  award program and the estimated cost of providing such credit.
    7.  Upon  approval  of the proposition, the supplemental award program
  shall be deemed adopted by the political subdivision in accordance  with
  the  terms  of  the  resolution  adopted  by  the  governing  board. The
  supplemental  award  program  shall  take  effect  January  first   next
  succeeding the date at which the proposition was approved.
    8.  Once  a supplemental award program has been adopted, participation
  therein by the sponsor may be terminated,  or  the  benefits  under  the
  program  may  be  changed  by  resolution  of the governing board of the
  sponsor receiving the affirmative vote of at least sixty percent of  the
  governing board and the approval of a proposition at a referendum of the
  electors of the sponsor.
    9.  Payments  under  the  supplemental  program, if adopted, shall not
  impair any rights of the participants under the volunteer  firefighters'
  benefit  law  or  volunteer  ambulance workers' benefit law or any other
  law.