Section 3618. Defense and indemnification

The corporation shall not execute
  any  of  its  powers, including the special powers authorized by section
  thirty-six hundred six of this title, except as  necessary  to  commence
  its  corporate existence, until the town by local resolution has elected
  to make the provision of section eighteen of  the  public  officers  law
  applicable  to  employees of the corporation (as such term is defined in
  section eighteen of the public officers law) pursuant to subdivision two
  of such section; provided, however, that nothing contained  within  this
  section  shall  be  deemed  to  permit  the  corporation  to  extend the
  provisions of section eighteen of  the  public  officers  law  upon  any
  independent contractor.