Section 31-D. Participation by the Pioneer Library System

a. The Pioneer
  Library System may, by resolution adopted by its board of  trustees  and
  approved  by  the  comptroller,  elect  to participate in the retirement
  system. Acceptance of its employees for  membership  in  the  retirement
  system  shall  be optional with the comptroller, who shall determine the
  amounts of contribution payable by such system and its employees,  shall
  resolve  questions  of  credit for prior service, and shall in all other
  respects assure that such employees share the same  rights,  obligations
  and benefits as other members of the retirement system.
    b.  The  officers  and employees of such system shall be credited with
  such periods of prior service as shall be certified by such  system  for
  service  rendered to it, or the state, or in any other capacity approved
  by such system and the comptroller.  Service for such system  after  the
  date on which it commences to participate in the retirement system shall
  be  considered  as member service. An officer or employee of such system
  who, as of the date he or she is  so  approved  for  membership  in  the
  retirement  system,  is  already a member thereof, shall not have his or
  her total credit reduced by such approval. Any reserve held  on  account
  of  any  such officer or employee in the pension accumulation fund shall
  be used  as  an  offset  against  the  deficiency  contribution  payable
  thereafter by such system on account of such officer or employee for any
  prior service credit and any such previous credit.