Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court
assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. The town meeting of the town of Needham may appropriate
funds in order to offset the anticipated costs of premium payments for or direct
payments to retired employees and the eligible surviving spouses or dependents
of deceased employees. These funds shall be credited to a special fund to be
known as the Post Retirement Insurance Liability Fund. Any interest or other
income earned by the fund shall be added to and become part of the fund. The
treasurer of the town shall be the custodian of the fund and may deposit the
proceeds in national banks or invest the proceeds by deposit in savings banks,
cooperative banks or trust companies organized under the laws of the
commonwealth or in federal savings and loan associations situated in the
commonwealth, or invest the same in such securities as are legal for the
investment of funds of savings banks under the laws of the commonwealth. Amounts
shall be appropriated to or expended from the fund by any town meeting by
majority vote only in accordance with an actuarial schedule developed by the
town. The schedule shall be designed to reduce to zero any unfunded liability
attributable to the payment of such premiums or direct payments. The schedule
shall also be designed to maintain appropriations as a fixed ratio of the
current and predicted future payroll of the town. The treasurer may employ any
qualified bank, trust company, corporation, firm or person for advice on the
investment of the fund and to prepare an actuarial study and may pay for such
advice and services from the fund.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
Approved January 24, 2002.