2. A service award program for the volunteer firefighters of a special fire company or department shall be jointly established by the political subdivisions which contract to receive fire protection services from such fire company or department only if:

1. (a) the governing board of each and every such political subdivision approves an agreement to jointly sponsor the program by an affirmative vote of at least sixty percent of the governing board; and
2. (b) the eligible voters of each and every such political subdivision separately approve a proposition authorizing their political subdivision to jointly sponsor the program to be administered by the political subdivision or the state of New York.

3. An agreement between or among political subdivisions to jointly sponsor a service award program for a special fire company or department may contain any provision which could be included in an agreement entered into pursuant to article five-G of this chapter and shall contain provisions specifying the following:

1. (a) the manner in which the several political subdivisions shall exercise and perform the powers and duties that are conferred by other sections of this article on the governing board of a single political subdivision that individually establishes and sponsors a service award program;
2. (b) the effect of the addition of other political subdivisions as parties to the agreement;
3. (c) the effect of the withdrawal of political subdivisions from the agreement;
4. (d) the entitlement age under the program;
5. (e) the age and length of service requirements to participate in the service award program;
6. (f) the number of years of firefighting service required to obtain a nonforfeitable right to a service award;
7. (g) the activities for which points will be granted toward a year of firefighting service;
8. (h) the extent to which the program provides credit for years of firefighting service rendered during one or more of the five calendar years immediately preceding the establishment of the program;

9. (i) in the case of a defined contribution plan,

   1. (i) the amount of the contribution to be made on behalf of each participant credited with a year of firefighting service, and
   2. (ii) the amount of any additional disability or death benefit;

10. (j) in the case of a defined benefit plan,

    1. (i) the amount of the monthly payment to be made to each participant for each year of firefighting service credited to the participant, and
    2. (ii) if the plan is to provide for payment of benefits prior to the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the plan, the date on which the plan is to provide for the payment of benefits;
11. (k) the date as of which the service award program shall take effect which shall be either the first day of January next succeeding the date of the last voter approval required to establish the program or, if sufficient funds are or will be available to each political subdivision to fund the program, the first day of January next preceding such last voter approval; and
12. (l) whether the service award program is to be administered by the political subdivision or the state of New York; and
13. (m) any other provisions as may be necessary for the implementation, operation, administration and funding of the program.

5. A proposition authorizing a political subdivision to jointly sponsor a service award program for the volunteer firefighters of a special fire company or department shall state:

1. (a) whether the service award program to be established is a defined contribution plan or a defined benefit plan;
2. (b) whether the service award program is to be administered by the political subdivision or the state of New York;
3. (c) the estimated annual cost of the service award program, including the estimated annual administration fee, and the estimated annual cost per participant, for all the political subdivisions establishing the program and for the political subdivision submitting the proposition to referendum;
4. (d) the extent to which the program provides credit for years of firefighting service rendered during one or more of the five calendar years immediately preceding the establishment of the program;
5. (e) in the case of a defined contribution plan, the amount of any additional disability or death benefit; and

6. (f) in the case of a defined benefit plan,

   1. (i) the projected monthly award to be paid to participants, and
   2. (ii) if the plan is to provide for the payment of benefits prior to the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the plan, the date on which payment of benefits shall begin.

11. A service award program for the volunteer firefighters of a special fire company or department shall remain in effect until terminated by the political subdivisions which are parties to the agreement to jointly sponsor the program. The service award program shall be terminated only if:

1. (a) the governing board of each and every such political subdivision approves a resolution to terminate the program by an affirmative vote of at least sixty percent of the governing board; and
2. (b) the eligible voters of each and every such political subdivision separately approve a proposition to terminate the program.