§ 18-77. Eligibility.

(a)

All volunteer firefighters as defined herein shall be eligible for membership in the volunteer firefighter retirement system.

(b)

Should a person's status as a member cease, he may thereafter reapply to serve as a volunteer fireman. Should he be reinstated, he shall for the purpose of this article, if otherwise eligible, be deemed to be a new member hereunder, as of his date of reinstatement; provided, however, that a member who is reinstated;

(1)

Will receive credit for years or fractional parts of years of service if the member repays into the fund the amount he or she has withdrawn. The member shall have one hundred twenty (120) days after re-instated to make payment, or

(2)

A firefighter may voluntarily leave his or her contributions in the fund for a period of five (5) years after leaving the service of the fire department, pending the possibility of being rehired by the same department, without losing credit for the time the member has participated actively as a firefighter. If the member is not reinstated as a firefighter within five (5) years, his or her contributions shall be returned without interest. A reinstated volunteer firefighter shall continue as a member under the system and be credited with additional membership service beginning with the date of reinstatement. No volunteer firefighters who ceased such service prior to May 21, 1980 shall be entitled to reinstatement of prior credited service as herein set forth. Reentry to this system after discontinuance of original or prior membership shall be permitted on a uniform, nondiscriminatory basis, and in no event shall any duplication of benefits result therefrom.

(c)

Upon cessation of membership, each member shall thereafter lose all rights to any benefit under this article except as herein provided.

(Code 1964, § 9A-22; Ord. No. 1580, § 1, 9-22-88; Ord. No. 1758, § 2, 12-19-90; Ord. No. 1850, § 1, 7-1-92; Ord. No. 2010, § 1, 1-4-95; Ord. No. 2207, § 1, 12-15-99; Ord. No. 2305, § 2, 8-27-2003; Ord. No. 2346, § 2, 8-10-2005)