WM. PRESTON LANE, JR., GOVERNOR. 775

of any "Retirement Plan" of the said Fire Department as here-
inafter authorized, and such principal and interest on any
encumbrances on the real estate owned by said fire depart-
ment as may be due, that are necessary to properly establish,
maintain and operate said fire department. Should the tax
so collected in any one year be inadequate to defray the said
costs, expenses, claims and demands, such deficiency may
be added to the amount required for the next ensuing year
and collected in the next year's taxes. For the benefit of
the paid employees of the Fire Department, the said Chevy
Chase Fire Department, Inc., is authorized and empowered
to establish a "Retirement Plan", which shall be operated
upon a sound actuarial basis and which shall conform in
general with the provisions of recognized retirement plans
operated by public or private agencies, with such additions
and variations as may be appropriate in the case of the said
Fire Department. Such retirement plan shall be established
by the said Chevy Chase Fire Department, Inc., by contract
or contracts with an insurance corporation or insurance cor-
porations duly qualified by law, by trust agreement or agree-
ments with a corporation or corporations qualified by law to
act as fiduciary or by such combination of the foregoing as
may be deemed advisable, and such modifications or amend-
ments to such retirement plan as may from time to time be
necessary or advisable shall be effected in like manner, pro-
vided that no vested rights in such plan shall be thereby
impaired. Such contract, contracts, trust agreement or agree-
ments shall designate the maximum annual payment or the
maximum annual proportion of the tax levy which may be
applied in the operation of the retirement plan, and the
Chevy Chase Fire Department, Inc., shall not be liable for
payments into the retirement plan in excess of such amount
or proportion so designated. The said Chevy Chase Fire De-
partment. Inc., shall prescribe in such retirement plan (a)
the nature and amount of benefits payable thereunder, which
may include retirement pensions, disability pensions, or
health or accident benefits, for the paid employees of the Fire
Department, or death benefits for the dependents of the said
employees, or any one or more of the foregoing, and (b) the
conditions and qualifications under which the employees of
the Fire Department, or their dependents, shall become en-
titled to coverage under the retirement plan, shall be quali-
fied for benefits thereunder, or shall become disentitled to
such benefits. The said Chevy Chase Fire Department, Inc.,
may require that each employee thereof, as a condition pre-
cedent to initial employment, continued employment, or cov-
erage under the plan, as may be prescribed, shall authorize
a deduction of a specified percentage of his salary or other