(a)     Conditions of eligibility:

(1)     Employees who are members of the City's employees' pension plan and supplemental plan at the time of the adoption of this retirement System shall become Members of this System.

(2)     Except as may be expressly provided otherwise herein, Membership in the System shall be mandatory for all future Employees provided that:

a.     Such Employee satisfactorily completes all required medical examinations for an Employee of his classification.

b.     Such Employee meets all requirements of the City for employment as a Police Officer or Firefighter

(3)     Firefighters and Police Officers who are members of the City's employees' pension plan but not of the supplemental plan as of the January 3, 1973 effective date of the adoption of this System, or who did not participate under the basic plan when first eligible, may become Members of this System provided that:

a.     The amount allocated to the Employee's account under Chapters 175 and 185, Florida Statutes, is transferred to this Fund.

b.     The Employee shall agree that his share of future Florida Statutes chapters 175 and 185 monies shall be deposited to this Fund.

c.     The Employee deposits into this Fund an amount equal in total to what he would have contributed under the basic plan had he been covered under it since first eligible, plus interest at a rate to be determined by the Board. The methods and procedures to be followed with regard to the above shall be determined by the Board.

(4)     Employees who were previously employed by the City but who subsequently become Employees as defined herein shall be eligible for membership under this System; provided, however, that for the purposes of this System, Creditable Service shall include only that period of employment during which such persons are Employees as defined herein, except as set forth below.

a.     For those Police Officers or Firefighters who were hired by the City prior to receiving their State Certification, such Police Officers or Firefighters shall be members of the City's General Employees' Retirement System until they terminate or receive their State Certification, whichever shall first occur.

b.     Upon receiving their State Certification, for those Police Officers or Firefighters who were hired by the City prior to receiving their State Certification, Creditable Service shall include the period of time between their initial date of hire and the date of their State Certification, or six (6) months, whichever period of time is shorter, upon payment of any additional contributions which might be owed to the Plan pursuant to section 20-130(a) after transfer from the City's General Employees Retirement System of those contributions made by the Member during the period prior to the Member's State Certification.

(5)     Participation in the Plan shall be optional for the Fire Chief and the Police Chief.

(b)     Application. Each Employee shall complete an application form, within the time limit established by the Board, covering the following points, as well as such other points or items as may be prescribed by the Board:

(1)     Such Employee's acceptance of the terms and conditions of the Plan and pension trust agreement; and, if requested,

(2)     Such Employee's designation of a Beneficiary or Beneficiaries.

(c)     Change in designation of Beneficiary or Joint Pensioner.

(1)     If a Member has elected an option with a joint pensioner or Beneficiary and his retirement income benefits have commenced, the Member may thereafter change the designated joint pensioner or Beneficiary but only if the Board consents to such change and if the joint pensioner last previously designated by the Member is alive when the Member files with the Board a request for such change.

(2)     The consent of a Member's joint pensioner or Beneficiary to any such change shall not be required.

(3)     The Board may request such evidence of the good health of the joint pensioner that is being removed as it may require and the amount of the retirement income payable to the Member upon designation of a new joint pensioner shall be actuarially redetermined taking into account the age and sex of the former joint pensioner, the new joint pensioner, and the Member. Each such designation will be made in writing on a form prepared by the Board and on completion will be filed with the Board. In the event that no designated Beneficiary survives the Member, such benefits as are payable in the event of the death of the Member subsequent to his retirement shall be paid as provided in Sec. 175.181 or Sec. 185.162, Florida Statutes.