A retirement system is hereby authorized for employees of cities, same to become operative after the requisite city or cities or combination thereof, have signified their intention to participate in the retirement system and the board has been appointed and qualified as herein provided. The board may begin to function, establish an office, employ an actuary and such other personnel as necessary and undertake the work of establishing the retirement system but it shall not be required to undertake such work unless necessary moneys are made available through negotiated loans or advances from cities or otherwise.

Whenever cities have notified the governor of election to join the retirement system to an extent which would place three hundred or more employees under the system, the governor shall appoint board members as provided herein and the system so created and established shall be forthwith constituted. The date when the system shall become operative as to any city shall be fixed by the board.

Reviser's note: Caption for 1947 c 71 § 4 reads as follows: "Sec. 4. AUTHORIZATION AND CREATION."