As soon as possible after the creation of a Department, the members shall organize for the transaction of business and shall adopt by-laws and rules and regulations suitable to the purposes of this Act. Three members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of the business thereof. The concurring vote of three members shall be required for the exercise of any of the powers granted by this Act. No vacancy in the Department shall impair the right of the remaining members to exercise all the powers of the Department provided there are at all times at least three members.
The Department may employ such professional, technical and clerical assistants as are necessary for the proper performance of its duties. In the employment of such professional, technical and clerical assistants, the Department shall give consideration to the employment of the personnel of the land clearance commission and conservation board in its area of operation which are to be dissolved following the creation of the Department.
The municipality may contribute to the charges or premium payments for group life, annuity and retirement insurance coverage for its employees to be underwritten by any legal reserve life insurance company authorized to do business in the State of Illinois, which may be covered in one or more policies, and which may include provisions for past service credits, provided that premium payments for future service benefits shall be made by the municipality and the employees, but the part of each premium payment to be charged against the participating employees for such future service benefits shall not be less than the part of that premium to be charged against and paid by the municipality. Prior to contracting for any policy of insurance authorized in the preceding sentence hereof, the form and contents of the policy or policies of insurance, the charges or premiums to be paid therefor, and the part of the charges or premiums to be paid by the employees and the part to be paid by the municipality, shall be approved by the Department and the governing body. "Past service credits" as used in this paragraph shall include credit for past service with a land clearance commission or a conservation board in the area of operation of the Department. Upon the dissolution of a land clearance commission or a conservation board in its area of operation, the Department may accept an assignment from such land clearance commission or conservation board of its contracts for such insurance coverage for those of its employees who are employed by the Department.
315 ILCS 30/8