§ 22. Health insurance and pension plan.

The town council is authorized and empowered to make deductions periodically from the wages and salaries of its employees and officers with which to pay the premium for life, health, accident, hospitalization, annuity or pension of such officers or employees upon a group insurance plan and to contract and enter into agreements with insurance companies whereby the kind of group insurance desired by the employees may be furnished to them and the premiums therefor remitted periodically by the town. The participation in such group insurance by such officers or employees shall be entirely voluntary on the part of such officers or employees at all times. Any officer or employee may withdraw or retire from such group plan upon giving ten days' notice in writing to the town directing discontinuance of the deductions from his wages or salary in payment of such plan. The town council, in carrying out any provisions of this Section, shall have the right to contribute or pay any part or all of the premium due on the coverage afforded its officers or employees being charged for the plan of protection afforded out of the general funds of the town.