(a)(1) The board has the power to establish one or more plans which may be adopted by any county that meets the criteria established by the board. The employees to be covered, the benefits to be provided, and the terms and conditions for benefits shall be provided in the plan. A county is empowered to adopt such a plan by ordinance and to execute an agreement with the board to provide employee benefits as provided in the plan. The agreement and plan entered into by each member county may constitute a separate plan, unless the contract between the board and one or more counties specifically provides that funds of the counties are to be pooled and treated as a single plan. A plan providing employee benefits may provide for the method of funding such benefits through the use of insurance, self-funding, or otherwise.

(2) Any agreement between the board and a county which provides for self-funded benefits shall contain a provision that such benefits are to be provided, to the extent fixed in the plan, by the county and that the corporation does not guarantee the benefits.

(b) The board is authorized to specify in the plan reasonable employee classifications.

(c) Counties are authorized to appropriate funds to provide the benefits specified in such plan and to pay their portion of the administrative costs of the board in administering the system. Each county is authorized to pay the total contribution on behalf of its employees or to provide that a portion be deducted from the salaries of participating employees.

(d) Contributions paid by a county shall be paid from county funds which are on hand or which will be collected in the year the contribution is made and shall not be deemed to create a debt of the county.