Section 87.120 - DefinitionsThe following words and phrases as used in sections 87.120 to 87.370, unless a different meaning is plainly required by the context, have the following meanings:
(1)"Accumulated contributions", the sum of all amounts deducted from the compensation of a member and credited to his or her individual account in the members' savings fund together with interest thereon;(2)"Actuarial equivalent", a benefit of equal value when computed upon the basis of such mortality tables and interest rate as shall be adopted by the board of trustees;(3)"Average final compensation", the average earnable compensation of the member during his or her last two years of service as a firefighter, or if the firefighter has less than two years of service, then the average earnable compensation of his or her entire period of service;(4)"Beneficiary", any person in receipt of a retirement allowance or other benefit as provided by sections 87.120 to 87.370;(5)"Benefit reserve", the present value of all payments to be made on account of any retirement allowance or benefit in lieu of a retirement allowance upon the basis of such mortality tables and interest rate as shall be adopted by the board of trustees;(6)"Board of trustees", the board provided for in section 87.140 to administer the retirement system;(7)"City", any city not within a county and adopting the retirement system provided by sections 87.120 to 87.370;(8)"Creditable service", prior service plus membership service as provided in section 87.135;(9)"DROP", the deferred retirement option plan provided in section 87.182;(10)"Earnable compensation", the regular compensation which a member would earn during one year on the basis of the stated compensation for his or her rank or position;(11)"Firefighter", any officer or employee of the fire department of the city employed by the city for the duty of fighting fires, but does not include anyone employed in a clerical or other capacity not involving fire-fighting duties. In case of doubt as to whether any person is a firefighter within the meaning of sections 87.120 to 87.370, the decision of the board of trustees shall be final;(12)"Medical board", the board of physicians provided for in section 87.160;(13)"Member", a member of the retirement system as defined by section 87.130;(14)"Membership service", service as a firefighter rendered since last becoming a member;(15)"Prior service", all service as a firefighter rendered prior to the date the system becomes operative which is creditable in accordance with the provisions of section 87.135;(16)"Retirement allowance", annual payments for life which shall be payable in equal monthly installments or any benefits in lieu thereof granted to a member upon retirement or to a beneficiary;(17)"Retirement system", the firefighter's retirement system of any city as defined in section 87.125.L. 1943 p. 708 § 1, A.L. 1959 S.B. 314 § 86.480, A.L. 1961 p. 211, A.L. 1972 H.B. 766, A.L. 1973 H.B. 591, A.L. 1985 H.B. 26, A.L. 1991 H.B. 312, A.L. 1993 H.B. 259, A.L. 2000 H.B. 1808, A.L. 2001 S.B. 290