In the event that the Committee shall find that any retired member to whom a benefit is payable under the terms of this plan is unable to care for his affairs because of illness or accident, is otherwise mentally or physically incompetent or unable to give a valid receipt, the Committee may cause the payments becoming due to such retired member to be paid to someone acting on behalf of such retired member under a valid power of attorney or as duly appointed conservator, and such payment shall relieve the Committee or the trustees of all responsibility to follow the application of such payment Any such payment shall be a payment for the account of the retired member and shall operate as a complete discharge of all liability therefor under this plan of the trustee and the Town.
The assets of this plan which are held by the trustee are given for the purpose of providing for the support of the members upon their retirement. Therefore, subject to applicable laws, no benefit payable at any time under this plan shall be subject in any manner to alienation, sale, transfer, assignment, pledge, attachment, garnishment or encumbrance of any kind. Any attempt to alienate, sell, transfer, assign, pledge or otherwise encumber any such benefits, whether presently or thereafter payable, shall be void. No retirement benefit nor the trust fund shall in any manner be liable for or subject to the debts or liability of any members or retired members entitled to or receiving any retirement benefit If the member or retired member shall attempt to or shall alienate, sell, transfer, assign, pledge or otherwise encumber his benefits under this plan or any part thereof or if, by reason of his bankruptcy or other event happening at any such time, such benefits would devolve upon anyone else or would not be enjoyed by him, then the Committee, in its discretion, may terminate his interest in such benefit of such member, his spouse, children or other dependents or any of them in such manner as the Committee may deem proper, and any such payment shall be a complete discharge of the liability for any such benefit under this plan.
Each retired member shall be responsible for furnishing the Committee or trustee with his address. Any notices required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be deemed given if directed to him at such address and mailed by regular United States mail. If any check mailed by regular United States mail to such address is returned, mailing of checks will be suspended and if the person entitled to such check does not make demand therefor in writing for a period of 12 months after the date such payment was due, he shall forfeit all claims to benefits hereunder beginning with the first payment which was so returned. The Committee, in its discretion, may extend this twelve-month period, provided that there are extenuating circumstances and that such extensions are granted in a nondiscriminatory manner.